Under the Royal Palms: A Childhood in Cuba

In this companion volume to Alma Flor Ada's Where the Flame Trees Bloom, the author offers young readers another inspiring collection of stories and reminiscences drawn from her childhood on the island of Cuba. Through those stories we see how the many events and relationships she enjoyed helped shape who she is today.
We learn of a deep friendship with a beloved dance teacher that helped sustain young Alma Flor through a miserable year in school. We meet relatives, like her mysterious Uncle Manolo, whose secret, she later learns, is that he dedicated his life to healing lepers. We share the tragedy of another uncle whose spirited personality leads to his love of flying...and the crash that takes his life.
Heartwarming, poignant, and often humorous, this collection encourages children to discover the stories in their our own lives -- stories that can help inform their own values and celebrate the joys and struggles we all share no matter where or when we grew up

Author: Alma Flor Ada
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Published: 11/01/1998
Pages: 96
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.60lbs
Size: 9.10h x 6.10w x 0.50d
ISBN: 9780689806315
Audience: Ages 9-12

Accelerated Reader:
Reading Level: 6.6
Point Value: 3
Interest Level: Middle Grade
Quiz #/Name: 28240 / Under the Royal Palms


Award: Americas Award for Children & Young Adult Literature - Commended
Award: Pura Belpre Award - Winner


Review Citation(s):
Booklist 11/15/1998 pg. 582
School Library Journal 12/01/1998 pg. 132
Publishers Weekly 12/07/1998 pg. 61
Kirkus Review - Children 11/01/1998 pg. 1596
New York Times 02/14/1999 pg. 27
Hornbook Guide to Children 07/01/1998 pg. 134 - Recommended, Satisfactory
Hornbook Guide to Children 01/01/1999 pg. 134 - Recommended, Satisfactory
School Library Journal 08/01/1999

About the Author
Ada, Alma Flor: - 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.

This title is only available via back order