The Corn Grows Ripe (Puffin Newbery Library)

Reading the other reviews I was a little uncert about reading this kid book to my kids. I don't know Spanish so there's that... Overall my kids really loved this book. They asked me to read it to them which is a big deal. And in the end my kids understood the overall moral to the story. And I think that is the point.

My 4th graders are very interested in this book and enjoying it! Fast pace and good plot.

This was a book that I got to go with a curriculum book for mezzo America history. the book is ok but not for teaching a whole unit on middle Americas.

Thumbs Up.

Author tries to use Spanish vocabulary, but clearly does not speak the language. Tigre is tiger, not jaguar. Pozole is not made from mixing masa and water. Lots of little thing too, like "..Father planned to go into the bush to start milpa." vs "start the milpa" or "clear the milpa." We've only just finished chapter 2, so can't speak much on the story line yet. I am reading out loud to my bilingual children, so I've been changing the words so that they make sense.

We used this for a unit study of the early American cultures including the Mayans. My 10 yo really enjoyed reading it. Includes elements of Mayan religion and daily life.

My 3rd grader found this book to be very engaging. I did find it interesting that one theme of the book is that the Christian God failed the village, but the Mayan gods saved them after the village made sacrifices and performed the required ceremony.

This is one of the best "cultural studies" type books I have read. Dorothy Rhoads has struck a perfect balance between imparting information and telling a good story.Plot-wise, the book shares your typical coming of age story. Tigre, the 12 yr old hero, must suddenly take on new responsibilities when his father is injured. We see his journey as he become more mature and responsible. What sets this book apart is the wealth of rich detail regarding the Mayan culture and way of life. We see Tigre and the villagers and the unique routines, festivals and rituals of the Mayan way of life. The importance of the weather and rain in the society may be eye opening to children who are used to running water and sprinklers, with a foreboding drought providing most of the tension in the story.The characterization in this slim tome is very good. Tigre, his parents, and especially his critical but loving grandmother are all well-crafted. The cultural detail is outstanding, and even better, you get a real sense of how everything related to the community as a whole. The dichotomy in a culture where the Christian church is important enough that all children are named after Saints, but animal sacrifices are still made to the old gods is especially fascinating. It would be a great springboard for discussion on other religious beliefs.I especially enjoyed a small subplot of Tigre learning more about the world around him through studies with a caring teacher- knowledge that helps him find out the reasons for problems instead of claiming the "will of the gods." I'd have liked more on this subplot. I was also pleased that the author didn't feel the need to stick in some sort of obligatory tragic death to show kids how good they have it now that we have modern medicine. That's not always needed.The book was written in 1956, so I was a little surprised at the environmental overtones. However, they have the ring of authenticity showing the traditional Mayan culture in tune with nature and the land.I read this book and immediately read it again. My only complaint is that it is too short. It is a VERY slim book, only about 80 pages. It does have small type, so it's not like many of the "chapter books" aimed at making young children feel like they're reading longer books. This book simply told its story, and ended when it was over.The book is simple and easy to read, although there are a large number of Mayan and Mexican words (dictionary is provided in the back.) It's appropriate for all ages, although I would guess that around 4th grade would be the target age. As an educator I can immediately think of hands-on activities to go along with the book, especially things involving the all important corn. There is a great deal of discussion of the Mayan gods, so I imagine that Christian families would definitely want to plan on discussion if giving to younger children.Highly recommended!

少年が自然の厳しさと共に成長する心の変化がわかりやすく小学校低学年から読めそうな内容でした。