Kristyn Rehling Estes

The book MANUELA'S GIFT by Kristyn Estes is a book for ages 7-9. In this book it talks about a young girl and how she hoped to get a new yellow dress for her birthday. Although she wanted a yellow dress that is not what she got. She got a blue dress that her mother and her grandmother made just for her. Instead of being upset about not getting exactly what she wanted she accepted it with perfect manners and thought about her family. She realized that she did not get the dress that she had hoped for because her family was tight on money. This book is good for kids to read because it shows that you can't always get what you want and when you do not get what you want you should still be happy about what you did get. So many kids get upset when they do not receive exactly what they want and this book can help with that. I do not like the pictures in this book because I do not like how the people look in them. Even though I do not like how the people are drawn I do like the fact that there are bright colors in the book because it makes the book pop. This book would be good to use in the class when teaching a lesson about me appreciative and accepting.… (mais)

This was a Hispanic cultured story about a young girl Manuela who awoke the morning of her birthday dreaming about her birthday gifts that she wishes to receive. She was dreaming about a yellow party dress and tan shoes like her friend Lupe has. She figured she might not receive both presents, but she was hopeful since it was her birthday. When she woke up she went to the kitchen and rubbed her abuela’s tired calloused feet from that morning’s work. Then her mother brought her over her present unwrapped holding it up when Manuela’s father got home from work. It was a pattern she recognized; her mother’s old dress resized to fit Manuela. It wasn’t the yellow dress or shoes she was hoping for. Disappointed, Manuela laid in a stack of hay where she was supposed to be collecting chicken eggs. She thought about wishing her party dress, shoes, candy and new earrings for her mother would fall out of the rainbow piñata that was hanging for her birthay party. She then realized that her mother and abuela must have spent all night cutting and sewing that dress for her birthday, and it is special to her. She then told her mother that she was the best and that she loved her. Manuela put on her party dress than began swinging at the piñata.… (mais)