Status
Available
Collection
Publication
Cinco Puntos Press (2010), Edition: Bilingual, 128 pages
Description
A collection of stories from Cuban folklore, representing the cultures of Spain, Africa, and the Caribbean.
Local notes
School Library Journal, 01/31/2009
Gr 3–6—Hayes has a well-deserved reputation for classy, catchy retellings of Latino stories, predominately those from the desert Southwest of the United States. This collection takes him farther afield but maintains the quality of narrative and the characteristic "tellability" that readers and storytellers have come to expect of him. The title story relates the acquisition of fire from an old witch by two canny jimaguas, the Cuban term for twins. This story is similar in structure to Native American tales in which the thief is Coyote or Raven; here the siblings employ music and dance as their method. Many of the tales share this characteristic: a typical folktale motif combined with uniquely Cuban elements. "You Can't Dance/No baila" tells how the animals of the forest join forces to rid themselves of a pesky family of devils. Tales such as this one which involve tricking an evil character into harming himself, are widespread, as is the element of using an animal's behavior (in this case that of turkeys tucking their heads under their wings) to drive the action. "Buy Me Some Salt" is a Cuban variant of the Appalachian tale "Soap, Soap, Soap." Throughout, the tellings are clear and amusing, equally well adapted for reading or for listening. Sayago's acrylic illustrations are bright and bold, with black-outlined, highlighted shapes that almost resemble stained glass. They ably complement the text, but certainly the narrative stands alone.—Ann Welton, Helen B. Stafford Elementary, Tacoma, WA Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.
Gr 3–6—Hayes has a well-deserved reputation for classy, catchy retellings of Latino stories, predominately those from the desert Southwest of the United States. This collection takes him farther afield but maintains the quality of narrative and the characteristic "tellability" that readers and storytellers have come to expect of him. The title story relates the acquisition of fire from an old witch by two canny jimaguas, the Cuban term for twins. This story is similar in structure to Native American tales in which the thief is Coyote or Raven; here the siblings employ music and dance as their method. Many of the tales share this characteristic: a typical folktale motif combined with uniquely Cuban elements. "You Can't Dance/No baila" tells how the animals of the forest join forces to rid themselves of a pesky family of devils. Tales such as this one which involve tricking an evil character into harming himself, are widespread, as is the element of using an animal's behavior (in this case that of turkeys tucking their heads under their wings) to drive the action. "Buy Me Some Salt" is a Cuban variant of the Appalachian tale "Soap, Soap, Soap." Throughout, the tellings are clear and amusing, equally well adapted for reading or for listening. Sayago's acrylic illustrations are bright and bold, with black-outlined, highlighted shapes that almost resemble stained glass. They ably complement the text, but certainly the narrative stands alone.—Ann Welton, Helen B. Stafford Elementary, Tacoma, WA Copyright 2009 Reed Business Information.
Awards
Aesop Prize (Prize — 2009)
Skipping Stones Honor Award (2009)
Américas Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature (Commended Title — 2009)
Tejas Star Reading List (2012)