Parents' Guide to

Dona Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart

By Kate Pavao, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 3+

A giant saves the day in muy magical story.

Book Pat Mora Folklore 2006
Dona Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant Woman with a Great Big Heart Poster Image

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What's the Story?

Doña Flor is a giant who carries kids to school, makes tortillas each morning for the village to eat (and use as roofs or rafts), and lets birds nest in her hair.
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\ When her animal and people friends are frightened by what sounds like a giant mountain lion circling the village, Doña Flor goes to investigate.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: Not yet rated
Kids say: Not yet rated

Illustrator Raul Colon won the American Library Association's prize for best children's book celebrating Latino culture; certainly his pictures will captivate kids -- as will the magical story. Large, soft, dreamlike drawings show the giant Doña Flor sleeping among pillowy clouds and kids floating on the pond using huge tortillas she makes each morning. Sometimes Doña Flor doesn't even fit inside the page's frame.

The story has wonderful images of its own: Doña Flor using stars to add shine to her homemade adobe, the giant reading stories to kids and animals while they "climbed all over her soft body." All in all, a charming story that may inspire kids to write -- and draw -- some imaginative stories of their own.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about other tall tales -- or come up with some of their own. The book uses some Spanish words and phrases, and parents may want to talk about what those words mean and figure out ways to use them in their day-to-day lives.

Book Details

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