Golden Tales: Myths, Legends, and Folktales from Latin America [Paperback]

Four cultures and 13 countries feature in this handsome volume. Each section begins with a brief description of the culture of origin and an appendix provides sources for the myths; the stories are embellished with oil paintings and traditional motifs. Ages 8-up.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Grade 4-8?The principal strength of this collection is that it mingles traditional creation myths and ethnic folktales with stories that show the Spanish influence in the Caribbean and Mexico. The tales that come from Colombia and the areas encompassed by the Inca Empire are more traditional. An introduction gives background on the Taino, Zapotec, Muisca, and Inca civilizations. Each of the four sections, one for each group, begins with a one-page description of their histories. The type font is attractive, and the pages are open and easy to read. There are ample full-color illustrations of average quality for each story and a good map of Latin America that shows the areas each tribe inhabited. Excellent source notes and a good pronunciation guide round out the volume. It is difficult, however, to discern who the audience for this book might be. The prose tends to be plodding, sometimes even turgid. ("Silently they embraced once more, for a long moment of passion. Fully possessed by his love, she knew his heart was forever hers.") Most elementary students would be hard pressed to read the text straight through, and it does not read well aloud. This book might best be used as a research tool, or with units on native Latin American cultures in conjunction with Deborah Nourse Lattimore's Why There Is No Arguing in Heaven (HarperCollins, 1989), Jane Yolen's Encounter (Harcourt, 1992), Verna Aardeema's Borreguita and the Coyote (Knopf, 1991), or Lois Ehlert's Moon Rope/Un Lazo a la luna (Harcourt, 1992).?Ann Welton, Terminal Park Elementary School, Auburn, WA
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.