Domitila - A Cinderella Tale from the Mexican Tradition - Folk/Multicultural Literature

My first impression of this Mexican version of the "Cinderella" folktale is that it's a nice change from the Disney version everyone has always heard, and it has a very authentic feel to it. I think it would serve well to expand students' understanding of culture and differences among people and places. There are traditional mexican foods mentioned, and some Spanish is used in the story in a way that would still be well understood by English speakers. One problem I have with the book is that it's well too long for a read-aloud, but it's not divided into chapters. It's the kind of book that would be great to read in one sitting, but I think most younger students would need help getting through it. I suppose the point is, it would be hard to use for a lesson about folk tales around the world, but it definitely has a place in a classroom library as an example of a folk tale from another culture. There are also very nice illustrations on every other page that go along with the story, and on every other page there is a saying in Spanish with an English translation. One example is, "Al amor no se le desalienta facilmente" - "Love is not easily discouraged." I really enjoyed this book, but some consideration must be used when utilizing it in the classroom.