Dancing with the Devil and Other Tales from Beyond
Bailando con el diablo y otros cuentos del más allá
By René Saldaña Jr.
- ISBN 9781558857445
- Published 30 Apr 2012
- Bind Trade Paperback
- Pages 64
- Age Group 11 and up
This bilingual collection of tales features
supernatural elements rooted in Latino folklore
Joey is excited and nervous about the school dance because Marlen, the love of his life, has agreed to be his date. But Joey has heard rumors that she might be meeting someone else, and as he waits for her to show up he can’t help but worry the gossip may be true. Sure enough, a suave, well-dressed stranger asks Marlen to dance before Joey can even get to her. And soon the handsome couple is burning up the dance floor—literally!
In this collection of stories based on Mexican-American lore, author and educator René Saldaña, Jr. spins age-old tales with a contemporary twist. Lauro and Miguel run for their lives—with La Llorona’s cold breath on their necks— after being caught smoking cigarettes down by the river. There’s Felipe, who’s so determined to win back the Peñitas Grand Master Marble Champion title that he’s willing to make a deal for a shooter with a supernatural edge. And when Louie’s leg swells up after he cuts his toe playing with a knife, he can’t help but wonder if his mom’s warning could be true. Are his guts really going to spill out of his wound because he cut himself doing something stupid?
Set in the author’s native South Texas, these are the stories parents have told their children for generations to discourage bad behavior and encourage kids to stay close to home. But Saldaña breathes new life into these traditional tales with contemporary settings, issues and conflicts that are sure to resonate with today’s youth.
Animal Jamboree: Latino Folktales
La fiesta de los animales: leyendas latinas
By Judith Cofer
Translated by Natalia Rosales-Yeomans
- ISBN 9781558857438
- Fiction Young Adult
- Published 30 Apr 2012
- Bind Trade Paperback
- Pages 96
- Age Group 8-12
A bilingual collection of Puerto Rican folktales
re-told by acclaimed author Judith Ortiz Cofer
Once upon a time, a lion and a lioness lived in a forest at the edge of a field. They think they are better than all their neighbors, even though the other animals—horses, burros, cats, cows and even a goat—aren’t starving like the lions. But the lion has a brilliant idea to end the rumbling in their stomachs: they will invite all their neighbors to a grand fiesta full of music and dancing. And while everyone is dancing, they’ll lure the goat away and push him into a cauldron of boiling water. But the arrogant lion’s plan goes wildly awry when the goat’s suspicious friends help him escape!
An assortment of animals parade through these entertaining tales. In “A Funeral for Nangato,” a village of naïve, proverb-quoting mice decide to bury their enemy, the cat Nangato, who deserves a proper funeral because one should “be good to those who treat you badly.” But just because all the mice say Nangato is dead doesn’t mean he is! And in “The Brave Little Ant and El Señor Chivo,” a tiny ant helps an old couple save their garden from a bad-tempered goat who is determined to eat them out of house and home. Even though the ant is small, she still manages to save the vegetables and the day!
Adapted by celebrated author Judith Ortiz Cofer, these Puerto Rican folktales will delight young readers ages 8 – 12, whether they’re reading alone or with their favorite adult. Available in both English and Spanish, these stories featuring a variety of animals share lessons that will appeal to kids who enjoy animals and storytelling!
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