Fiesta Femenina

The Aesop Prize 2001, American Folklore Society Editor's Choice 2001, "Booklist

In Mexican culture the miraculous is everywhere. One way in which Mexican stories represent this magical quality of life is through their female characters. They often possess special talents that enable them to rise above the challenges presented to them, which may come in the form of misguided men, powerful sorcerers or even the Devil, himself. But these women, through their inner strength, overcome the forces of opposition. The stories chosen here contain unique, powerful female characters & celebrate the extraordinary aspects of Mexican women: Rosha & the Sun; The Hungry Goddess; The Legend of Tangu Yuh; Why the Moon Is Free; Green Bird; Blancaflor; The Virgin of Guadalupe; & Malintzin of the Mountain. Color illustrations.

More effectively meet the diverse literacy needs of the growing Latino population by learning how to evaluate and select quality Latino children's literature. Latinos are the fastest growing and largest ethnic minority in the United States. The number of Latino children is at a historic high. As a result, librarians and teachers in the United States must know how to meet the informational, cultural, and traditional literacy needs of this student demographic group. An ideal way to overcome this challenge is by providing culturally accurate and authentic children's literature that represents the diversity of the Latino cultures. Much more than simply a topical bibliography, this book details both historical and current practices in educating Latino children; explains why having quality Latino children's literature in classrooms and libraries is necessary for the ethnic identity development of Latino children; and offers a historical overview of Latino children's literature in America. Web resources of interest to educators working with Latino children are also included.

As multicultural education is becoming integral to the core curriculum, teachers often implement this aspect into their courses through literature. However, standards and criteria to teach and promote active discussion about this literature are sparse. Cultural Journeys introduces pre-service and experienced teachers to the use of literature to promote active discussions that lead students to think about racial diversity. More than just an annotated list of books for children, Pamela S. Gates and Dianne L. Hall Mark provide systematic guidelines that teachers can use throughout their careers to evaluate multicultural literature for students in grades K-8. At the same time, the text leads the reader to a deeper understanding of how to use multicultural literature throughout the entire curriculum and not just during specially designated months or time periods. With the example unit plans and extensive annotated bibliography, this book is a valuable resource that pre-service teachers will utilize when they begin teaching and in-service teachers will reference repeatedly during their planning periods.

Following the same format as the highly praised 2000-2004 edition, Recommended Books in Spanish for Children and Young Adults, 2004-2008 is an outstanding reference tool that includes annotated entries for more than 1,200 books in Spanish published between 2004 and 2008 in the U.S., Spain, Mexico, Venezuela, and Argentina. Each entry includes an extensive critical annotation, title in Spanish as well as English, tentative grade level, and approximate price. The books have been selected because of their quality of art and writing, presentation of material and appeal to the intended audience, and support the informational, educational, recreational and personal needs of Spanish speakers from preschool through the twelfth grade. Whether used for the development and support of an existing library collection or for the creation of a new library serving Spanish-speaking young readers, the books in this volume are of value to Spanish-speaking children and young adults (or those who wish to learn Spanish). This volume is arranged in four sections: Reference, Nonfiction (Philosophy, Psychology, Religion, Social Science, Folklore, Language, Science, Technology, Health and Medicine, The Arts, Recreation and Sports, Literature, Poetry, Geography, History, and Biography), Publishers' Series, and Fiction (Easy Books, General Fiction and Graphic Novels). This volume also includes an appendix of merchants who sell books in Spanish, as well as author, title, and subject indexes.

Anything is possible in the world of Latin American folklore, where Aunt Misery can trap Death in a pear tree; Amazonian dolphins lure young girls to their underwater city; and the Feathered Snake brings the first musicians to Earth. One in a series of folklore reference guides ("...an invaluable resource..."--School Library Journal), this book features summaries and sources of 470 tales told in Mexico, Central America and South America, a region underrepresented in collections of world folklore. The volume sends users to the best stories retold in English from the Inca, Maya, and Aztec civilizations, Spanish and Portuguese missionaries and colonists, African slave cultures, indentured servants from India, and more than 75 indigenous tribes from 21 countries. The tales are grouped into themed sections with a detailed subject index.

Strengthen gifted girls' potential by exploring characteristics of girls' giftedness; factors affecting development; issues of resilience, self-efficacy, and personal ethics; and the importance of supportive adults.

Latino folklore comprises a kaleidoscope of cultural traditions. This compelling three-volume work showcases its richness, complexity, and beauty. Latino folklore is a fun and fascinating subject to many Americans, regardless of ethnicity. Interest in—and celebration of—Latin traditions such as Día de los Muertos in the United States is becoming more common outside of Latino populations. Celebrating Latino Folklore: An Encyclopedia of Cultural Traditions provides a broad and comprehensive collection of descriptive information regarding all the genres of Latino folklore in the United States, covering the traditions of Americans who trace their ancestry to Mexico, Spain, or Latin America. The encyclopedia surveys all manner of topics and subject matter related to Latino folklore, covering the oral traditions and cultural heritage of Latin Americans from riddles and dance to food and clothing. It covers the folklore of 21 Latin American countries as these traditions have been transmitted to the United States, documenting how cultures interweave to enrich each other and create a unique tapestry within the melting pot of the United States.