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Interviews | January 24, 2012

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Ben MarcusBen Marcus's books The Age of Wire and String and Notable American Women were considered "experimental" fiction because of his unconventional use of... Continue »
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18 Local Warehouse Children's- Reference Family and Genealogy
4 Remote Warehouse Children's- Reference Family and Genealogy

Tortilla Sun

by Jennifer Cervantes

Tortilla Sun Cover

ISBN13: 9780811870153
ISBN10: 0811870154
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Synopses & Reviews

Review:

"In this strong debut, Cervantes relies on the tried-and-tried recipe of a preadolescent forced to spend summer in an unfamiliar environment, but spices it up with a dash of magical realism and a vibrant New Mexico landscape. Twelveyear-old Izzy, whose father died before she was born, is sent to live with her grandmother while her mother completes a research project. An aspiring writer, Izzy is haunted by the mystery of her father's death and frustrated by her mother's refusal to talk about him. Once in her parents' native village, she begins to find answers to her questions about his life and death-- and her own birth. Colorful characters-- an orphaned six-year-old girl; a prophetic storyteller; a handsome 13-year-old neighbor--accompany Izzy on her quest for her heritage; mouthwatering descriptions of her grandmother's culinary gifts waft tantalizingly through the tale. Cervantes fills her story with mystical possibilities-- talking with spirits, hearing what the wind whispers, gathering powerful herbs by moonlight--but also with the inescapable realities of illness, death, and mourning. The result is an imaginative yet grounded novel. Ages 8 — 12. (June)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright PWyxz LLC)

Synopsis:

When twelve-year-old Izzy discovers a beat-up baseball marked with the words Becausemagic while unpacking in yet another new apartment, she is determined to figure out what it means. What secrets does this old ball have to tell? Her mom certainly isn't sharing anyespecially when it comes to Izzy's father, who died before Izzy was born. But when she spends the summer in her Nana's remote New Mexico village, Izzy discovers long-buried secrets that come alive in an enchanted landscape of watermelon mountains, whispering winds, and tortilla suns. Infused with the flavor of the southwest and sprinkled with just a pinch of magic, this heartfelt middle grade debut is as rich and satisfying as Nana's homemade enchiladas.

Synopsis:

When 12-year-old Izzy discovers a beat-up baseball marked with the words Because magic while unpacking in yet another new apartment, she is determined to figure out what it means. What secrets does this old ball have to tell?
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Average customer rating based on 1 comment:
Courtesy of Mother Daughter Book Club com, July 23, 2010 (view all comments by Courtesy of Mother Daughter Book Club com)
Izzy and her mother have moved more times than she wants to remember. She’s just getting settled again when her mom announces she’s received a research grant to study in Costa Rica and Izzy will be spending the summer with her nana in New Mexico.

Izzy doesn’t know her grandmother very well, and she’s not at all happy about being dumped for a couple of months while her mom is gone. But once she arrives at the small adobe village near Albuquerque, magic starts to happen. As Izzy begins to discover more about her family and herself she begins to feel like she may have finally found a place to call home.

Tortilla Sun by Jennifer Cervantes weaves a little magic into the story and a lot of magic into readers as the tale unwinds. Izzy’s nana has a way with tortillas and a way with people as well. The story of Izzy’s parents and her own past slowly comes out in small bites to help her digest it a little bit at a time, and in the process she comes to know and love the people of the village.

Tortilla Sun had me longing to see the Sandia Mountains, feel the warmth of the sun and hear the call of the wind. Bright New Mexico comes as vividly alive as the colors worn by many of its people. This book is recommended for ages 9 to 12, but I think girls up to 14 or 15 may enjoy it too. And the moms are likely to be delighted by Izzy’s journey of self-discovery. Issues to discuss include family heritage, ethnic traditions, dealing with grief and finding acceptance.

There’s a recipe in the back for tortillas that I can’t wait to try, and making them could be a fun mother-daughter book club activity. I highly recommend Tortilla Sun.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780811870153
Author:
Cervantes, Jennifer
Publisher:
Chronicle Books (CA)
Subject:
Fathers and daughters
Subject:
Grandmothers
Subject:
Family - Multigenerational
Subject:
Children s-Reference Family and Genealogy
Publication Date:
20100531
Binding:
Hardcover
Language:
English
Pages:
224
Dimensions:
7.54x5.78x.97 in. .82 lbs.
Age Level:
09-12
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Related Aisles

Tortilla Sun New Hardcover
0 stars - 0 reviews
$16.99 In Stock
Product details 224 pages Chronicle Books - English 9780811870153 Reviews:
"Publishers Weekly Review" by , "In this strong debut, Cervantes relies on the tried-and-tried recipe of a preadolescent forced to spend summer in an unfamiliar environment, but spices it up with a dash of magical realism and a vibrant New Mexico landscape. Twelveyear-old Izzy, whose father died before she was born, is sent to live with her grandmother while her mother completes a research project. An aspiring writer, Izzy is haunted by the mystery of her father's death and frustrated by her mother's refusal to talk about him. Once in her parents' native village, she begins to find answers to her questions about his life and death-- and her own birth. Colorful characters-- an orphaned six-year-old girl; a prophetic storyteller; a handsome 13-year-old neighbor--accompany Izzy on her quest for her heritage; mouthwatering descriptions of her grandmother's culinary gifts waft tantalizingly through the tale. Cervantes fills her story with mystical possibilities-- talking with spirits, hearing what the wind whispers, gathering powerful herbs by moonlight--but also with the inescapable realities of illness, death, and mourning. The result is an imaginative yet grounded novel. Ages 8 — 12. (June)" Publishers Weekly (Copyright PWyxz LLC)
"Synopsis" by , When twelve-year-old Izzy discovers a beat-up baseball marked with the words Becausemagic while unpacking in yet another new apartment, she is determined to figure out what it means. What secrets does this old ball have to tell? Her mom certainly isn't sharing anyespecially when it comes to Izzy's father, who died before Izzy was born. But when she spends the summer in her Nana's remote New Mexico village, Izzy discovers long-buried secrets that come alive in an enchanted landscape of watermelon mountains, whispering winds, and tortilla suns. Infused with the flavor of the southwest and sprinkled with just a pinch of magic, this heartfelt middle grade debut is as rich and satisfying as Nana's homemade enchiladas.
"Synopsis" by , When 12-year-old Izzy discovers a beat-up baseball marked with the words Because magic while unpacking in yet another new apartment, she is determined to figure out what it means. What secrets does this old ball have to tell?
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