Where the Flame Trees Bloom, Del Sol Books

$109.87 for the Alma Flor Ada Collection English Set, Including 20%-Off, Free Shipping, and No Sales Tax : 1 Hardcover English Book and 4 Softcover English Books

These true stories from Alma Flor Ada’s childhood are filled with family love and values. Told through the eyes of a child, a whole world comes to life for the reader: the blind great-grandmother who never went to school but whose wisdom and generosity overflowed to those around her; the hired hand Samoné whose love for music overcame all difficulties; her grandfather Modesto, who placed a higher value on human relationships than on his possessions. Eleven remarkable stories will move and inspire children and adults alike. Companion volume to Alma Flor Ada's "Under the Royal Palms"

School Library Journal : Grade 3-6 Those who wonder what "family values" really are may possibly find the answer in this slim volume of short stories. Telling of her childhood in Cuba, Ada begins with an introduction to her homeland followed by 11 episodes about her family and her community. One story tells of her grandfather Modesto's courage and loyalty in the face of the death of his beloved wife and the simultaneous collapse of the Cuban economy. Another tells of her great-grandmother Mina, who continued to make rag dolls for the village children even after she had lost her sight. And a third tale tells of a Japanese street vendor who sold ice cream for a living, but gave generous samples to children who could not afford to pay. Warmth and love for a treasured childhood exude from the pages. The writing is elegant, but not overly sweet. Each selection stands well on its own. Children can read this book independently or enjoy listening to it read aloud.

Listen to Vienna Rose read Where the Flame Trees Bloom to you. A marvelous example of the magical encounter between a child and books that we wish for all children. And here's an earlier reading by Vienna Rose.

The Book Nest : The novella is a series of vingettes, with each chapter as a titled story - I think my favorites were "Mathematics" and "The Rag Dolls," both of which are about her beloved great grandmother. Because of their elegant simplicty, I think these stories could be read with pleasure to (or by) children as young as 8 or 9, but appriciated on a different level by adults. Highly reommended. I feel like the world is a more beautiful place, having read this charming book. Alma Flor Ada takes us to the Cuba of her childhood, and reading her stories, I felt like I was sitting at the feet of a beloved Gramother, listening to her tell me of the life she knew. The stories feel that intimate and familiar. We meet people, both relatives and friends, who show compassion and a zest for life - from the blind great grandmother who can sew rag dolls by touch and the hired man who plays the accordian at night. The text was so lyrical, I truly felt like I was living amongst the trees and the memories of those people who made Alma into the woman she is.

Google : A collection of anecdotal short stories based on the author's Cuban childhood explores the various ways in which family, human values, and childhood experiences influence an individual as he or she grows to adulthood.

School Library Journal : Grade 3-6-Those who wonder what "family values" really are may possibly find the answer in this slim volume of short stories. Telling of her childhood in Cuba, Ada begins with an introduction to her homeland followed by 11 episodes about her family and her community. One story tells of her grandfather Modesto's courage and loyalty in the face of the death of his beloved wife and the simultaneous collapse of the Cuban economy. Another tells of her great-grandmother Mina, who continued to make rag dolls for the village children even after she had lost her sight. And a third tale tells of a Japanese street vendor who sold ice cream for a living, but gave generous samples to children who could not afford to pay. Warmth and love for a treasured childhood exude from the pages. The writing is elegant, but not overly sweet. Each selection stands well on its own. Children can read this book independently or enjoy listening to it read aloud.

Where the Flame Trees Bloom, by Alma Flor Ada, is a lovely memoir of growing up in Cuba. A second volume is called Under the Royal Palms. She wrote these books for young people as a series of vignettes that tell about her family, her town, and her experiences growing up on the outskirts of a Cuban town called Camagüey. "My grandmother and one of my uncles were great storytellers. And every night, at bedtime, my father told me stories he invented to explain to me all that he knew about the history of the world. With all these storytellers around me, it is not a surprise that I like to tell stories." And the stories she shares are beautifully told. The very first story in Where the Flame Trees Bloom is my favorite, although I enjoyed each one. It is called "The Teacher," and recounts a poignant experience in the life of her grandmother. In the telling of this story, she captures a spontaneous teaching moment that reveals the heart of the teacher (her grandmother) and the ultimate purpose of teaching. I was very moved by this story and the way she told it. Here's an excerpt from it that was printed on the back cover of the book : "Look," continued my grandmother, as she pointed to the road that bordered the farm. There the students saw a solitary man walking. "Look at that old man. He is walking by us. In a few minutes he will be gone forever, and we will never have known who he is, where he is going, what may be important in his life." The students watched the man, who by then was quite close. He was very thin and a coarse guayabera hung loosely over his bent frame. His face, in the shade of a straw hat, was weathered and wrinkled. "Well," said my grandmother, "do we let him go away, forever unknown, or do you want to ask him if there is anything we can do for him?" These beautifully written little books would be a lovely way to introduce young people to the genre of memoirs. Both books are well worth reading for adults as well as for children. - Robin