Pablo's Tree

Mora, Pat. 1994. Pablo's Tree. ill by Cecily Lang. New York: MacMillan Publishing Company. ISBN 0027674010

Summary
Told from Pablo's point of view, this is the story of a little boy and his relationship with his grandfather. Every year on his birthday, Pablo goes to spend the night with his grandfather. The visit is even more special to Pablo because he can't wait to see what his grandfather has used to decorate the birthday tree, a tree planted by grandpa the day Pablo was brought home. Every year Pablo's grandfather, Lito, decorates the birthday tree a different way and Pablo and Lito sit under the tree and remember birthdays past.

Analysis
The family in this story is Latino as evidenced by the way they look in the illustrations, their names, and the use of Spanish. Even thought the characters are Latino, it is impossible to tell which cultural background they have because there is no specific cultural reference, implied or stated.

The illustration by Cecily Lang are collage style. The characters and backgrounds are created with cut paper. Both Pablo and his mother are shown with light brown skin, dark hair and dark eyes, and there is nothing stereotypical about the way they are depicted. For instance, none of the characters are wearing sombreros or huipils. The abuelo is shown with a white mustache and hair. He also has dark eyes and brown skin.

The characters in the story are named Lito (short for abulelito), Pablo, and Mamá. Pablo is a common Spanish name. I have never heard anyone call a grandfather Lito but on the first page Pablo thinks, "I wonder if Lito, my grandfather, remembered." Then Pablo asks his mother, "Mamá, did Abuelito decorate my tree?" Using the diminutive of abuelo, abuelito, usually shows affection in Spanish. According to Rosalinda Barrera and Ruth Quiroa the use of kinship terms "is to capture and convey the emotional closeness between Latino family members (Stories Matter, 2003 p.250)."

There are Spanish phrases in the book besides kinship terms. Both the mother and Pablo use words or phrases in Spanish while the grandfather uses complete Spanish sentences. When the Grandfather speaks in Spanish, his sentences are immediately followed by the English translation. These translations are done for the monolingual reader because if Pablo speaks Spanish, it would sound odd for the grandfather to say the same thing twice. Barrera and Quiroa say that translations like this result "... in a strange, if not inauthentic, bilingual speaker who often repeats what she says in one language in the other language, creating concurrent or "double talk" (Stories Matter, 2003 p. 259)." They go on to say that when the text is presented this way, it comes across as an attempt to teach the reader Spanish since most of the text is in English ((Stories Matter, 2003 p. 259). Perhaps the Grandfather's double talk is actually for the benefit of the grandfather himself. Maybe he is the first generation to migrate to the United States and he is reinforcing his English. This is just speculation, there is no proof in the text.

There is something in the story that is not typical in stories about Latino families, Pablo is adopted by a single woman. Pablo's grandfather goes to buy the tree when the mother tells him she is going to adopt a baby. There is no discussion about the circumstances or judgements. The grandfather is thrilled to have a grandchild and doesn't care where the baby comes from. The fact that Pablo is adopted by a single woman is just part of the story and not a central theme. It is just part of the story.

Overall this is a good book. The illustrations are well done and the story is pleasant. It will appeal to most elementary kids. This book was named a Commended Book in 1994 by the Center for Latin American and Caribbean Studies.

Connections
This book could be used to discuss different types of families or relationships in families.
This book could also be used to discuss adoption.
Or this book could be used to discuss different ways to celebrate birthdays.

Review Excerpts
Annie Ayers in Booklist Magazine says, "As in A Birthday Basket for Tia (1992), Mora and Lang tell a story that focuses on the special relationship between a child and an older person within a Hispanic family."

Horn Book Magazine says, "Pablo is reminded that his grandfather bought the tree when Pablo's mother announced her intention to adopt a baby, nursing it carefully until the day his new grandson arrived, when it was finally time to plant it. The tree has become an important symbol of Pablo's own growth and his relationship to his grandfather."

Works Cited
Ayers, Annie. 1994. Booklist 91, no. 5: Children's Literature Comprehensive Database (accessed July 7, 2009).

Fox, Dana and Short, Kathy. 2003. Stories Matter: The Complexity of Cultural Authenticity in Children's Literature. Urbana, Il: National Council of Teachers of English.

Mora, Pat. 1994. Pablo's Tree. ill by Cecily Lang. New York: MacMillan Publishing Company.

M.V.K. and Silvey, Anita and et. al. Pablo's Tree. Horn Book Magazine 70, no. 6: Academic Search Complete (accessed July 7, 2009).