Zora Hurston y Arbol Sonador

Gr 2-4-Zora Hurston and the Chinaberry Tree (Lee & Low, 1994) has been selected as a Reading Rainbow Book. The Spanish-language edition published by Lee & Low is excellent. This biography depicts a young Zora growing up in Eatonville, FL. Readers see her yearning for glimpses of the world beyond her small Southern town and bucking her father's admonitions to behave in a ladylike manner and stay close to home. Most of all, she wants to explore all of the same places and activities that the boys in her neighborhood and men of the town enjoy. She is shown learning at her mother's knee about the quiet voices of the stars, the wind, and the trees, which have much to say. The book leads youngsters gently through the death of Zora's beloved mother and sets the stage for her future. Realistic watercolor illustrations feature a beautiful African American child in both domestic and outdoor settings. A nice addition to larger collections.