El pañuelo de seda

by Alma Flor Ada  

Set in the times in which California was Mexican, this is a story of Discovery, generosity and love. Anita loves to gaze at the white cranes flying in the sky. A fortunate moment brings her the gift of a beautiful silk scarf.  She will discover the true meaning of compassion when she sacrifices her greatest treasure, in order to save the life of a wounded crane.

Author’s Note : This story can inspire discussions on ecology, and has certainly inspired some beautiful letters from children who have read the book, as well as an unforgettable rendition as a play by children from Coral Way Elementary School in Miami-Dade. Since very young I had an abhorrence to hunting. While I could understand it as a need to procure food, the idea of hurting innocent animals has always been very difficult for me. Very early I begged my father to promise me he’d never hunt again –and being the kind-hearted person he was, he agreed, even though having been raised in a cattle ranch hunting was part of his youth. This story was most likely inspired by a poem in Spanish my mother used to recite when I was a child, which began saying something like: “I have just killed a crane/ I must confess it, oh Lord,/ it was flying in the blue serenity…” The awareness that life is a constant choice is also a recurrent theme in my mind. Therefore it’s not strange that it will find its way into a story.  

Illustrated by Viví Escrivá.
Published by Laredo Publishing.
Available at : www.delsolbooks.com and 1-888-335-7651.
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