The Golden Flower: A Taino Myth from Puerto Rico [Library Binding]

Nina Jaffe (Author), Enrique O. Sanchez (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up

A myth from one of the indigenous cultures of the West Indies explains how a golden flower first brought water to the world and how Puerto Rico came into existence.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-5?Jaffe invites children to read this Puerto Rican creation myth while imagining that they are sitting in a magical circle on a tropical night. The storyteller, a Taino Indian, tells of a time when the Earth was a waterless desert plain at the base of a tall mountain. A boy, looking for food, finds a seed that he saves in his pouch. He finds more and plants them on top of the mountain. A forest grows, and at the base of one tree a vine produces first a beautiful golden flower, then a pumpkin. The people are frightened by the strange noises coming from it, and they stay away. But one day two men struggle for the fruit until the vine breaks. The pumpkin rolls down the mountain and bursts open, releasing the sea and all the creatures in it. The people rush to the top of the mountain, which becomes their island home. The text is simple and lends itself to a storyteller's performance. The book is large enough to share with a group, and the words flow smoothly across the bottom of the pages without interrupting the illustrations. Sanchez's acrylic-and-gouache art creates a primitive setting with vibrant colors and angular designs. The characters' emotions are easily interpreted and contribute to the mood of the story. A worthy addition to any folktale collection.?Betty Teague, Blythe Academy of Languages, Greenville, SC
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Ages 5^-8. The style is simple, but this popular Taino Indian creation story gets rather complicated. In the beginning, people live on a single mountain. After a boy finds and plants some seeds, a beautiful forest grows on the mountain top. When two men fight over an enormous, noisy calabaza (pumpkin) in the forest, it rolls down the mountain, crashes on a rock, and splits wide open; the ocean with all its creatures spills out. Luckily, the waters stop rising when they reach the forest. Thus, the island of Puerto Rico is born. Glowing colors, stylized figures, and overlays are the hallmarks of the eye-catching art, while the spare, clipped prose makes this a folktale beginning readers can tackle. An illuminating author's note is appended. Julie Corsaro

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Library Binding
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster (Juv) (June 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689804695
• ISBN-13: 978-0689804694
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,701,455 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Golden Flower, January 20, 2002

By A Customer

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This review is from: The Golden Flower: A Taino Myth from Puerto Rico (Library Binding)

I have read this story to second and third graders and the story keeps them entertained and interested. They have fun predicting what will happen next. The illustrations are true works of art. It can be used to introduce Puerto Rico and also to show that there were native people living in all areas of the "new world" before Europeans arrived. It can be a little tricky discussing a creation myth in a public school setting but the positives outweigh the negatives with this story.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars hermosisimo!, June 16, 2007

By 

FolkFan (Brooklyn, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Golden Flower: A Taino Myth from Puerto Rico (Library Binding)

This book is beautifully illustrated by Enrique O. Sanchez. Full-page paintings on every page make the myth come alive. His dazzling imagination and sense of design and warm colors make the tale both cosmic and human at the same time. Savor every page.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars love it, November 5, 2006

By 

A. Cordova - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Golden Flower: A Taino Myth from Puerto Rico (Hardcover)

no matter where you're from you and your children can appreciate this book. easy reading and great story. whether Puerto Rican or not... its a culturally timeless myth and story.