La Llorona (yoh-RROH-nah), now available for the first time in a full-color paperback, is the ghost story to end all ghost stories and truly the most popular cuento of Hispanic America. This story of the weeping woman appears at first to be only a frightening tale filled with mysterious events which cause children to sit wide-eyed. Yet it’s the simple, universal wisdom at the core of the story that finally works its magic into their hearts. Joe Hayes is best known for his bilingual tellings of stories from the American Southwest. La Llorona is one of his favorite stories.
United States
Materials from United States of America
The House You Pass On The Way
When her aunt’s adopted daughter Tyler comes to stay with them for the summer, Staggerlee, a self-proclaimed loner, finds a soulmate in Tyler, but their intense feelings for each other catch them off guard and force them to make some difficult decisions.
Juba This, Juba That
Traditional “juba” rhythms have a long history. They originated in Nigeria as hand-clapping games. People who were brought to the New World as slaves fought hard to keep their culture alive against terrible odds. They transformed “juba” rhythms into work songs that were passed down orally.
Dragons of Silk
Four generations of Chinese and Chinese-American girls, beginning in 1835, are tied together by the tradition of raising silkworms and the legacy of the legendary Weaving Maid.
Buffalo Dreams
Having traveled with her family to see a newly born white buffalo and give her gifts, Sarah Bearpaw experiences a magic moment with the special calf. Includes a legend of the white buffalo and instructions for making a dreamcatcher.
See the review at WOW Review, Volume 4, Issue 1
Cattle Kids: A Year On The Western Range
Presents a photo essay about boys and girls who live and work on their families’ cattle ranches, taking part in many activities including calving, branding, and rounding up the herd.
See the review at WOW Review, Volume 4, Issue 1
Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy
The Price Of Loyalty
When Manny moves on to Raleigh Middle School, he’s relieved that he’ll be with his other Latino friends from elementary school. Hanging out with his vatos is great; but before Manny knows it, kids are calling the clique the Emperors and saying that they are a gang. Gradually Alex, whose older brother is in prison, starts calling the shots; and the pressure is on Manny ”first to shave his head and eventually to get drugs for the vatos. Close calls with the authorities become more and more frequent, and Manny can see where it’s all headed. Does he have the guts to turn his back on his oldest friends so he can keep clean? This riveting novel about peer pressure and core values highlights a hot-button topic.
Amadito And The Hero Children
A brief fictional recounting of legendary epidemics that struck the American Southwest–the smallpox epidemics of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and the influenza epidemic during World War I–which ravaged many rural communities throughout the West. Includes author’s notes about the characters.
Right Behind You
When he was nine, Kip set another child on fire. Now, after years in a juvenile ward, he is ready for a fresh start. But the ghosts of his past soon demand justice, and he must reveal his painful secret. How can Kip tell anyone that he really is–or was–a murderer?