Abuela's Weave

by Omar S. Castañeda

Book Overview

Illustrated by Enrique O Sanchez Young Esperanza works at the loom with her grandmother Abuela whose skill at weaving is unmatched. But when it comes to sell the goods at the market, Esperanza begins to worry that shoppers will want only modern machine made goods. This beautifully illustrated, award winning title introduces readers to the rich sights and culture of Guatemala whilst telling a story of hope and determination. F/c illustrations. Ages...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1880000008
• ISBN13: 9781880000007
• Release Date: January 1993
• Publisher: Lee & Low Books
• Length: 1 Pages
• Weight: 0.88 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 8.3" x 10.3"
• Age Range: 5 to 8 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 3

Customer Reviews

Beautiful Story!

This is one of our children's favorite stories. Especially since 5 of our children are adopted from Guatemala. It is a beautiful story of love and family. The illustrations are lovely as well. My Guatemalan born children love to have me read this story to them as well as my birth children. I highly recommend them book to all families hoping to share a little bit of guatemala with their children.

AWESOME BOOK

Abuela's Weave is a very good, accurate book about how the Maya people actually live. I've travelled often to Guatemala and visited many villages. The pictures in Abuela's Weave depict life as it really is in the villages... the Mayan dress, the houses, work, animals. Very good. I read this book often to my 4 year old granddaughter and use the opportunity to educate her on Guatemalan culture and to teach her some Spanish. My cousin, Dominga Sic Ruiz, was born in Guatemala and adopted in the USA. We sell weavings made by the women of a village in Guatemala. The weavings go great with the book...hand in hand...to buy a weaving write to domingasic@hotmail.com Thanks. Mary P.

Woven with Love

A beautifully illustrated book written by Omar S. Castaneda who was born in Guatemala and teaches writing at Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA. The artist, Enrique O. Sanchez was born in the Dominican Republic and has worked as a graphic artist for Sesame Street. Together they create magic. Esperanza is a girl who is learning to weave with her grandmother, Abuela. On the day of the Fiesta de Pueblos in Guate, they decide to reveal their work to the world. "Esperanza, however, wore her favorite huipil: it was a white blouse with red, blue and green threads in the rectangular collar. Under that, the colors bled into silver and blue, and hidden within the intricate designs of the blouse were tiny quetzals flying freely in the threads the way they once flew in the great forests of Guatemala." They have to take a bus and then finally they arrive in the city. Once Esperanza starts to hang up her work, people start to look at the elaborate weavings and some even take pictures. She sells all the items and her grandmother is very proud of her. A loving story that follows in the tradition of Guatemala's legendary artisans. ~The Rebecca Review

excellent intergenerational sensitivity

Buy it! For a delightful experience of a grandmother and granddaughter and how they grow closer through sharing of talent and love, you should read this one.

A touching story about family, responsibility, and Guatemala

After returning from a solo trip to Guatemala, I was looking for a way to give my children a sense of what the country is like - not just what I saw there, but what I felt, being among the Maya. This book provided me with the tool I was looking for. This touching story weaves the importance and closeness of Mayan family, the responsibility that Mayan children must assume early in life, and a bit of the mystery surrounding the people into a wonderful tale. Reading Abuela's Weave to my children was one of the only times I have ever cried over a children's book.The kids liked it, too.