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The Corn Grows Ripe
A Newbery Honor Book
Can Tigre find the strength and courage to support his family?
When Tigre's father is badly injured in an accident, the family is thrown into turmoil. Who will plant and harvest the corn that they need to survive--and to please the Mayan gods? The neighbors have fields of their own to tend, and Tigre's mother and grandmother cannot do it on their own. Twelve-year-old Tigre has never done a man's work before. Can he shoulder the burden on his own, and take his father's place?
"A book of special artistic distinction, with its well-told story rich in Mayan folkway and custom and its boldly appropriate drawings."--The Horn Book
Can Tigre find the strength and courage to support his family?
When Tigre's father is badly injured in an accident, the family is thrown into turmoil. Who will plant and harvest the corn that they need to survive--and to please the Mayan gods? The neighbors have fields of their own to tend, and Tigre's mother and grandmother cannot do it on their own. Twelve-year-old Tigre has never done a man's work before. Can he shoulder the burden on his own, and take his father's place?
"A book of special artistic distinction, with its well-told story rich in Mayan folkway and custom and its boldly appropriate drawings."--The Horn Book
88 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1956
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October 27, 2018
If I were to simply rate Dorothy Rhoads' 1956 The Corn Grows Ripe (one of the Newbery Honours for 1957) uncritically and as a story in and of itself, I most probably would be considering a high three star ranking (but most definitely not as yet four stars, as aesthetically speaking, Jean Charlot's accompanying illustrations are just not all that visually pleasing to and for my eyes). For even considering issues regarding potential datedness etc. and that the author is obviously, is clearly writing about a culture that is not her own, Tigre's struggles to prepare his family's corn fields when his father breaks his leg and is unable to work are uplifting, engaging and encouraging. And even though I might indeed and well kind of cringe a trifle at the slash and burn farming practices depicted and described in the Corn Grows Ripe, let us be honest and face the truth here that this type of agriculture was basically how ALL farming used to be and that even the wheat, corn, canola fields of today in developed, in so-called first world nations originally had to be taken from often virgin forests (just like how Tigre has to cut down and burn trees in order to end up with the corn field his family requires to survive, to live).
However, and that all having been said, there are in my opinion simply too too many factual mistakes with regard to especially Catholic feast days shown in Dorothy Rhoads' narrative for me to consider granting more than a high two star rating at best for The Corn is Ripe. And no, I am not trying to be curmudgeonly and unnecessarily pedantic here, but come on, if you are going to be using specific calendar dates for Catholic feast days and the like, you should at least do the required research to get the dates right. And I personally also cannot understand how the author could have made such a huge mistake with regard to Saint John's Day, how Dorothy Rhoads could place the day in February when it is in late June, on June 24th (and this is also and indeed just one example of such an oversight, of such an error, and I am also now left wondering whether the author, whether Dorothy Rhoads has equally gotten some if not perhaps even much of the specifically Mayan cultural information wrong, as when I find such errors in a given book, I of course and naturally will also wonder whether there are more). Not at all a bad or in any way an inappropriate story (and actually in many ways a sweetly delightful, readable and encouraging tale, with important messages and lessons) is The Corn Grows Ripe, but I personally just cannot consider more than two stars for not only such blatant factual errors but especially with regard to the erroneous calendar dates of and for so many of the specifically Catholic feast days, for errors that even rudimentary research of any Catholic church calendar could so easily have avoided.
However, and that all having been said, there are in my opinion simply too too many factual mistakes with regard to especially Catholic feast days shown in Dorothy Rhoads' narrative for me to consider granting more than a high two star rating at best for The Corn is Ripe. And no, I am not trying to be curmudgeonly and unnecessarily pedantic here, but come on, if you are going to be using specific calendar dates for Catholic feast days and the like, you should at least do the required research to get the dates right. And I personally also cannot understand how the author could have made such a huge mistake with regard to Saint John's Day, how Dorothy Rhoads could place the day in February when it is in late June, on June 24th (and this is also and indeed just one example of such an oversight, of such an error, and I am also now left wondering whether the author, whether Dorothy Rhoads has equally gotten some if not perhaps even much of the specifically Mayan cultural information wrong, as when I find such errors in a given book, I of course and naturally will also wonder whether there are more). Not at all a bad or in any way an inappropriate story (and actually in many ways a sweetly delightful, readable and encouraging tale, with important messages and lessons) is The Corn Grows Ripe, but I personally just cannot consider more than two stars for not only such blatant factual errors but especially with regard to the erroneous calendar dates of and for so many of the specifically Catholic feast days, for errors that even rudimentary research of any Catholic church calendar could so easily have avoided.
September 13, 2024
Two stars is too low a rating for this book. I might not carry it all the way to three, but it's worthy of two and a half. The Corn Grows Ripe is a short but solidly crafted story about a "modern-day" Maya family, seen mostly from the perspective of a twelve-year-old boy named Tigre (pronounced "Tee-gray") who is descended from the great Mayan people.
Tigre's family is no stranger to grief. Once a family with four growing sons, sometime before the beginning of this book a sudden outbreak of fever killed all three of Tigre's brothers in a single week, leaving just the one boy to carry on the family name. Along with his little sister, mother, and father, Tigre's great-grandmother lives with the family now, and is openly critical of the way that Tigre is being brought up in the wake of the tragedy that was his brothers' deaths. Tigre's parents are somewhat permissive with him, for the most part allowing their always happy and playful only son to run around and have a good time while his father shoulders the brunt of the necessary farming work. Tigre's great-grandmother warns them over and over that she believes taking such an approach does no favors for the boy, as one day soon he will have to step into his role as leader of the family, and without adequate work experience he will not be prepared when that day arrives.
The day of Tigre becoming head of the household arrives more quickly than anyone could have guessed when his father is badly injured while working the fields. His leg has been broken, and the bonesetter delivers the news that he won't be able to walk on it at all until harvest time. The corn hasn't even been planted yet, and now the farmer won't be able to do his job. How will the family survive without a crop to harvest?
Tigre's great-grandmother may have thought that his parents were babying him, but the boy clearly has some powerful reserves of personal strength that he calls upon now in this time of great need. Tigre takes on the task of planting the corn all on his own, using what his father had taught him about the process and expanding that basic knowledge to fit the requirements for a boy his age to successfully complete the task. It's an enormous job, really way too big for a kid to be expected to manage without a lot of help, but it almost seems as if knowing that his little sister, mother and great-grandmother are relying on him for their very survival gives Tigre an edge to his passion that allows him to go beyond what he should by rights be capable of achieving, and actually get done all of the necessary planting work before the expected rainy season begins. What's more, Tigre accomplishes all of this while still keeping up with his schoolwork.
After putting his heart and soul into the cultivation of the family's soil, though, severe drought places everything he has worked so hard for into serious jeopardy. Without water the corn will never grow, and without corn his family might starve. Isn't there any way to bring forth rain from the dry, dreary skies? Is there not some way to convince the gods that precipitation is deserved by these hardworking people? Rain or shine, by the time his father has recovered from his broken leg and is able to work again, Tigre has proven himself beyond what even his great-grandmother could have ever hoped. Tigre is still the laughing, playful boy that he had been since birth, but the fires of adversity's kiln have brought to the surface the fineness of all of his other traits as well, and shown that the family is in good hands with him already even though he is still so young.
A meaningful study of a significant part of the Maya culture, The Corn Grows Ripe may be most impressive for the way that it gives readers living in their own wealthy civilizations of today some deeper insight into the feelings of a culture heavily dependent on one food source, and the devastation that a natural disaster such as drought can bring because of that dependence. A lack of water isn't a big deal to most Americans living in modern times, but for a people who derive everything they have and everything they are from the corn they grow, drought is a plague that threatens to wipe out entire families from starvation before the next year's planting season can arrive to save them. The Corn Grows Ripe is a good story about a boy trying to find his identity amidst a family history checkered by tragedy, and how that struggle to learn about himself is impacted by the fearful reality of drought for the contemporary Maya. I'm pleased that The Corn Grows Ripe is still in print as of 2011, and I would recommend it to anyone who asks.
Tigre's family is no stranger to grief. Once a family with four growing sons, sometime before the beginning of this book a sudden outbreak of fever killed all three of Tigre's brothers in a single week, leaving just the one boy to carry on the family name. Along with his little sister, mother, and father, Tigre's great-grandmother lives with the family now, and is openly critical of the way that Tigre is being brought up in the wake of the tragedy that was his brothers' deaths. Tigre's parents are somewhat permissive with him, for the most part allowing their always happy and playful only son to run around and have a good time while his father shoulders the brunt of the necessary farming work. Tigre's great-grandmother warns them over and over that she believes taking such an approach does no favors for the boy, as one day soon he will have to step into his role as leader of the family, and without adequate work experience he will not be prepared when that day arrives.
The day of Tigre becoming head of the household arrives more quickly than anyone could have guessed when his father is badly injured while working the fields. His leg has been broken, and the bonesetter delivers the news that he won't be able to walk on it at all until harvest time. The corn hasn't even been planted yet, and now the farmer won't be able to do his job. How will the family survive without a crop to harvest?
Tigre's great-grandmother may have thought that his parents were babying him, but the boy clearly has some powerful reserves of personal strength that he calls upon now in this time of great need. Tigre takes on the task of planting the corn all on his own, using what his father had taught him about the process and expanding that basic knowledge to fit the requirements for a boy his age to successfully complete the task. It's an enormous job, really way too big for a kid to be expected to manage without a lot of help, but it almost seems as if knowing that his little sister, mother and great-grandmother are relying on him for their very survival gives Tigre an edge to his passion that allows him to go beyond what he should by rights be capable of achieving, and actually get done all of the necessary planting work before the expected rainy season begins. What's more, Tigre accomplishes all of this while still keeping up with his schoolwork.
After putting his heart and soul into the cultivation of the family's soil, though, severe drought places everything he has worked so hard for into serious jeopardy. Without water the corn will never grow, and without corn his family might starve. Isn't there any way to bring forth rain from the dry, dreary skies? Is there not some way to convince the gods that precipitation is deserved by these hardworking people? Rain or shine, by the time his father has recovered from his broken leg and is able to work again, Tigre has proven himself beyond what even his great-grandmother could have ever hoped. Tigre is still the laughing, playful boy that he had been since birth, but the fires of adversity's kiln have brought to the surface the fineness of all of his other traits as well, and shown that the family is in good hands with him already even though he is still so young.
A meaningful study of a significant part of the Maya culture, The Corn Grows Ripe may be most impressive for the way that it gives readers living in their own wealthy civilizations of today some deeper insight into the feelings of a culture heavily dependent on one food source, and the devastation that a natural disaster such as drought can bring because of that dependence. A lack of water isn't a big deal to most Americans living in modern times, but for a people who derive everything they have and everything they are from the corn they grow, drought is a plague that threatens to wipe out entire families from starvation before the next year's planting season can arrive to save them. The Corn Grows Ripe is a good story about a boy trying to find his identity amidst a family history checkered by tragedy, and how that struggle to learn about himself is impacted by the fearful reality of drought for the contemporary Maya. I'm pleased that The Corn Grows Ripe is still in print as of 2011, and I would recommend it to anyone who asks.
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July 16, 2024A story about a Mayan boy taking on his injured fathers work of clearing jungle and burning fields to prepare for corn planting. There is a cool glossary of Mayan words at the end of the story.
October 18, 2018
Newberry Honors 1957
This is a coming of age story told from the perspective of a 12-year-old boy growing up in a small village on the Yucatan peninsula. It is nicely told, but the story has multiple problems.
I tried to find information on Dorothy Rhoads, who she was and what her motivation was to write this story, but I could not find a single shred of biographical information online.
I am not so much bothered by the fact that Mayan and Catholic beliefs are present simultaneously. This is to be expected. Catholicism has never sought to eliminate the underlying culture, only to transform it. Dorothy Rhoads, however, intertwines Mayan and Catholic belief systems to the point where you don’t know where one begins and the other ends. Not only is it presented in a way as if there were no differences between the two, the Catholic elements are for the most part wrong. Which makes me question the validity of the Mayan aspects. What’s more, there is a church in the village, meaning, there is a priest and Masses. Wouldn’t you think that after 500 years of Christianity the people know the difference?
Here are some examples:
”He came to the end of the street and stopped before a pair of large wooden crosses that guarded the entrance to the village. These were the image of Holy Cross, a very ancient Maya santo, and the patron of the village. “ Am I understanding this right, the cross is a Mayan saint? From the glossary it does mention for the cross to be “an object of worship and religious rites from ancient Maya times, is also considered a santo.” I find this rather muddled. The word “santo” means “saint” as well as “holy.” That the cross is holy is crystal clear from a Christian perspective, but it never was or is a person. From the Mayan perspective, are we talking pre or post Columbian? I did a word search in pertinent articles, but couldn’t find any mention of a cross in Mayan mythology.
”May third came, the day of Holy Cross “ No, the Church’s feast day, the ‘Exaltation of the Holy Cross’ is 14 September
”Holy Cross too had been carried out from church, to watch the dancing“
”There was a [novena] in the church, nine consecutive evenings of prayer to Holy Cross.“ In both of these sentences the cross is treated as an idol, as if the cross itself is a god and/or person.
”In February a boy child was born. He was named Juan Bautista (John the Baptist), for that was the name of the saint on whose day he was born. “ Oh dear! John the Baptist is such a prominent figure in the New Testament, and his feast day is 24 June, not anywhere near February. He is Jesus’s cousin and was born 6 months before him. Hence the Church put his feast day exactly 6 months before Christmas.
”Father had prayed and burned candles to San Diego… “ He was a real guy, he lived 1474-1548 and is venerated as a saint. On his tilma (cloak) is the famous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Here Rhoads got it right, as long as one adds that saints are venerated not worshiped.
There is more, but I think this will suffice.
The illustrations are completely uninspiring. They are one-dimensional pencil sketches without perspective highlighting Maya ethnicity, but there is really nothing for the eye to discover. We don’t know what the inside of the home looked like, no hearth, no utensils or where the family gathered for meals, no view of the milpa, no village square, no flora and fauna, etc. etc. I find them rather ugly. If I hadn’t been to Central America before, I wouldn’t know how to picture any of the scenes in my mind with any accuracy.
This is "just" a children's book, and I might be nit-picking. Still, with a little more care and a desire to get the facts right, I mean, couldn't she have looked up the saints' days for February? This book will not make it into my library for the grandkids.
This is a coming of age story told from the perspective of a 12-year-old boy growing up in a small village on the Yucatan peninsula. It is nicely told, but the story has multiple problems.
I tried to find information on Dorothy Rhoads, who she was and what her motivation was to write this story, but I could not find a single shred of biographical information online.
I am not so much bothered by the fact that Mayan and Catholic beliefs are present simultaneously. This is to be expected. Catholicism has never sought to eliminate the underlying culture, only to transform it. Dorothy Rhoads, however, intertwines Mayan and Catholic belief systems to the point where you don’t know where one begins and the other ends. Not only is it presented in a way as if there were no differences between the two, the Catholic elements are for the most part wrong. Which makes me question the validity of the Mayan aspects. What’s more, there is a church in the village, meaning, there is a priest and Masses. Wouldn’t you think that after 500 years of Christianity the people know the difference?
Here are some examples:
”He came to the end of the street and stopped before a pair of large wooden crosses that guarded the entrance to the village. These were the image of Holy Cross, a very ancient Maya santo, and the patron of the village. “ Am I understanding this right, the cross is a Mayan saint? From the glossary it does mention for the cross to be “an object of worship and religious rites from ancient Maya times, is also considered a santo.” I find this rather muddled. The word “santo” means “saint” as well as “holy.” That the cross is holy is crystal clear from a Christian perspective, but it never was or is a person. From the Mayan perspective, are we talking pre or post Columbian? I did a word search in pertinent articles, but couldn’t find any mention of a cross in Mayan mythology.
”May third came, the day of Holy Cross “ No, the Church’s feast day, the ‘Exaltation of the Holy Cross’ is 14 September
”Holy Cross too had been carried out from church, to watch the dancing“
”There was a [novena] in the church, nine consecutive evenings of prayer to Holy Cross.“ In both of these sentences the cross is treated as an idol, as if the cross itself is a god and/or person.
”In February a boy child was born. He was named Juan Bautista (John the Baptist), for that was the name of the saint on whose day he was born. “ Oh dear! John the Baptist is such a prominent figure in the New Testament, and his feast day is 24 June, not anywhere near February. He is Jesus’s cousin and was born 6 months before him. Hence the Church put his feast day exactly 6 months before Christmas.
”Father had prayed and burned candles to San Diego… “ He was a real guy, he lived 1474-1548 and is venerated as a saint. On his tilma (cloak) is the famous image of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Here Rhoads got it right, as long as one adds that saints are venerated not worshiped.
There is more, but I think this will suffice.
The illustrations are completely uninspiring. They are one-dimensional pencil sketches without perspective highlighting Maya ethnicity, but there is really nothing for the eye to discover. We don’t know what the inside of the home looked like, no hearth, no utensils or where the family gathered for meals, no view of the milpa, no village square, no flora and fauna, etc. etc. I find them rather ugly. If I hadn’t been to Central America before, I wouldn’t know how to picture any of the scenes in my mind with any accuracy.
This is "just" a children's book, and I might be nit-picking. Still, with a little more care and a desire to get the facts right, I mean, couldn't she have looked up the saints' days for February? This book will not make it into my library for the grandkids.
October 30, 2010
This is another book that I enjoy while I'm reading, but I know that later I won't remember many details of the story. This is also another Newbery honor that I wonder why it won. Not that it isn't a perfectly nice story. It's a quick read and a coming-of-age story about Tigre, a young Maya boy in Yucatán who must plant the corn his family needs for food when his father is injured in an accident. The hardest part about planting the corn is that first the "milpa" or cornfield, which is a chosen area in the center of the forest, must be cleared (or bushed) by cutting down the trees and burning those trees after they have dried. The corn must then be planted with faith that the gods will send rain so that it will grow. In fact, all of the bushing, burning, and planting process must proceed with careful timing, attention to the weather, and with faith in the gods. For the Mayas, "making milpa" is a religious rite.
Hm, maybe I'll remember more of the details of this book now that I've put them in my review.
Quite a few people have shelved this as historical fiction, and it definitely has that feel. But it isn't strictly written as historical fiction. The time period is never mentioned. Is making milpa still something the Maya people did in 1956 when this was published? Do they still do it today? A quick check of Wikipedia confirms that "milpa is a crop-growing system used throughout Mesoamerica. It has been most extensively described in the Yucatán peninsula area of Mexico..." Consequently, I've shelved it as fiction. 3.5 stars.
A favorite quote:
Tigre worked on his rope. Several times he had to unravel it and start again, but each time it was a little easier. A few months ago, he thought, he would have given it up as not worth the trouble. But his persistence in keeping on with the bushing had done something more for him besides getting down bush. As using his muscles constantly had strengthened his arms, so doing the hard thing had exercised and strengthened his will. It was easier now for him to stick to unpleasant things.
Hm, maybe I'll remember more of the details of this book now that I've put them in my review.
Quite a few people have shelved this as historical fiction, and it definitely has that feel. But it isn't strictly written as historical fiction. The time period is never mentioned. Is making milpa still something the Maya people did in 1956 when this was published? Do they still do it today? A quick check of Wikipedia confirms that "milpa is a crop-growing system used throughout Mesoamerica. It has been most extensively described in the Yucatán peninsula area of Mexico..." Consequently, I've shelved it as fiction. 3.5 stars.
A favorite quote:
Tigre worked on his rope. Several times he had to unravel it and start again, but each time it was a little easier. A few months ago, he thought, he would have given it up as not worth the trouble. But his persistence in keeping on with the bushing had done something more for him besides getting down bush. As using his muscles constantly had strengthened his arms, so doing the hard thing had exercised and strengthened his will. It was easier now for him to stick to unpleasant things.
July 15, 2017
The Corn Grows Ripe reads like an easier, more consistently interesting version of ...And Now Miguel. It describes roughly a year in the life of a young boy as he takes on the responsibilities of a Mayan corn farmer.
Although the setting is the Yucatan peninsula, the cultural information would also apply largely to Guatemala, which is still mostly Mayan today. The time period of the book is not specific, but it is clearly post-Columbian. I imagine that many Mayans lived this way into the 20th century. I don't know if any currently do.
The pacing and the characters were stronger than I expected from a 60 year old book. I especially enjoyed the relationship between the boy, Tigre, and his great-grandmother. The illustrations were expressive.
Although the setting is the Yucatan peninsula, the cultural information would also apply largely to Guatemala, which is still mostly Mayan today. The time period of the book is not specific, but it is clearly post-Columbian. I imagine that many Mayans lived this way into the 20th century. I don't know if any currently do.
The pacing and the characters were stronger than I expected from a 60 year old book. I especially enjoyed the relationship between the boy, Tigre, and his great-grandmother. The illustrations were expressive.
May 4, 2017
An interesting story of a more modern era Mayan boy who has to clear and plant his family's milpa (corn patch) after his father is injured. While Mayan legend and Mayan gods play into the telling of the story, it still felt a little lacking and I am not sure why this was a Newbery Award winner. Decent, but not exceptional.
September 18, 2018
The Newbery committee really went through a Mayan phase . . .
February 13, 2019
"Only let it be a good rope, Tigre. Do not disgrace us with poor workmanship. And let it be finish if you begin."
I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book. It opens up with an Indian Maya folk tale about how man is made from corn. It the goes into the story of a young boy of 12 named, Tigre, who is not particularly known for his help. Grandmother thinks he is being coddled, Tigre is full of guilt but no ambition-- just wishes, and the parents are sympathetic. And then Tigre's father has an accident that makes it necessary for Tigre to step up and be the man of the family.
This is where I particularly did enjoy the story. Tigre not only learns to work hard and think of his family and still manages to study at night so that his family does not have to pay a fine for his ignorance, but he learns to think ahead and use wisdom. The drawings are simplistic but in a way I liked how they represented the culture. It was very related to the geographical and cultural atmosphere.
Where I really was unsure about the book, in terms of giving it to my kids to read and enjoy or not, was the fact that the Mayan culture believed in many different gods and calls on them to send rain. It was fascinating to see how they kept their cultural (can I say that word again? ) beliefs and yet were influenced by the Catholic Christian missionaries that came into their land. The suggested age for this book is 8-12. I would have to evaluate depending on the child. I personally probably wouldn't give it to a child under 10. Not because of reading level but because I think the maturity between 8 and 12 is a large difference, and also just some of the beliefs do not align with our family beliefs and I can see it being a bit overwhelming at that age.
I wasn't sure if I was going to like this book. It opens up with an Indian Maya folk tale about how man is made from corn. It the goes into the story of a young boy of 12 named, Tigre, who is not particularly known for his help. Grandmother thinks he is being coddled, Tigre is full of guilt but no ambition-- just wishes, and the parents are sympathetic. And then Tigre's father has an accident that makes it necessary for Tigre to step up and be the man of the family.
This is where I particularly did enjoy the story. Tigre not only learns to work hard and think of his family and still manages to study at night so that his family does not have to pay a fine for his ignorance, but he learns to think ahead and use wisdom. The drawings are simplistic but in a way I liked how they represented the culture. It was very related to the geographical and cultural atmosphere.
Where I really was unsure about the book, in terms of giving it to my kids to read and enjoy or not, was the fact that the Mayan culture believed in many different gods and calls on them to send rain. It was fascinating to see how they kept their cultural (can I say that word again? ) beliefs and yet were influenced by the Catholic Christian missionaries that came into their land. The suggested age for this book is 8-12. I would have to evaluate depending on the child. I personally probably wouldn't give it to a child under 10. Not because of reading level but because I think the maturity between 8 and 12 is a large difference, and also just some of the beliefs do not align with our family beliefs and I can see it being a bit overwhelming at that age.
March 13, 2021
This book depicts the difficult realities of the lives of the descendants of the Mayas. When Tigre's father is injured, he must take responsibility for the corn crop or the family will starve. He's only 12 and this is more work than he's ever done, but he takes on the challenge because his family needs to eat and he loves them, of course.
This book reveals a mixture of Mexican Catholicism rituals and beliefs, and ancient Mayan religion which includes gods and superstitions and related ceremonies. If you're a Christian I recommend not giving this book to your child unless you read it first and are there to discuss it with your child. The book also has an issue about a gun that some would find to be a wrong message to give a child.
The Corn Grows Ripe was a Newbery Honor Book in 1957, so it continues to be published despite cultural errors or unfavorable reviews. It is good in that it shows the hardships of people dependent on a crop to survive. It is not so good (for Christians like me) in that the final solution is wrong from a Christian point of view. Hopefully there are other children's novels that can present the life of Mayan descendants.
I read this for the 2021 Middle Grade March, a Booktube readathon.
This book reveals a mixture of Mexican Catholicism rituals and beliefs, and ancient Mayan religion which includes gods and superstitions and related ceremonies. If you're a Christian I recommend not giving this book to your child unless you read it first and are there to discuss it with your child. The book also has an issue about a gun that some would find to be a wrong message to give a child.
The Corn Grows Ripe was a Newbery Honor Book in 1957, so it continues to be published despite cultural errors or unfavorable reviews. It is good in that it shows the hardships of people dependent on a crop to survive. It is not so good (for Christians like me) in that the final solution is wrong from a Christian point of view. Hopefully there are other children's novels that can present the life of Mayan descendants.
I read this for the 2021 Middle Grade March, a Booktube readathon.
January 30, 2020
When his father breaks a leg clearing the bush for their yearly corn plot, a young boy in the Yucatan must take over the job, and then plant and tend the corn. A coming-of-age story with a verb basic introduction to the culture. I did enjoy the tensions hinted at between belief in the old gods and the more recently adopted Christian beliefs.
August 10, 2016
Disaster hits this family when the father breaks a leg at the beginning of corn planting season. His twelve-year-old son must suddenly grow up and take over or the family will starve over the winter.
The family is a Mayan family long after the empire is no more than jungle covered ruins. Traditions persist. The corn planting is one.
Throughout the book the conflict between the ancient traditions and present Christian faith appears along with a accommodations the people have made. This makes it interesting for any reader.
The book is written for younger readers. It goes quickly and remains interesting to hold an older reader's attention.
The family is a Mayan family long after the empire is no more than jungle covered ruins. Traditions persist. The corn planting is one.
Throughout the book the conflict between the ancient traditions and present Christian faith appears along with a accommodations the people have made. This makes it interesting for any reader.
The book is written for younger readers. It goes quickly and remains interesting to hold an older reader's attention.
March 16, 2016
Tigre’s father is hurt. It is to Tigre that the Mayan family must look to take over the father’s work. Tigre rises to the occasion and successfully helps the family to put in a good corn crop, though a severe drought threatened the family’s crop and their survival.
There was no feeling of judgment in this book, no feeling that the people in the story were savages or ignorant. Instead, the story was told from the point of view of a detached observer. The story holds up. Newbery Honor.
There was no feeling of judgment in this book, no feeling that the people in the story were savages or ignorant. Instead, the story was told from the point of view of a detached observer. The story holds up. Newbery Honor.
February 5, 2014
I suppose it wasn't *too* full of broad generalizations about the "Maya Indians" and their connection to their land or outdated gender role reinforcements, but... uh, no that's what the whole book was about. We can do better, 2014 educators.
To be fair, for all I know about the Maya, all of this book's information about their religion and agriculture may have been entirely accurate. Anyone smarter than me want to pitch in?
To be fair, for all I know about the Maya, all of this book's information about their religion and agriculture may have been entirely accurate. Anyone smarter than me want to pitch in?
August 21, 2019
I've had this book on my library shelf for years but never read it. Although I'd noticed it had won an award, I'd been turned off by the cover. (I'm not really fond of the color yellow.)
I finally read it. It's good! It's about growing up and responsibility. It's about another culture (Mayan--I need to show this to our World Cultures teachers!) and family.
I'm thinking about adding it to my classroom library for struggling readers.
I finally read it. It's good! It's about growing up and responsibility. It's about another culture (Mayan--I need to show this to our World Cultures teachers!) and family.
I'm thinking about adding it to my classroom library for struggling readers.
May 16, 2021
The Corn Grows Ripe was a recommended read for our history curriculum this year for the Ancient Maya. I felt that this didn't entirely work out too well because this book is set in a much later time period after the Spanish had arrived. This is evident because of the mix of both Mayan and Catholic/Christian beliefs mentioned in the book and also by the presence of guns in the book. Now this is no big deal, but I found that the book doesn't really give you a lot of detail in terms of when it is taking place.
This lack of setting extends to just a lack of explaining a lot of what goes on in the book. It talks about different festivals and days, but doesn't really talk much about them. This makes sense since the book is being told from the perspective of a twelve year old boy, but at the same time it also makes the setting a bit underdeveloped.
I suppose that doesn't really matter though as the story is a fairly basic one. The twelve year old boy, named Tigre, is not a very motivated boy. His parents are okay with this as he's the only son they have left after his brother's died from fever. His grandmother is not and keeps nagging that he needs to start acting like a man. Tigre has to jump into this role regardless of what his family thinks after his father is injured preparing the land for their crops. With his father unable to do it, Tigre has to step up and do the work himself.
I like the character of Tigre and seeing him step up to the challenge is enjoyable to see. Sadly though, I found Tigre to be one of the only characters I really enjoyed. Grandmother was always rather sour and there with a word of condescension with the occasional kind comment every once in awhile. Nobody else was really given a lot of character.
There is much talk about the festivals and religion presented in this book, but I don't know enough to claim how valid or incorrect it is. The religion presented seems to be some kind of hybrid of Catholicism and Maya beliefs. There may be some wrong elements, but from what I've read elsewhere it seems like most of it is fairly on point, but that doesn't mean there couldn't be errors.
Overall, this is an okay little book. I'm kind of surprised to see it as a Newbury Honor Book because it wasn't too amazing. It's a nice little coming of age story in a rather undefined Maya setting. It was nice enough, but I wouldn't call it one of my favorites by any means.
This lack of setting extends to just a lack of explaining a lot of what goes on in the book. It talks about different festivals and days, but doesn't really talk much about them. This makes sense since the book is being told from the perspective of a twelve year old boy, but at the same time it also makes the setting a bit underdeveloped.
I suppose that doesn't really matter though as the story is a fairly basic one. The twelve year old boy, named Tigre, is not a very motivated boy. His parents are okay with this as he's the only son they have left after his brother's died from fever. His grandmother is not and keeps nagging that he needs to start acting like a man. Tigre has to jump into this role regardless of what his family thinks after his father is injured preparing the land for their crops. With his father unable to do it, Tigre has to step up and do the work himself.
I like the character of Tigre and seeing him step up to the challenge is enjoyable to see. Sadly though, I found Tigre to be one of the only characters I really enjoyed. Grandmother was always rather sour and there with a word of condescension with the occasional kind comment every once in awhile. Nobody else was really given a lot of character.
There is much talk about the festivals and religion presented in this book, but I don't know enough to claim how valid or incorrect it is. The religion presented seems to be some kind of hybrid of Catholicism and Maya beliefs. There may be some wrong elements, but from what I've read elsewhere it seems like most of it is fairly on point, but that doesn't mean there couldn't be errors.
Overall, this is an okay little book. I'm kind of surprised to see it as a Newbury Honor Book because it wasn't too amazing. It's a nice little coming of age story in a rather undefined Maya setting. It was nice enough, but I wouldn't call it one of my favorites by any means.
May 29, 2019
I read this with 2 of my children for school this spring. Tigre is a Mayan boy who has to take over the planting when his father is injured in a terrible accident. It is a wonderful coming of age story, and gives you a peek into Mayan life post-Christopher Columbus. I could go on and on about some of the discrepancies regarding Mayan culture and religion and the Catholicism that is intertwined, but I don't want to take away from the power of the story. I always appreciate a story that depicts a child working hard towards achieving something (see my review of Where the Red Fern GrowsWhere The Red Ferns Grows) and this one does not disappoint.
"Can Tigre find the strength and courage to support his family?
When Tigre's father is badly injured in an accident, the family is thrown into turmoil. Who will plant and harvest the corn that they need to survive--and to please the Mayan gods? The neighbors have fields of their own to tend, and Tigre's mother and grandmother cannot do it on their own. Twelve-year-old Tigre has never done a man's work before. Can he shoulder the burden on his own, and take his father's place?"
My Ratings:
5*****I loved this book, consider it an all time favorite
4**** Thoroughly enjoyed the book and will recommend it
3*** I liked it well enough,
2** Brain Candy - It was okay. Writing mediocre, will
keep/re-read if part of a series
1* didn't like/possibly not finished. (less)
"Can Tigre find the strength and courage to support his family?
When Tigre's father is badly injured in an accident, the family is thrown into turmoil. Who will plant and harvest the corn that they need to survive--and to please the Mayan gods? The neighbors have fields of their own to tend, and Tigre's mother and grandmother cannot do it on their own. Twelve-year-old Tigre has never done a man's work before. Can he shoulder the burden on his own, and take his father's place?"
My Ratings:
5*****I loved this book, consider it an all time favorite
4**** Thoroughly enjoyed the book and will recommend it
3*** I liked it well enough,
2** Brain Candy - It was okay. Writing mediocre, will
keep/re-read if part of a series
1* didn't like/possibly not finished. (less)
June 12, 2022
The Corn Grows Ripe is a delightful short story set in an undetermined agricultural era in Mexico. It includes multiple charcoal illustrations that are sketched in a Mayan artistic style. The author highlights the perils, risks, and hazards of subsistence farming.
The book begins with a brief explanation of Mayan cosmology (ie - their creation story) and the role that agriculture plays in it. After this introduction, we meet teenage Tigre and his family.
The book covers an entire single farming season from beginning to end: from burning the planting grounds ("making milpa") to harvesting the corn. Tigre's father suffers a significant injury which prevents him from being able to prep, plant, and harvest the corn. His family sends for the medicine man in another village who gives the grim news that Father won't recover until the corn is ready to harvest. Tigre is forced to make a choice -- let his family starve or try to do the hard, dangerous work himself? We watch Tigre bravely struggle to make milpa, nervously wait for rain, and triumphantly celebrate the harvest.
As is common with villages such as his, Tigre's family practices a religious mix of animism and Christianity. They worry about being cursed by the harvest gods while also paying tribute to the patron saint of their village.
The author does a great job of sharing the realism of the moment in a gentle way for younger readers to absorb and understand. Although a short read, this book gives an excellent (and accurate) picture of what life as a Mayan boy looked like.
The book begins with a brief explanation of Mayan cosmology (ie - their creation story) and the role that agriculture plays in it. After this introduction, we meet teenage Tigre and his family.
The book covers an entire single farming season from beginning to end: from burning the planting grounds ("making milpa") to harvesting the corn. Tigre's father suffers a significant injury which prevents him from being able to prep, plant, and harvest the corn. His family sends for the medicine man in another village who gives the grim news that Father won't recover until the corn is ready to harvest. Tigre is forced to make a choice -- let his family starve or try to do the hard, dangerous work himself? We watch Tigre bravely struggle to make milpa, nervously wait for rain, and triumphantly celebrate the harvest.
As is common with villages such as his, Tigre's family practices a religious mix of animism and Christianity. They worry about being cursed by the harvest gods while also paying tribute to the patron saint of their village.
The author does a great job of sharing the realism of the moment in a gentle way for younger readers to absorb and understand. Although a short read, this book gives an excellent (and accurate) picture of what life as a Mayan boy looked like.
April 24, 2018
This Newbery Honor book tells a coming of age story for a boy named Tigre. Tigre's dad was badly injured, but his family must find a way to continue. In the Mayan family, corn must be planted every year. Tigre usually helps his dad, but this year, he's being put to the test and must do it alone. Some people think he's still too young, but he wants to prove them wrong. Tigre finds that it's a lot more work than he had been expecting, but he puts in an incredible amount of effort and finds out what he's capable of.
I gave this book four stars because it's very inspiring. Tigre learns how life experiences can sometimes age you more than actual time. At the beginning of the book, he was just a boy. By the end, he's becoming a man. The characters will teach the readers about Mayan traditions and lifestyles. Tigre was under pressure and put to the test, but his success tells us about the resiliency of his character. Rhoads used a powerful plot and characters to bring her story to life.
I gave this book four stars because it's very inspiring. Tigre learns how life experiences can sometimes age you more than actual time. At the beginning of the book, he was just a boy. By the end, he's becoming a man. The characters will teach the readers about Mayan traditions and lifestyles. Tigre was under pressure and put to the test, but his success tells us about the resiliency of his character. Rhoads used a powerful plot and characters to bring her story to life.
May 1, 2021
I read this book as a read-aloud for our 6th grade team, when they were studying the Mayans. The book (a Newbery Honor), follows a young Mayan boy who is forced to shoulder his family's responsibility for preparing his family's milpa for cultivation when his father is sidelined by an injury. It flows through the season explaining all the steps the villagers take to grow the crops they need to sustain them, and delves into their spiritual practices (both Christian and Mayan traditions), family dynamics, and celebrations.
I can't attest to the historical accuracy of this title but it does seem to present some insights into the daily life of the ancient Maya, so a useful addition to the ancient civilizations curriculum. I would recommend pairing this with a more modern title by an indigenous author in order to ensure younger students understand that modern Peruvians don't all still live this way.
I can't attest to the historical accuracy of this title but it does seem to present some insights into the daily life of the ancient Maya, so a useful addition to the ancient civilizations curriculum. I would recommend pairing this with a more modern title by an indigenous author in order to ensure younger students understand that modern Peruvians don't all still live this way.
February 2, 2022
3.5 stars
This story gave us a little glimpse into the culture and struggles of the Mayans. No specific dates are mentioned, but it felt like the story was set in more “modern” times rather than during the ancient Mayan civilization. I believe the story’s main characters are descendants of the Mayans who are carrying on the ways and traditions of their people. It shed light on how crucial rain was to the people, with entire harvests (and therefore lives) hanging in the balance when the droughts hit the land. We appreciated the way the main character, a 12-year-old boy named Tigre, showed perseverance and a heart for his family’s well-being by stepping into a man’s role and doing work beyond his age and experience.
This story gave us a little glimpse into the culture and struggles of the Mayans. No specific dates are mentioned, but it felt like the story was set in more “modern” times rather than during the ancient Mayan civilization. I believe the story’s main characters are descendants of the Mayans who are carrying on the ways and traditions of their people. It shed light on how crucial rain was to the people, with entire harvests (and therefore lives) hanging in the balance when the droughts hit the land. We appreciated the way the main character, a 12-year-old boy named Tigre, showed perseverance and a heart for his family’s well-being by stepping into a man’s role and doing work beyond his age and experience.
February 17, 2021
This was difficult as a read aloud, it has a 3 page glossary for terms used and I felt I was constantly turning to it which really impeded the flow of the story. What I did like was imagining what it could be like in Mayan times through Tigre's story. When we finished the story my 8 yr old asked if it was a story about a drought. I said it was more and she immediately said it could be about Tigre learning to be less lazy and how to do a man's work. Yes! Success if she could glean that from the story. I really didn't know much about Mayan Gods and their superstitions/beliefs. They are heavy in this story. I was happy to see the changes in Tigre throughout the progression of the book.
September 15, 2022
This story explore the corn planting season in Central America.
Jillian - 5/5. Favorite character - Tigre, because has a fire inside of him. Favorite part - when the rain finally started.
George - 5/5. Favorite character - Tigre, because he was very independent and ready to take on a man’s work. Favorite part - when he whistled and the winds came to help his fire.
Dottie - 5/5. Favorite character - Tigre, because he wasn’t ready to take over the man’s responsibilities but he did it when it was thrust upon him. Favorite part - when the village did a ceremony from the old (Mayan) ways to bring the rain.
Jillian - 5/5. Favorite character - Tigre, because has a fire inside of him. Favorite part - when the rain finally started.
George - 5/5. Favorite character - Tigre, because he was very independent and ready to take on a man’s work. Favorite part - when he whistled and the winds came to help his fire.
Dottie - 5/5. Favorite character - Tigre, because he wasn’t ready to take over the man’s responsibilities but he did it when it was thrust upon him. Favorite part - when the village did a ceremony from the old (Mayan) ways to bring the rain.
February 21, 2021
A nice book that talks about a boy taking responsibility when his father was sick. The sequence of clearing the field, waiting for the rain, sowing the seeds, waiting for the rain again and then harvesting was well explained along with the Mayan references.
I was trying to understand why the book was given the Newbery medal because when a book has a medal, the expectation is high. If it was just a normal book I feel I would rated it high.
A quick read for lower elementary kids. A good book to encourage struggling readers.
I am eager to find out my 11 year old's feedback for this book.
I was trying to understand why the book was given the Newbery medal because when a book has a medal, the expectation is high. If it was just a normal book I feel I would rated it high.
A quick read for lower elementary kids. A good book to encourage struggling readers.
I am eager to find out my 11 year old's feedback for this book.
April 18, 2021
This little children’s book was published in 1956 and has been sitting on my shelf forever! I finally decided to give it a chance since I was in between novels. This story of a Mayan boy and his family does seem dated and was just ok. If you read this in a classroom on a unit studying different cultures, it would probably be ok. Definitely as a read aloud or with discussion as I think the kids would need some help understanding the Spanish words used and the culture of the time the book is set in.
November 11, 2022
This story delves into rich Mayan folklore as young Tigre must take over as the man and provider of his family after his father suffers an accident. His great grandmother thinks he is lazy, like the jaguar, after whom he is named, but his mother sees good promise in him. Tigre learns for himself how integral corn is for his family's survival and well being. He discovers the essential role that weather plays in the cultivation and harvest of his crop, and most importantly, he realizes that it is only through hard and diligent work that his efforts will be truly rewarded.
January 11, 2025
Twelve year old Tigre has good intentions of helping his father. One morning he goes with him to begin the process of clearing the land for that year's corn crop. The next day he is so sore from the efforts that he doesn't go with his father and that is the day of the accident - a tree falls on his father's leg breaking it. Tigre then steps up into the man's role of preparing the field and planting the crop. It's much harder work than he's ever done before. Can he do what needs to be done to provide food for the family?
OK. Guessing it won Newbery honor for being Mayan culture.
OK. Guessing it won Newbery honor for being Mayan culture.
May 25, 2020
Definitely a product of its time and not in any way authentic literature, but I'm sure it was groundbreaking in its day to include an underrepresented culture and the story has a good moral message. That said, I don't see any of my three children taking much of an interest in it. A pleasant read and a peek probably more into American representations of other cultures from the 1950s than into Mayan culture.
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