Dona Flor

Mora, Pat. 2005. Dona Flor. NY, NY: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN:0-375-82337-9

PLOT SUMMARY:

Dona Flor was always bigger than everyone else; she was just born that way.  In the beginning all of the other children made fun of her but she did not let it bother her, and eventually they came to respect her.  The townspeople hear a loud roaring noise and become afraid; Dona Flor is called in and asked to find out the source of the noise.  She goes looking and it takes quite a while but she finally finds a puma roaring.  Dona Flor takes this puma and makes him her pet.  At the end of the story he falls asleep on her toe. 

CRITCAL ANALYSIS:

Dona Flor is a lovable character that does not let what other people think harm her.  She begins the story as being the odd one and at the end is very respected and loved.  Throughout the story she is very helpful and caring to her neighbors, she makes tortillas for everyone and goes right out when she hears of the loud roar. 

The children become very afraid of a loud roaring sound that they hear and Dona Flor goes out to find that sound and make it stop.  There is a very definite climax when Dona find the puma and the resolution is one that will comfort the young reader.  Dona makes the puma her pet and he comes home with her and falls asleep on her toe. 

The setting of this book seems to be in Mexico but the story really could have taken place anywhere, it is an issue that happens to all children at some point.  There are times that all children are afraid and Dona Flor becomes the hero but not being afraid and by dealing with the situation. 

The theme of the story is about not being afraid and about not taking too much stock in what others think.  Dona Flor was the strange one when she was young because she was so big but as she ages she becomes beloved.  The author has a unique style because the book has parts in English and parts in Spanish.  These sections enrich the culture of the story and the characters.  The illustrations are simple and make it easy for the young reader to follow what is going on.  The images complement the text and allow for children to guess what happens next. 

CONNECTIONS:

Pecos Bill

By Steven Kellogg

John Henry

By Julius Lester

This book can easily fit in a series on folk tales or tall tales such as Pecos Bill. 

REVIEWS:

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 3–A charming tall tale set in the American Southwest. Doña Flor, a giant, is a benevolent presence in her pueblo. While at first kids teased the young and large Flor, she quickly became an asset to them, whisking them off to school when they were running late or making tortillas big enough to be used as rafts on the river. The action starts when a puma is heard howling in the vicinity; the villagers are terrified and even Doña Flor can't find it. The animals know where the gato is so she follows their advice and the situation is delightfully resolved. Colón uses his signature mix of watercolor washes, etching, and litho pencils for the art. There is great texture and movement on each page in the sun-baked tones of the landscape. With Spanish words peppered throughout, this is a welcome entry to the canon that includes other heroines like Sally Ann Thunder and Thunder Rose.–Linda M. Kenton, San Rafael Public Library, CA
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From Booklist

PreS-Gr. 2. The creators of Tomas and the Library Lady (1997) offer another glowing picture book set in the American Southwest, but this time, the story is a magical tall tale. In a cozy village, Dona Flor grows from an unusual child, who can speak the language of plants and animals, into a giant, whose heart is as large as her enormous hands and feet. After ferocious animal cries terrorize the villagers, Flor sets out to find their source. The culprit--a tiny, mischievous puma, who ingeniously amplifies his kittenish growl into a beastly roar--is an amusing surprise, and Flor soothes the cat in its own language, returning peace to her village. Mora strengthens her economical, poetic text with vivid, fanciful touches: the villagers use Flor's colossal homemade tortillas as roofs, for example. Colon's signature scratchboard art extends the whimsy and gentle humor in lovely scenes of the serene heroine sweet-talking the animals or plucking a star from the sky. A winning read-aloud, particularly for children who can recognize the intermittent Spanish phrases. Gillian Engberg
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