Criticas Online Reviews
Gr 1-3-Lucinda, a poor, young Mexican girl, helps her mother weave a blanket for baby Jesus. When she tangles the yarn and ruins it, she despairs of having her special gift ready in time for the Christmas procession. A miracle brought about by her prayers transforms an armful of weeds into the beautiful flower we now call the poinsettia. Lucinda learns that it is the act of giving that demonstrates true love, and not the value of the gift. Charming illustrations, rendered in breathtaking colors, steal the show.-Veronica Covington, GLIS, Univ. of Texas, Austin Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
Horn Book Guide Reviews
DePaola retells a Mexican legend of miraculous transcendence. Ashamed to have spoiled her family's Christmas gift to the church, young Lucida humbly gathers an armful of weeds and places them around the manger. As she kneels in prayer, the weeds burst forth in flaming red stars and ""[cf2]la Flor de Nochebuena[cf1] -- the Flower of the Holy Night -- the poinsettia"" becomes a beautiful part of Christmas. Also available in Spanish. Copyright 1998 Horn Book Guide Reviews
Kirkus Reviews
~ Lucida and her mother are recruited by Padre Alvarez to weave a new blanket for the figure of Baby Jesus carried in their village's Christmas procession. They take to their task with great energy, but Lucida's mother falls ill and is not able to finish the blanket in time. When Lucida tries to weave it herself, she only manages to produce a hopeless set of tangles. Ashamed that she will have no gift to give the Baby Jesus, Lucida hides during the procession; but an old lady points out to her that any gift to the child would be accepted with love. Lucida grabs a hunk of weeds and prays for the best. Sure enough, as she places them beside the figure, the weeds burst into Christmas bloom, and so the great red spectacle of the poinsettia came to be. DePaola (Christopher, p. 140, etc.) has always had a way with the retelling of folktales--getting them straight without getting them sentimental--and he shines again here with this Mexican story, as do the bold swaths of color that illuminate his painting. (Folklore/Picture book. 4-8) Copyright 1999 Kirkus Reviews