The Night of Las Posadas [Hardcover]

Tomie dePaola (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up

Tomie dePaola's glorious paintings are as luminous as the farolitos that light up the Plaza in Santa Fe for the procession of Las Posadas, the tradition in which Mary and Joseph go from door to door seeking shelter at the inn on Christmas Eve.

This year Sister Angie, who is always in charge of the celebration, has to stay home with the flu, and Lupe and Roberto, who are to play Mary and Joseph, get caught in a snowstorm. But a man and woman no one knows arrive in time to take their place in the procession and then mysteriously disappear at the end before they can be thanked.

That night we witness a Christmas miracle, for when Sister Angie goes to the cathedral and kneels before the statue of Mary and Joseph, wet footprints from the snow lead up to the statue.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Hispanic holiday customs take center stage in this exquisitely wrought story. Lupe and Roberto are to play Mary and Joseph in the Christmas pageant in their village outside Santa Fe, but their truck gives out in a snowstorm. A mysterious couple steps in at the last minute to take their places. DePaola's talent for crafting folktales is honed to near-perfection, and his pages glow with the soft sun-washed hues of the Southwest. Ages 4-8. (Oct.)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 4-Another beautiful offering from dePaola, this one tells the story of a modern-day Las Posadas procession in Santa Fe, NM. An introduction explains the background and history of the old Spanish custom, and a glossary translates the few words of Spanish used in the text. Sister Angie, who recently celebrated her 50th anniversary as a nun, has always coordinated the preparations for her village's celebration. This year, she is especially proud as her niece, Lupe, and Lupe's new husband will portray Maria and Jose. The festivities are jeopardized when Sister Angie comes down with the flu and the young couple's car breaks down in a snowstorm. A miracle occurs when a beautiful carving of Mary and Joseph, given to Sister Angie to commemorate her Golden Jubilee, comes to life to lead the village's procession. The artist's distinctive acrylic artwork, done in the colors of the Southwest, illuminate the story and radiate its reverence and warmth. There are very few books for children about Las Posadas; this one is suitable both for reading aloud to groups and sharing one-on-one.-L.F.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Juvenile; 1St Edition edition (September 27, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399234004
• ISBN-13: 978-0399234002
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #334,456 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

"Tomie dePaola was born in Meriden, Connecticut, in 1934 to a family of Irish and Italian background. By the time he could hold a pencil, he knew what his life's work would be. His determination to create books for children led to a BFA from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, and an MFA from the California College of Arts & Crafts in Oakland, California.
It drove him through the years of teaching, designing greeting cards and stage sets, and painting church murals until 1965, when he illustrated his first children's book, Sound, by Lisa Miller for Coward-McCann. Eventually, freed of other obligations, he plunged full time into both writing and illustrating children's books.
He names Fra Angelico and Giotto, Georges Rouault, and Ben Shahn as major influences on his work, but he soon found his own unique style. His particular way with color, line, detail, and design have earned him many of the most prestigious awards in his field, among them a Caldecott Honor Award for Strega Nona, the Smithsonian Medal from the Smithsonian Institution, the Kerlan Award from the University of Minnesota for his ""singular attainment in children's literature,"" the Catholic Library Association's Regina Medal for his ""continued distinguished contribution,"" and the University of Southern Mississippi Medallion. He was also the 1990 United States nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Medal for illustration.
Tomie dePaola has published almost 200 children's books in fifteen different countries. He remains one of the most popular creators of books for children, receiving more than 100,000 fan letters each year.
Tomie lives in an interesting house in New Hampshire with his four dogs. His studio is in a large renovated 200-year-old barn.
- He has been published for over 30 years.
- Over 5 million copies of his books have sold worldwide.
- His books have been published in over 15 different countries.
- He receives nearly 100,000 fan letters each year.
Tomie dePaola has received virtually every significant recognition for his books in the children's book world, including:
- Caldecott Honor Award from American Library Association
- Newbery Honor Award from American Library Association
- Smithson Medal from Smithsonian Institution
- USA nominee in illustration for Hans Christian Andersen Medal
- Regina Medal from Catholic Library Association

"

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Night of Las Posadas, November 24, 1999

By 

MRS. J. CISNEROS (Woodlawn, Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Night of Las Posadas (Hardcover)

Mr. DePaola has outdone himself this time. All of his books are wonderful, but this Christmas story is more than that. The illustrations are pure DePaola; they are clear and colorful. The story is simple, yet for children, unpredicable. The story is set in Santa Fe and shares an Hispanic custom with the reader; the Posadas held at Christmas time. I teach a whole class of Mexican ESL students and this book is perfect for my Christmas collection of books with Hispanic characters. This book, along with other DePaola books, and others, will add to my students' enjoyment.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Holiday Favorite, October 27, 2010

By 

C. B. Manges (Westsylvania, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Night of Las Posadas (Picture Puffins) (Mass Market Paperback)

We have a still-growing collection of Christmas books begun when my children were infants, and each night from Thanksgiving through Christmas I would read a book or two. Now, often as not, they read to me, and over the past nine years The Night of Las Posadas is one the our "most favorites." Beautiful, vibrant illustrations work with a compelling, spiritual plot to carry a reader through to satisfying, magical, and unexpected ending. As an adult, I like how the author accesses the original story of Mary and Joseph with a modern plot, all while exploring a cross-cultural Christmas tradition with which I was not familiar.

I highly recommend this book--and I highly recommend reading with your children as they grow.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book for Christmas with Spanish flavor, January 8, 2006

By 

a reader (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Night of Las Posadas (Picture Puffins) (Mass Market Paperback)

I bought this book for our Lutheran church library. It is excellent. It tells about the Hispanic Christmas custom of Las Posadas, Mary and Joseph's search for a place to stay the night of Jesus' birth. Lupe and Roberto, two townspeople, are selected to play Jose and Maria in the Las Posadas celebration, but when their pickup gets bogged down in the snow in the mountains above Santa Fe, two strangers come to play Jose and Maria instead, leaving the readers to wonder at the miraculous event --who were those two? What a lovely book.

Tomie, you never disappoint, whether your stories are religious, autobiographical, or just plain funny. Thank you for consistently sharing your talents with us lucky readers over the years. You bring us so much joy, laughter, comfort and peace!