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La mujer que brillaba aún más que el sol / The Woman Who Outshone the Sun
Retells the Zapotec legend of Lucia Zenteno, a beautiful woman with magical powers who is exiled from a mountain village and takes its water away in punishment.
32 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1920
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 13, 2022
The butterflies, the flowers, the fish, and the river are in love with the beautiful Lucia. While some of the villagers admire Lucia, others are jealous and spiteful eventually ousting her and her iguana companion. The river, the fish, the otters, the trees, and the birds accompany Lucia. As the villagers begin to suffer, they realized how beloved was Lucia. She reminded everyone that no matter our differences, we all need to be treated kindly.
Vivid paintings of an artist from Oxaca, Mexico, who knew the poet, illustrate this bilingual edition. Alejandro gathered the oral stories of his people. In 1986, he published his version of Luca Zenteno. Unfortunately while organizing the lost water rights of the Zapotecs, he died. This children’s book beautifully honors the talents of both Alejandro and Fernando.
Vivid paintings of an artist from Oxaca, Mexico, who knew the poet, illustrate this bilingual edition. Alejandro gathered the oral stories of his people. In 1986, he published his version of Luca Zenteno. Unfortunately while organizing the lost water rights of the Zapotecs, he died. This children’s book beautifully honors the talents of both Alejandro and Fernando.
February 13, 2017
Review
This book is a poem based off of an old Zapotec Indian legend. The story is about a beautiful, powerful girl named Lucia, who is exiled from her village and ends up teaching her fellow villagers a lesson about being kind and accepting of others who are “different.” The book is written in both English and Spanish, in this edition the English is the first paragraph and the Spanish translation is directly underneath. The story is accented with colorful, bright illustrations that capture the vibrant legend and captivate the reader.
Response
This story holds a message that is seen time and time again, in different incarnations, over countless cultures: treat others as you would want to be treated/treat others with acceptance and kindness. This poem utilizes its bright imagery and drawings narratively, and has translations for children who are learning about different cultures/may be trying to master another language. All around this book is a feel-good, happy rendition of the legend.
This book is a poem based off of an old Zapotec Indian legend. The story is about a beautiful, powerful girl named Lucia, who is exiled from her village and ends up teaching her fellow villagers a lesson about being kind and accepting of others who are “different.” The book is written in both English and Spanish, in this edition the English is the first paragraph and the Spanish translation is directly underneath. The story is accented with colorful, bright illustrations that capture the vibrant legend and captivate the reader.
Response
This story holds a message that is seen time and time again, in different incarnations, over countless cultures: treat others as you would want to be treated/treat others with acceptance and kindness. This poem utilizes its bright imagery and drawings narratively, and has translations for children who are learning about different cultures/may be trying to master another language. All around this book is a feel-good, happy rendition of the legend.
December 14, 2012
This book is perfect when teaching about other people's cultures. It is very important to remember to show kindness to all and this book explains this well.
March 23, 2022
The Woman Who Outshone the Sun is a folktale written by Alejandro Cruz Martinez. This folktale is based on a Zapotec legend from Oaxaca, Mexico about a woman named Lucia Zenteno. Lucia Zenteno moves to a village where everyone is different from her. When Lucia arrived in the village with beautiful long hair, butterflies flying around her, and an iguana by her side, half of the villagers were welcoming and the other half of the other villagers were welcoming at all. But all the visitors were a little afraid of Lucia because of her differences whether they thought she was beautiful or not. When Lucia bathed in the village’s river, the river fell in love with her as it flowed through her hair. Lucia would have to comb the fish and other river animals out of her hair to go back into the river. The older villagers were accepting of Lucia and believed she should be respected because she was one with nature. The younger villagers were rude to Lucia and spied on her because they were afraid of her power with nature. Lucia did not take offense to the disrespectful villagers which angered them even more causing them to be even meaner to her. Lucia decided to leave the village because she felt like she did not belong. As she left, she went to the river to say goodbye but the river and all the animals decided to come with her. This resulted in there being no more river or animals in the village and the villagers suffered from a drought. The older villagers led the other villagers to find Lucia and ask for forgiveness. Eventually, the villagers found Lucia and asked for forgiveness and Lucia forgave them but explained that they should treat everyone with kindness even if they are different. Lucia returned to the village and returned the river. The folktale ended in harmony as Lucia would guide all villagers to treat everyone and everything like you would want to be treated.
This folktale would be appropriate for grades K-3 because it is an engaging legend about a worldly respectful theme; treat others how you want to be treated. One way this folktale could be used in the classroom is at the beginning of the school year when developing classroom expectations with students. The teacher would read aloud this folktale and had students lead a discussion about what the theme of the folktale was. The students then would compile a list of ideas and expectations on how people should be treated and how they should act in the classroom. Another way this folktale could be used in the classroom is to have students create their own legend after reading. While the teacher reads-aloud this folktale to the students, they will understand that a folktale or legend is a story that teaches a lesson. The students will be given time to write and illustrate their own folktale about a lesson or morals.
The Woman Who Outshone the Sun should be introduced to elementary students to show them a representation of a legend. In schools today, students tend to read every genre but folktales even though they are very beneficial for students to learn because they are short and the story is well developed.
This folktale would be appropriate for grades K-3 because it is an engaging legend about a worldly respectful theme; treat others how you want to be treated. One way this folktale could be used in the classroom is at the beginning of the school year when developing classroom expectations with students. The teacher would read aloud this folktale and had students lead a discussion about what the theme of the folktale was. The students then would compile a list of ideas and expectations on how people should be treated and how they should act in the classroom. Another way this folktale could be used in the classroom is to have students create their own legend after reading. While the teacher reads-aloud this folktale to the students, they will understand that a folktale or legend is a story that teaches a lesson. The students will be given time to write and illustrate their own folktale about a lesson or morals.
The Woman Who Outshone the Sun should be introduced to elementary students to show them a representation of a legend. In schools today, students tend to read every genre but folktales even though they are very beneficial for students to learn because they are short and the story is well developed.
March 4, 2017
The Woman Who Outshone the Sun, or the legend of Lucia Zenteno, was once oral history of the Zapotec Indians of Oaxaca, Mexico. This story is told in english and spanish. "La mujer que brillaba un mas que el sol" tells the story of Lucia Zenteno coming to the pueblo where all of the people are frightened of her and treat her rudely because she is distincto, different. Her hair is so magnificent that it shades people from the sun, but el rio, the river, falls in love with it and all of the water, fish, and otters flow into her locks. When the people push her away and banish her, she leaves but the river is so attached that it leaves with her, causing a dangerous draught. It teaches the people that everyone must show compassion for each other, despite their differences.
I give this story a five star rating. The illustrations were vibrant and beautiful, reflecting the fabrics and culture of Mexico. There is the english and spanish text in this book which invites non-spanish speaking readers into a new experience and culture. And the lead is a vivid female character.
This picture book was structured so that all of the text was on the left side of the page and all of the pictures on the right. This made the reading experience fluid and allowed me to spend a lot of time studying the text before fully focusing, and getting distracted by, the multicolored illustrations. The oral telling of this story didn't say much about the actual cultural traits of the people other than portraying them as cold and uninviting towards Lucia, but the illustrations included classic aspects of Mexican culture. We see farming and agricultural landscapes, churches, children playing together in bright woven tunics, and the mountain range in the background.
This story would be great to use in a bilingual classroom, if students were learning about Mexican culture, and to teach children to cherish instead of antagonize the differences they see in each other.
I give this story a five star rating. The illustrations were vibrant and beautiful, reflecting the fabrics and culture of Mexico. There is the english and spanish text in this book which invites non-spanish speaking readers into a new experience and culture. And the lead is a vivid female character.
This picture book was structured so that all of the text was on the left side of the page and all of the pictures on the right. This made the reading experience fluid and allowed me to spend a lot of time studying the text before fully focusing, and getting distracted by, the multicolored illustrations. The oral telling of this story didn't say much about the actual cultural traits of the people other than portraying them as cold and uninviting towards Lucia, but the illustrations included classic aspects of Mexican culture. We see farming and agricultural landscapes, churches, children playing together in bright woven tunics, and the mountain range in the background.
This story would be great to use in a bilingual classroom, if students were learning about Mexican culture, and to teach children to cherish instead of antagonize the differences they see in each other.
November 11, 2018
(Read aloud book in my classroom) One could get lost simply in each illustration on each page. I really enjoyed breaking down and questioning each image with my students. We both had many questions! The story also was great fodder for a conversation surrounding identity, stereotypes, and discrimination.
September 3, 2022
I liked the story behind it of the Zapotec Indians and an organizer that was trying to get water rights for them.
March 3, 2017
Lucia Zenteno walks into a mountain village in central Mexico and some villagers whisper that her long black hair blocks out the sun. They are afraid! Her long, wavy hair outshines the sun. Lucia is banished from her village. When she sits by the river and combs out her hair, the river follows her! It loves her and will not leave her. The whole village sets out to find Lucia and begs for her forgiveness and the return of their beloved river.
The legend of Lucia Zenteno is part of the oral history of the Zapotec Indians of Oaxaca. This book is bilingual, offering the English and Spanish version of the text on the verso pages. All illustrations lie within a white boarder on the recto pages. The illustrations are traditional to Indian culture. Lucia is portrayed as a giant with magical hair! This fantasy includes themes about Similarities, Differences, History, Forgiveness, Conflict resolution, and Bullying.
This is a good read for a classroom setting, or just in general. The Parent Choice Foundation approves this book, and so do I. I recommend this book for any young readers who loves fantasy and learning about different cultures.
The legend of Lucia Zenteno is part of the oral history of the Zapotec Indians of Oaxaca. This book is bilingual, offering the English and Spanish version of the text on the verso pages. All illustrations lie within a white boarder on the recto pages. The illustrations are traditional to Indian culture. Lucia is portrayed as a giant with magical hair! This fantasy includes themes about Similarities, Differences, History, Forgiveness, Conflict resolution, and Bullying.
This is a good read for a classroom setting, or just in general. The Parent Choice Foundation approves this book, and so do I. I recommend this book for any young readers who loves fantasy and learning about different cultures.
Read
March 20, 2008This is a beautiful story that has been orally handed down through generations in history from the Zapotec Indians of Oaxaca, Mexico. It reads as a poem made by Alejandro Cruz Marinez.
It is about a very different and beautiful woman who arrives from nowhere into a village as she is surrounded by thousands of butterflies and her loyal iguana. However, because of her differences, she is feared by the community. Many people make up false stories about her and treat her cruelly so that she is eventually ostracized by the village and,with tears, is driven from the town.
When she leaves, the river and all the animals leave with her, symbolizing perhaps nature and animals ability innately to know real truth and beauty.
Eventually, the village people realize that not only can they not live without the river and its surrounding life, they can not live without accepting the differences of this unique woman. They beg her forgiveness and ask her to come back. Thus, the theme of the value of accepting differences is realized.
It is a lovely story worth the read.
It is about a very different and beautiful woman who arrives from nowhere into a village as she is surrounded by thousands of butterflies and her loyal iguana. However, because of her differences, she is feared by the community. Many people make up false stories about her and treat her cruelly so that she is eventually ostracized by the village and,with tears, is driven from the town.
When she leaves, the river and all the animals leave with her, symbolizing perhaps nature and animals ability innately to know real truth and beauty.
Eventually, the village people realize that not only can they not live without the river and its surrounding life, they can not live without accepting the differences of this unique woman. They beg her forgiveness and ask her to come back. Thus, the theme of the value of accepting differences is realized.
It is a lovely story worth the read.
November 29, 2011
This book is about a woman who is treated unfailry and the water goes with her when she leaves town. The town people have to find her and be remorseful for their actions before she will return with their water.
May 18, 2013
I LOVE this story, and the illustrations. Comes with Spanish and English text, an Indigenous folktale from Oaxaca with subtle environmental and humanitarian themes. Great to read with students, and a must for any bilingual library or any classroom really...
Want to Read
April 17, 2011Another water folktale.
May 1, 2011
Great legend to read alongside Dona Flor. My students loved that this book is written in both Spanish and English.
April 10, 2014
Beautiful book...hope to add this to our personal library.
May 14, 2016
A beautiful woman and her iguana comes to town. She is so beautiful, some of the villagers are scared of her. What will happen when they are so mean that she leaves?
Read
November 20, 2018multicultural book with good message of treating others with kindness, even if they are different than you
November 12, 2016
The Legend of Lucia Zenteno, tells the story of a magical woman that moves a small village. No one knows where she came from or why she is there. The locals are very skeptical and outcast her because she is different. They are afraid of her magical powers and beautiful hair that she washes at the river. One day the villagers decide to drive her out of town, but the river goes with her. Without water the villagers are forced to apologize to Lucia. This book is based on a legend that has been passed down among the Zapotec people in Oaxaca, Mexico. This is another bilingual book with parallel English and Spanish text.
Read
October 5, 2018Beautiful story, I picked up this book because of the beautiful art. I am glad I chose this book.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews