A BIRTHDAY BASKET FOR TIA
Mora, Pat. 1992. A BIRTHDAY FOR TIA. Ill. by Cecily Lang. New York, New York: Macmillan Publishing Company. ISBN 9780027674002
Plot Summary
The story opens with the day being Cecilia's great-aunt, her Tía's ninetieth birthday. Her mother is busy in the kitchen making preparations for the big surprise celebration. Cecilia wonders what she can do to make her great-aunt's day special. The story takes the reader on a short but loving journey as Cecilia and her cat Chica gather very precious items that represent special times shared between Cecilia and her Tía. When Tía arrives at the house everyone shouts, "Surprise! ¡Feliz Cumpleaños! Tía lovingly takes each item from the basket as she looks adoringly at her niece. Chica jumps in the empty basket. The party begins as the music plays and Cecilia and Tía dance, without her cane.
Critical Analysis
A Birthday Basket for Tía is filled with vibrant, detailed cut- paper illustrations which add warmth and feeling to the story. The skin tones and facial features are those common among Latinos; dark hair and dark eyes. At one point the setting seems to be a rural one perhaps in the southwest because of the inclusion of cactus in the background while flowers cover the ground on the next two pages. Markings on the brightly painted bowl, tea cup and flower pot reflect designs and influence of the Latino culture.
Mora draws from her Mexican-American experiences for this story. She also had a favorite great-aunt and uses other experiences in her works. Short phrases and words in Spanish such as feliz cumpleaños, qué pasa?, piñata, noventa años, bizcochos and hierbabuena allow the reader to participate in the language. The text is fluid and the Spanish/English words do not inhibit the flow of the text. This story of a loving family relationship will allow children of all cultures to identify with the story. Each of us has had a family member that was very dear at some point in our lives. If I were to read this story to my own children they would immediately think of Aunt Ethel who danced, laughed and played with them until the day she died. Gathering items that evoke a special meaning is not only good for the recipient but the giver as well and this theme is portrayed effectively throughout the story. The reader can feel the love and tenderness as Cecilia carefully chooses each item for the birthday basket. Forms of address such as Mamá for mother and Tía for aunt are indicative of the Latino culture. Other cultural markers include foods such as hierbabuena (hot mint tea), bizcochos ( a type of sugar cookie) and the "beans bubbling on the stove." Music is standard fare in Latino celebrations. This is seen when Mamá says, "Here come the musicians," and men with guitars, violins, and brass instruments arrive. When my nephew married, the bride's family had a mariachi band at the reception, and as was their custom they eventually sang the bride and groom off on their honeymoon. We all had a fabulous time and it was quite a lively experience. A piñata filled with candy and little prizes is also at the center of the birthday celebration as well as brightly colored streamers for decorations. A wonderful story celebrating the life of a loved one.
Reviews
"Mora's simple text exemplifies the best of recent multicultural publishing. An honest child centered story." - Booklist
"Young readers will be engaged by the cumulative nature of the story while savoring this family's similarities to and differences from their own." - School Library Journal
Awards/Connections
Southwest Book Award, Border Regional Library Association
Book Links - "A Few Good Books" of 1992
MY GREAT AUNT ARIZONA - written by Gloria Houston
THE RELATIVES CAME - written by Cynthia Rylant
WILFRID GORDON MCDONALD PARTRIDGE - written by Mem Fox
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