“Once there was a little girl named Clara, who was grumpy.” She was grumpy about having to take out the trash, having to share her toys with her seven brothers and sisters, and having to read one book a week for school.
And Mami is tired of Clara’s grumpy face, so she sends her daughter to the curandera—or healer—to ask for help. The curandera gives Clara a list of things to do in the coming week: take out her own trash and the neighbors’ as well; give all of her favorite toys to her brothers and sisters; and read five books instead of one!
It’s a difficult, busy week for Clara. But, her neighbors are grateful for her help, and give her hugs. Her siblings are so happy that they are extra nice to her and invite her to play with them. She has fun jumping rope, playing checkers and soccer. Her mother takes her to the library to check out books and she reads lots of interesting things. When the week is over, Clara realizes that she has not had time to feel grumpy. Could it be that helping others makes her feel … happy?
In this winning bilingual picture book written by award-winning author Monica Brown and vividly illustrated by Thelma Muraida, children ages 4 – 8 will cheer for Clara as she learns to focus on others rather than herself.
Click here to listen to an interview with Monica Brown about her book, Clara and the Curandera/Clara y la curandera.
Named to the 2012-2013 Tejas Star Reading List
“A grumpy little girl gets a subtle lesson in caring, sharing, and the pleasures of reading… A charming tale almost any child (and parent) can relate to.”—Kirkus Reviews
“A joyous book with powerful lessons in human kindness shining from every page… no childish meanness can outlast the sunshine of shared kindness for long! Generosity of the heart is the best medicine, as the curandera knows well.”—Midwest Book Review
MONICA BROWN is the author of numerous award-winning books for children, including Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People (Henry Holt & Co., 2011), Side by Side: The Story of Dolores Huerta and Cesar Chavez / Lado a lado: La historia de Dolores Huerta y César Chávez (Rayo/HarperCollins, 2010), Butterflies on Carmen Street / Mariposas en la calle Carmen (Piñata Books, 2007), and My Name Is Celia: The Life of Celia Cruz / Me llamo Celia: La vida de Celia Cruz (Luna Rising, 2004), winner of the Américas Award for Children’s Literature and named a Pura Belpré Honor Book. When she is not writing, she teaches Latino/a literature at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff.
Learn more at monicabrown.net.
THELMA MURAIDA, an accomplished designer and artist, lives in San Antonio, Texas. She has illustrated Clara and the Curandera / Clara y la curandera by Monica Brown (Piñata Books, 2011), My Big Sister / Mi hermana mayor by Samuel Caraballo (Piñata Books, 2012), and Cecilia and Miguel Are Best Friends / Cecilia and Miguel son mejores amigos (Piñata Books, 2014) by Diane Gonzales Bertrand.
Learn more at thelmamuraida.com.
ATOS Interest Level: Lower Grades
Category: Picture Book
ATOS English Reading Level: 3.6
ATOS Spanish Reading Level: 3.6
Accelerated Reader Quiz #: 150744
GABRIELA BAEZA VENTURA is an associate professor of Spanish at the University of Houston. She has translated numerous children’s books, including Dalia’s Wondrous Hair / El cabello maravilloso de Dalia (Arte Público Press, 2014), There’s a Name for this Feeling: Stories / Hay un nombre para lo que siento: Cuentos (2014), Adelita and the Veggie Cousins / Adelita y las primas verduritas (2011) and Remembering Grandma / Recordando a Abuela (2003).
