Childrens Book Review of The Farolitos of Christmas by Rudolfo Alfonso Anaya

Urbanites and villagers consider it a great honor to participate in and witness New Mexico’s world-famous re-enactment of the search by Joseph (died July 20, A.D. 18/19) and Mary (18 B.C.? – A.D. 41?)  for lodgings on December 24 to accommodate the expected birth of their son, Jesus of Nazareth (6 B.C.? – A.D. 29?), the following day. Participants crowd into rehearsal sessions and gather necessary costumes, decorations, and props. The procession of the Holy Couple depends upon lights for its progress and visibility. The lighting draws upon:

• The bright warmth of luminarias (bonfires);
• The romantic flames of farolitos (little candles).

Generations of fire-builders and lantern-makers furnish each year’s supply of:

• Candles, paper bags, sand;
• Kindling and tinder wood.

But the residents of San Juan in New Mexico’s northern county of Río Arriba confront an unenviable, unexpected challenge. They do not have access to the annual services and yearly skills of the community’s traditional woodcutter. Luz’s father experiences the respective honor and stress of serving in and suffering during his country’s wartime military commitments. His fellow villagers find that they likewise cannot tap his trainer for the job since Luz’s grandfather is ill. But they ultimately have no doubts as to Christmas holidays being the season of miracles. With such holiday faith and joy, no one in the village is disappointed when:

• Luz invents alternative lighting;
• Luz’s father manages to get leave approved;
• Luz’s grandfather recovers.

The Farolitos of Christmas benefits from the consummate, coordinated inputs of:

• Rudolfo Alfonso Anaya, as author;
• Edward Gonzales, as illustrator in the book version;
• Hyperion Books for Children, as publisher in 1995;
• New Mexico Magazine, as publisher in 1987;
• Richard C. Sandoval, as illustrator in the magazine version.

The “must-own” book fills many roles in educational and familial settings. It is listed as oriented to:

• Ages 5 – 9 and upward;
• Grades kindergarten through fourth grade and onward.

The plot’s message of faith, ingenuity, love, perseverance, and respect readily responds to formal and informal applications by parents, readers, and teachers in regard to:

• American regional and state history;
• Cultural enrichment;
• Educational entertainment;
• Holiday observances;
• Literary criticism;
• Spanish language-learning.

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

The Farolitos of Christmas includes the annual procession of Las Posadas (The Inns), a re-enactment of Mary and Joseph's unsuccessful quest for a room in an inn in Bethlehem.
Saint Joseph cherche un gîte à Bethléem ("Saint Joseph Seeks a Lodging in Bethlehem"): 1886 - 1894 opaque watercolor over graphite on gray wove paper by James Tissot (October 15, 1836 – August 8, 1902)
Brooklyn Museum, 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, western Long Island, New York City: Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brooklyn_Museum_-_Saint_Joseph_Seeks_a_Lodging_in_Bethlehem_(Saint_Joseph_cherche_un_g%C3%AEte_à_Bethléem)_-_James_Tissot_-_overall.jpg

Little lights in paper bags (farolitas) are a beloved part of the Christmas season in New Mexico.
Albuquerque, Bernalillo County, central New Mexico: Camerafiend at English Wikipedia, CC BY SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons @ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Luminarias.jpg

The spectacular landscape of Luz's homeland, New Mexico's north central county of Rio Arriba, confirms the state's nickname as "The Land of Enchantment."
view from Embudo, a census designated place about 15-plus miles (24-plus km) northeast of Luz's village of San Juan.
Rio Arriba County, north central New Mexico: Mike Lewinski (ikewinski), CC BY 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/ikewinski/9628049773/

The starriest of skies: star-studded splendor of southeastern Rio Arriba County, north central New Mexico
Angel's trumpets (Datura spp.) with a view; east central Rio Arriba County, north central New Mexico: Mike Lewinski (ikewinski), CC BY 2.0, via Flickr @ https://www.flickr.com/photos/ikewinski/13231278414/

Anaya, Rudolfo. 1995. The Farolitos of Christmas. New York, NY: Hyperion Books for Children.

“Anaya, Rudolfo Alfonso.” Notable Biographies. Retrieved December 6, 2014.

• Available at: http://www.notablebiographies.com/supp/Supplement-A-Bu-and-Obituaries/Anaya-Rudolfo-Alfonso.html

“Rudolfo Anaya.” Children’s Literature: Meet Authors & Illustrators. Retrieved December 6, 2014.

• Available at: http://www.childrenslit.com/childrenslit/mai_anaya_rudolfo.html

“Rudolfo Anaya.” Cinco Puntos Press: Authors. El Paso, Texas. Retrieved December 6, 2014.

• Available at: http://www.cincopuntos.com/authors_detail.sstg?id=39