La velita de los cuentos/The Storyteller’s Candle.
Reviewed by Ann Welton, Grant Center for the Expressive Arts, Tacoma, WA -- Críticas, 1/15/2008
González, Lucía.
tr. by author. illus. by Lulu Delacre. U.S.: Children’s Book Press. 2008. 32p. ISBN 978-0-89239-222-3. $16.95.
Gr 2-5–The winter of 1929 feels colder to Hildamar and Santiago than it does to lifelong New Yorkers. Brother and sister have recently arrived from Puerto Rico, and they miss the sunny days and warm climate. As Three Kings Day approaches, they miss home even more. Then a storyteller and librarian named Pura Belpré visits their school. A fellow Puerto Rican, she tells the children that the library is for everyone and invites them and their families to attend a Three Kings Day celebration to prove it. It may be cold, but life feels restored to the young protagonists. Rich with details of traditions of the island, infused with the potent combination of homesickness and anticipation of better times, this picture book captures the spirit that Belpré inspired in her long career. Delacre’s mixed-media illustrations are especially meaningful. Based on sepia tones that locate the story in the past, she incorporates an original copy of the New York Times from January 6, 1930 into her oil-wash-and-collage paintings. On many pages, the bits of newspaper give information related to the action. For example, as parents gather to watch their children in a pageant, the wallpaper is comprised of comments on theater performances. Both the English and Spanish narratives have considerable flow and propulsion, which make the book a perfect fit for storytimes, especially during the holiday season. A sound addition for most public and school library collections.
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