The Rainbow Tulip

Title: The Rainbow Tulip
Author: Pat Mora
Illustrator: Elizabeth Sayles
Publisher and Date: (Viking) Published by Penguin Group, 1999
Genre: Multicultural, Picture Book
Age Range: K-2^nd

Summary:

Stella is not your average first grader. She is a little uncertain of herself and very special to those around her. Stella notices that she is not like all of her neighbors, friends, or even her teacher. Her family is rather quiet, her mother wears simple long dresses and no makeup, and her parents speak only Spanish. Stella’s mother and father came to the Untied State’s from Mexico and have kept and shared their cultural heritage with Stella and her siblings. Most of the time, her differences from her classmates and others do not bother Stella, but during the May Day parade her differences are highlighted. Stella’s teacher tells the class that they will be able to participate in the school’s May Day Parade and the girls will be able to design and wear their own tulip costumes. Stella is beyond excited; she immediately begins to plan her tulip costume. She loves bright colors and plans for her tulip costume to be a celebration of all of her favorite bright colors.

Stella gets up early on parade day and dresses with care, but when she arrives at school, her confidence falters. All of the other girls are not dressed like her. She is wearing a bright multicolor outfit, while the other girls have monochromatic outfits. Stella suddenly becomes quiet, even when her friends and teacher assure her she looks great. The parade begins and Stella spots her family. She decides that she must be brave for her family and executes her part in the May pole dance perfectly. She is even able to help her classmates with their dances. Her teacher commends her and her parents clap and clap. Later, Stella and her mother talk about the day she has had. Stella says, “I liked being the only rainbow tulip, but it was hard too.” Her mother responds, “It’s hard to be different; It’s sweet and sour like sherbet.” Stella is different, yet she still has a place, and that place is as needed and special as she is. It is very true that different is beautiful!


Response:

This is such a great multicultural book to share with children. I think it gives children a look into the Hispanic culture that is on their level, and that they can understand. It shows them how being different and celebrating your heritage is sometimes hard, but it is ultimately a very rewarding thing to do. This would be such an encouraging book for children whose parents or grandparents came to the Untied States from another country. Stella knows that her family is different, yet she is still proud of them and realizes that their differences are part of what makes them special to her. This would actually be a great book for all children, because it gives them a realistic look into the life of a girl around their own age. It allows them to see that cultural differences can be a great thing. Stella was able to share her individuality with her class, and actually helped her classmates through the May Day dance. Another important feature of the book that is useful for both adults and children to learn is the need for us all to work together. Stella says in the beginning of the book that she wishes her mother would learn English and at the end of the book she wishes her teacher knew Spanish. I think that this is the author's clever way of prompting us to think of ways we can help each other out in our culturally diverse world. It truly does take everyone to make diversity beneficial to all.

Teaching Ideas:

I think this would be a great book to share with Kindergartners when studying families. This book can be read to the students, and then the students can discuss what they liked about Stella and her family. They can also talk about their own families and ways that Stella’s family was the same or different from their family. It is a great thing for children to see at a young age that we all have families of some sort, whether or not our family’s culture, speech, or dress is different, we all have that common bond.