I have recently become enamored with the artwork of Maya Christina Gonzales, and this book contains some wonderful illustrations of the women of mexican folktales. These are illustrations that I would love to display in my classroom.

Like any folktale, these stories are best when read aloud. It makes them easier to comprehend. Bewares, some of the mexican names were challenging, even with a pronunciation key.

Blancaflor and Mazitlan of the Mountain were great stories, I also enjoyed the story of the woman who was turned into a bird for disobeying her father's wishes.

This book examines different traditional Mexican stories featuring women. It is a collection of folk tales that are very interesting and the illustrations and text both capture the audiences attention. In this book, the text is only in English, however, there are a few sentences that are in Spanish, and they add much to the stories. ( )

Janice M. Del Negro (The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, November 2001 (Vol. 55, No. 3))
Gerson, a seasoned reteller of traditional tales (How Night Came from the Sea, BCCB 10/94), lends her expert touch to these eight stories about the heroines of Mexico. From the Mayan “Rosha and the Sun” to the Aztec “The Hungry Goddess,” from the Spanish-influenced “Blancaflor” to the Catholic “Virgin of Guadalupe,” she presents tales of powerful female figures in compelling language that lends itself to reading aloud or telling. The art is sometimes more energetic than focused, but overall Gonzalez takes her cue from Gerson’s powerful text. The images of the women are forceful, their faces made powerful by expressive eyes, dark brows, and strong features supported by intense washes of color. Source notes give specific citations and provide some cultural and historical context; endpapers sport a rough map of the country. Readers aloud, storytellers, and fans of heroine anthologies such as Tchana’s The Serpent Slayer (BCCB 11/00) will embrace this well-executed volume. Review Code: R -- Recommended. (c) Copyright 2001, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois. 2001, Barefoot, 64p, $19.99. Grades 4-8.