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

Mora, Pat. 2005. Dona Flor: A Tale About a Giant Woman With a Great Big Heart. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.



Dona Flor was a beautiful girl, who grew into a beautiful woman. Her mother showed her so much love that she flourished into a giant that could speak every language. Because she was so big, people would make fun of her. They later learned that her only desire was to help and protect her friends. Soon, the villagers became fond of her and she took care of them by preparing tortillas every morning, making toys, and reading to the children in the shade while they played all over her soft body. And, so when the village was being haunted by the sound of a very large puma the villagers went to Dona Flor for help. They were too scared to come out of their houses for fear of danger from the puma. Since Dona Flor was friends with all of the animals and spoke their language, she decided to go to them for help. They told her to look upon the mountaintop and she will find her answer. Up there she found a cute little puma roaring into a long, hollow log which roared into the valley. The puma liked hearing how load his roar was and would fall down upon his back laughing. Dona Flor thought he was a little pumita and began to scratch him behind his ears until he began to purr. She brought pumita home with her and let him sleep on her big toe on a bed of clouds.

The beautiful watercolor illustrations bring to life the sweet and bold Dona Flor. Readers understand how people could make fun of her size, yet learn how helpful it could be to have a giant as your friend. Dona Flor can make giant tortillas children can use a rafts and pluck stars from the sky so that the villagers can find their way home at night. Throughout the book, spanish terms are used and children can relate to this cultural tale.