A Gift of Gracias

October 31, 2005
Vidal's (Federico and the Magi's Gift
) finely detailed gouache paintings provide exquisite accompaniment to Alvarez's (The Secret Footprints
) retelling, a Dominican legend of a miracle performed by Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia, "Our Lady of Thanks." The prose plants just enough magic to prepare readers for María's night visions and their magical results. When Papá returns from the city, he brings María oranges; as she tries one, she observes, "It tasted like a sweet sunrise." As they eat, María's father prepares her for the dismal prospect of moving to the city, since their farm is failing, but her father's friend, Quisqueya, whispers, "We will find a way to stay." María dreams that night: Quisqueya appears as her guide, urging her to "Say gracias," as she plants orange seeds in the ground. She does, and the seeds bloom into full-grown orange trees, and "a beautiful lady with golden skin and a crown of stars" appears. When María tells her family what she dreamed, they immediately plant orange seeds. Miracles follow—"in a matter of months, trees that would normally take years to grow yielded a large crop," and Quisqueya magically acquires a portrait of Our Lady of Altagracia. Vidal smoothly moves from the lushness of the orange grove and rolling hills to the dream sequences. Together, author and artist make dreams-come-true seem possible, as long as one remains grateful. Ages 5-8.

November 1, 2005
K-Gr 3 -After the failure of her father's olive crop, Marí a fears that her family will have to leave their farm in the New World. Then one night, inspiration comes when she dreams of planting the seeds from the oranges that came from her parents' homeland of Valencia, Spain. A beautiful and mysterious woman -Our Lady of Thanks -enters the dream, foretelling a bountiful harvest. The next day, Marí a convinces her family to begin planting the seeds, and soon their land is transformed into a fertile orange grove. Rich in cultural authenticity and brimming with the magical realism that is characteristic of Hispanic literature, this elegantly woven tale introduces the legend of Our Lady of Altagracia, the patron saint of the Dominican Republic. Children of all backgrounds will be drawn in by the universal themes of home and family, but the story will have particular relevance for those raised in Hispanic or Catholic cultures. With an exquisite use of watercolor and gouache, Vidal has painted colorful, yet warm illustrations that add depth to the story. An author's note offers a detailed account of the legend, personalized by actual events from the author's youth." -Debbie Lewis O'Donnell, Alachua County Library District, Gainesville, FL"

Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

September 15, 2005
Gr. 1-3. The Virgin Mary takes many names around the world, and in the Dominican Republic, the author's birthplace, she is " Nuestra Senora de la Altagracia." This magical story, based on a legend of Altagracia, begins as Papa returns home from a trip to the city with an overflowing basket of oranges, like those he used to eat in his native Spain. That night, after Papa warns the family that they may have to abandon their failing olive farm, young Maria dreams of planting orange seeds, and a beautiful lady with a crown of stars, Altagracia, materializes in an orange-laden grove. The next morning, the family plants orange seeds and gives thanks to Our Lady--and sure enough, a bountiful orange crop is born. Argentina-born illustrator Vidal uses small brushes and gouache to create lovely, stylized folk-art-style paintings of the hard-working family and tropical landscapes. The tale unravels rather slowly, but this talented team evokes an enchanted, sun-kissed world where dreams, and gratitude, bear fruit. An author's note tells more about Altagracia.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2005, American Library Association.)