My Land Sings
Stories from the Río Grande
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- $7.99
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- $7.99
Publisher Description
"Filled with ghosts, devils, and tricksters . . . This appealing volume will add diversity to folklore collections." —Library Journal
Rich in the folklore of his ancestors, Rudolfo Anaya's tales will delight young readers from across the globe. In stories both original and passed down, this bestselling and American Book Award–winning author incorporates powerful themes of family, faith, and choosing the right path in life. In "Lupe and la Llorona," a seventh grader searches for the legendary Llorona; in "The Shepherd Who Knew the Language of Animals," a shepherd named Abel saves a snake and gains the ability to understand the language of animals; In "Dulcinea," a fifteen-year-old dances with the Devil. Other tales feature coyotes, ravens, a woodcutter who tries to cheat death, the Virgin Mary, a golden carp, and a young Latino who seeks immortality.
Deeply rooted in ancient mythological beliefs and based on the folklore and traditions of Mexican and Native American cuentistas, these accounts of enchantment are as beautiful and mysterious as the Rio Grande itself—and serve as a testament to the lost art of oral storytelling.
This ebook features illustrations by Amy Córdova.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Haunting characters people Anaya's (The Farolitos of Christmas) collection of 10 tales in the R o Grande valley of New Mexico. He combines five cuentos from Spanish and Native American folklore (previously published in a bilingual volume for adults) with original stories that incorporate inherited themes such as a respect for elders, the dangers of going against traditional mores and traces from an old world Roman Catholicism. In "Dulcinea," for instance, a beautiful, isolated 15-year-old from Llano Estacado sees a handsome stranger on a visit to the village and determines to meet him at a dance. Her father forbids it, saying, "Dark wind follows the stranger who has come to our village.... The devil rides the whirlwind," but she attends anyway, with life-altering results. And in "The Three Brothers," a youngest son is rewarded for his faith, while his two older brothers' selfishness is punished with eternal damnation. Anaya's preface describes sources and variations on his material, as well as the process in which he has used cuentos in his novels. While readers may be familiar with the outlines of "Lupe and la Llorona" (the crying woman), "The Shepherd Who Knew the Language of Animals" and "Coyote and Raven," a creation tale, these reworkings contain compelling twists that will keep the pages turning. Ages 10-up.
