Books with author Alma Flor Ada

A long, long time ago in ancient Mexico, the sun disappeared. Everything was dark, and the people were afraid. The animals decided to search for the sun through the fields and forests, rivers and lakes. But the sun was nowhere to be found. At last the animals stopped looking - all except the lizard. This is the story of a brave little lizard who would not give up until she had brought back light and warmth to everyone.Hace mucho, muchísimo tiempo, en el México antiguo, el sol despareció. Todo la tierra se obscureció y la gente tenía miedo. Los animales salieron en busca de sol por los campos y bosques, los ríos y los lagos. Pero el sol no estaba en ninguna parte. Al no encontrarlo, todos los animales abandonaron la búsqueda, excepto la lagartija. Ésta es le historia de una lagartija valiente que no quiso darse por vencida hasta poder restaurarles a todos la luz y el calor.

In this companion volume to Alma Flor Ada's Where the Flame Trees Bloom, the author offers young readers another inspiring collection of stories and reminiscences drawn from her childhood on the island of Cuba. Through those stories we see how the many events and relationships she enjoyed helped shape who she is today. We learn of a deep friendship with a beloved dance teacher that helped sustain young Alma Flor through a miserable year in school. We meet relatives, like her mysterious Uncle Manolo, whose secret, she later learns, is that he dedicated his life to healing lepers. We share the tragedy of another uncle whose spirited personality leads to his love of flying...and the crash that takes his life. Heartwarming, poignant, and often humorous, this collection encourages children to discover the stories in their our own lives -- stories that can help inform their own values and celebrate the joys and struggles we all share no matter where or when we grew up.

Noted author Alma Flor Ada offers young readers eleven stories from her own childhood in Cuba - true stories about relatives and friends and the hacienda where she grew up for much of her elementary years. These true sto­ries from Alma Flor Ada's child­hood are filled with fam­ily love and val­ues. Told through the eyes of a child, a whole world comes to life for the reader: the blind great-grandmother who never went to school but whose wis­dom and gen­eros­ity over­flowed to those around her; the hired hand Samoné whose love for music over­came all dif­fi­cul­ties; her grand­fa­ther Modesto, who placed a higher value on human rela­tion­ships than on his pos­ses­sions. Eleven remark­able sto­ries will move and inspire chil­dren and adults alike. Editorial Reviews From School Library Journal Grade 3-6-Those who wonder what "family values" really are may possibly find the answer in this slim volume of short stories. Telling of her childhood in Cuba, Ada begins with an introduction to her homeland followed by 11 episodes about her family and her community. One story tells of her grandfather Modesto's courage and loyalty in the face of the death of his beloved wife and the simultaneous collapse of the Cuban economy. Another tells of her great-grandmother Mina, who continued to make rag dolls for the village children even after she had lost her sight. And a third tale tells of a Japanese street vendor who sold ice cream for a living, but gave generous samples to children who could not afford to pay. Warmth and love for a treasured childhood exude from the pages. The writing is elegant, but not overly sweet. Each selection stands well on its own. Children can read this book independently or enjoy listening to it read aloud. Marilyn Long Graham, Lee County Library System, Fort Myers, FL

Do you know why a weather vane has a little rooster on the top, spinning around to tell us which way the wind is blowing? Here is the answer in this old story about Half-Chicken, who has one eye, one leg, and one wing. His adventures take him far and wide until he's carried straight to the top, in this lively retelling--in Spanish and English--of a traditional folktale.

Once, a long, long time ago, the sun disappeared from the sky. Everything was dark for many days. All the animals went to search for the sun in the rivers and lakes, through the fields and forests, but the sun was nowhere to be found. Little by little all the animals gave up, except for the faithful lizard. Finally one day she found a strange glowing rock and discovered the sun fast asleep. But no one could persuade the sun to wake up. Then the emperor organized a great feast, with the finest dancers and musicians, so the sun would wake up and never fall asleep again. Since that day, all lizards love to lie in the sun, to remember the day when one of their own brought light and warmth back to the world.