Los Cuentos de la Casa del Arbol = Stories from the Tree House

Gr 1-3-Having a tree house of one's own is a universal childhood dream. To realize this dream for Lucia and her brother Felipe, the entire family sets to work on the project. That night, as the family gathers to inaugurate the tree house, a rainstorm breaks out and the family members pile inside the tree house. As they wait for the storm to subside, a parade of wild creatures and imaginary beings emerge from the tales that the grown-ups spin. The author interweaves yarns about animals, folk characters, and traditions. While the language is simple and direct, some of the names of the animals and imaginary creatures in the stories are regional. Children may find it difficult to identify names such as cacomixtles, a variety of weasel also known as comadrejas, or the ahuaque, a kind of elf or goblin, also known as a duende. However, the use of regional names adds local flavor to the story and helps expand readers' vocabulary and knowledge of the differences in language. This is an entertaining and fun book to read Recommended especially for collections and bookstores serving Mexican-American populations. Lucia Gonz lez, Miami-Dade P.L.