PLOT SUMMARY
This collection of folktales, selected by Neil Philip, comes from Mexican and Mexican American storytellers. These traditional tales show transformations of cats and kings, priests and tricksters, ordinary people and supernatural beings. Some of the folktales in the book can be found in the Grimm’s collection but the flavor and tale type are mixed with religious imagery drawn from Mexican culture. Some were collected in Mexico while others came from the Mexican populations of Colorado and New Mexico. There are many traditional elements indigenous to the culture, including witches, widows, angels and the devil. There are fourteen stories in the collection. Pedro the Trickster is the story of man who cheats death, while The Story of the Sun and the Moon borrows elements from stories, such as Jack and the Beanstalk. The story of The Two Marias is adapted from “Cinderella” with the role of the fairy godmother taken by the Virgin Mary. The Mule Drivers Who Lost Their Feet is a story that spotlights the silliness of characters with no common sense. The story viewpoints incorporate metaphors and similes and show life as essentially humorous with intimations of seriousness.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Philip obtained the stories from authentic sources to create a rich and varied collection blending elements of religion and humor. The spiritual element in many of the tales makes them sparkle with life and meaning in Mexican culture. All of the stories have been told and retold over generations. There are notes discussing the backgrounds of each story at the end of the book that are helpful for readers who want to learn more about their origins. The story, Horse Hooves and Chicken Feet, is explained by Philip as a common Spanish American tale that was collected from a 12-year-old Mexican American girl who had heard it from a classmate and believed it to be true. The vibrant colors used by Jacqueline Mair, are a mix of paint and print that draw on many images from Mexico. The decorative use of patterns in the architecture, tableware, the clothing worn by the characters at the fiesta, and traditional animals such as the donkey are all beautifully woven into the artwork. Human expressions and use of symbolism convey the mood of each story and act as a powerful narrative in telling of superstitious and spiritual elements. This is a book to share with older children who are learning about or already have a rich background in traditional folklore.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
School Library Journal: "Richly varied collection...distinctive flavor...stylish and humorous retellings...alive with bright color...a well-put-together package. Clearly superior...enjoyable volume." School Library Journal
Kirkus Reviews: "well-documented and authentic...Mexican flavor is strong throughout...occasional brilliant, hot watercolors...much information for the serious student of folklore."
Booklinks: (American Library Association): "useful and attractively presented...stories are simply yet effectively retold...exuberant illustrations...illuminating introduction...An extensive bibliography...a solid collection"
CONNECTIONS
Children will enjoy making puppets of popular trickster characters and role play scenes from various folktales.
Other folklore collections:
*Virginia Hamilton, A Ring of Tricksters: Animal Tales from America, the West Indies and Africa. 1997 ISBN: 10: 0590473743
*Lewis Mahlmann and David Cadwalader Jones, Folk Tale Plays for Puppets: 13 Royalty-Free Plays for Hand Puppets, Rod Puppets, or Marionettes. c1980 ISBN: 0-8238-0242-6
*Howard Norman, The Girl Who Dreamed Only Gees and Other Tales of the Far North. 1997.
ISBN: 0-15-230979-9
*Neil Philip, Stockings of Buttermilk: American Folktales. 1999 ISBN:10: 0395849802
*Judy Sierra, Can you Guess My Name? Traditional Tales Around the World. 2002.
ISBN: 0-618-13328-3
RESOURCES
Ansell, Janis and Holley, Pam. What do Children and Young Adults Read Next? A Reader’s Guide to Fiction for Children and Young Adults. Vol. 6. Detroit: Gale Cengage Learning. 2005.
http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/catalog/titledetail.cfm?titleNumber=111156
(Retrieved February 12, 2010)
http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/catalog/downloadresultsa.cfm?adv=y&ean=9780618194636
(Retrieved February 3, 2010)
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