Customer Reviews

El Tapiz De Abuela/Abuela's Weave (Spanish Edition)

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

After returning from a solo trip to Guatemala, I was looking for a way to give my children a sense of what the country is like - not just what I saw there, but what I felt, being among the Maya. This book provided me with the tool I was looking for. This touching story weaves the importance and closeness of Mayan family, the responsibility that Mayan children must assume early in life, and a bit of the mystery surrounding the people into a wonderful tale. Reading Abuela's Weave to my children was one of the only times I have ever cried over a children's book.

The kids liked it, too.

A beautifully illustrated book written by Omar S. Castaneda who was born in Guatemala and teaches writing at Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA. The artist, Enrique O. Sanchez was born in the Dominican Republic and has worked as a graphic artist for Sesame Street. Together they create magic.

Esperanza is a girl who is learning to weave with her grandmother, Abuela. On the day of the Fiesta de Pueblos in Guate, they decide to reveal their work to the world.

"Esperanza, however, wore her favorite huipil: it was a white blouse with red, blue and green threads in the rectangular collar. Under that, the colors bled into silver and blue, and hidden within the intricate designs of the blouse were tiny quetzals flying freely in the threads the way they once flew in the great forests of Guatemala."

They have to take a bus and then finally they arrive in the city. Once Esperanza starts to hang up her work, people start to look at the elaborate weavings and some even take pictures. She sells all the items and her grandmother is very proud of her.

A loving story that follows in the tradition of Guatemala's legendary artisans.

~The Rebecca Review

Abuela's Weave is a very good, accurate book about how the Maya people actually live. I've travelled often to Guatemala and visited many villages. The pictures in Abuela's Weave depict life as it really is in the villages... the Mayan dress, the houses, work, animals. Very good. I read this book often to my 4 year old granddaughter and use the opportunity to educate her on Guatemalan culture and to teach her some Spanish. My cousin, Dominga Sic Ruiz, was born in Guatemala and adopted in the USA. We sell weavings made by the women of a village in Guatemala. The weavings go great with the book...hand in hand...to buy a weaving write to domingasic@hotmail.com Thanks. Mary P.

Buy it! For a delightful experience of a grandmother and granddaughter and how they grow closer through sharing of talent and love, you should read this one.

I like this books because make me remember about my country and about our traditions and help to make our children know a little bit our culture. It is a GOOD BOOK!

Pretty painted pictures, positive, warm lesson of love between a girl and her grandmother. Teaches appreciation for handcrafts of traditional people. Very nice book for little girls grades K through 3, early childhood. This is a positive book, a lovely book. Very much recommended.

I teach Spanish to children of all ages and this book is a favorite of theirs and mine! For young children I paraphrase and pay close attention to the illustrations. As they get older, I read the text. Weaving, work and responsibility are the main themes - all with amazing illustrations. Abuela has a birthmark that causes others to tease her and even call her a bruja (witch). It's a great way to introduce accepting those who look different. Buy the hardback, as you will want this book to last for many years.

This gorgeous gem of a book has some of the most beautiful and colorful illustrations I have ever seen, much like the colors of the cloth woven by Esperanza and her grandmother. It's a beautiful, touching look at the traditions of a women in a family and a culture we so often take for granted.

The book is great, but it was delivered to me and completely bent. Could have been prevented had a piece of cardboard been slipped in with the book.

This is one of our children's favorite stories. Especially since 5 of our children are adopted from Guatemala. It is a beautiful story of love and family. The illustrations are lovely as well. My Guatemalan born children love to have me read this story to them as well as my birth children.
I highly recommend them book to all families hoping to share a little bit of guatemala with their children.