Publisher Description

The author of My Name Is María Isabel offers an inspiring look at her childhood in Cuba in this collection that includes Where the Flame Trees Bloom, Under the Royal Palms, five new stories, and more. These true autobiographical tales from renowned Hispanic author and educator Alma Flor Ada are filled with family love and traditions, secrets and deep friendships, and a gorgeous, moving picture of the island of Cuba, where Alma Flor grew up. Told through the eyes of a child, a whole world comes to life in these pages: the blind great-grandmother who never went to school but whose wisdom and generosity overflowed to those around her; the hired hand Samoné, whose love for music overcame all difficulties; the beloved dance teacher who helped sustain young Alma Flor through a miserable year in school; her dear and daring Uncle Medardo, who bravely flew airplanes; and more. Heartwarming, poignant, and often humorous, this wonderful collection encourages readers to discover the stories in their own lives--and to celebrate the joys and struggles we all share, no matter where or when we grew up. Featuring the classic and award-winning books Where the Flame Trees Bloom and Under the Royal Palms, Island Treasures also includes a new collection, Days at La Quinta Simoni, many new family photographs, and a Spanish-to-English glossary.

Author Biography

Alma Flor Ada, an authority on multicultural and bilingual education, is the recipient of the 2012 Virginia Hamilton Literary Award, and in 2014 she was honored by the Mexican government with the prestigious OHTLI Award. She is the author of numerous award-winning books for young readers, including Dancing Home with Gabriel Zubizarreta, My Name Is María Isabel, Under the Royal Palms (Pura Belpré Medal), Where the Flame Trees Bloom, and The Gold Coin (Christopher Award Medal). She lives in California, and you can visit her at AlmaFlorAda.com.

Review

This is an anthology of previously published works, Where the Flame Trees Bloom (Atheneum,1994) and Under the Royal Palms (Atheneum 1998), plus new content. These short two to four page autobiographical vignettes tell family stories of growing up in Cuba. Warm and touching, they have the feel of a grandparent sharing their childhood experience, usually with an embedded lesson but without being preachy. Evoking the people and experiences of growing up in Cuba, and told from a child's point of view, these stories would make great read-alouds, even with younger students.-- "School Library Connection, February 2016, Recommended"

Review Quote

"This is an anthology of previously published works, Where the Flame Trees Bloom (Atheneum,1994) and Under the Royal Palms (Atheneum 1998), plus new content. These short two to four page autobiographical vignettes tell family stories of growing up in Cuba. Warm and touching, they have the feel of a grandparent sharing their childhood experience, usually with an embedded lesson but without being preachy. Evoking the people and experiences of growing up in Cuba, and told from a child's point of view, these stories would make great read-alouds, even with younger students."

Excerpt from Book

Island Treasures

Details