Dance, Nana, Dance / Baila, Nana, Baila: Cuban Folktales in English and Spanish - Softcover

"Hayes's language is characteristically expressive and descriptive in both languages. A bold pastel illustration that beautifully celebrates Afro-Cuban culture accompanies each story....A great acquisition for upper elementary and middle school libraries, and an excellent resource for storytellers." -Criticas, starred review "Lively, often funny and sometimes a bit scary...Eminently tellable, all the stories have refrains and songs sure to get audiences joining in." -Kirkus Reviews "A lively bilingual collection of 13 folktales from Cuba with the type of vivid color illustrations books from Cinco Puntos Press typically include." -World Wide Work bulletin "The accessibility of Hayes' vivid but streamlined language coupled with rock-solid structure of the stories themselves (replete with the repetition and building of tension that tellers and listeners rely on) make this accessible both to young readers and to storytellers and other adult readers-aloud." -Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "Readers will have fun doing both with these unique and entertaining stories...A full page illustration precedes each of the thirteen folktales and provides readers with a perfect visual reference for the stories that Mr. Hayes has taken care to retell in the Cuban tradition." -Review of Texas Books "This collection of Cuban folk tales is a delicious mix of stories passed down for generations. Hayes, who first visited Cuba in 2001, fell in love with the island and its people and that love is reflected in his delightful book. These are stories that are even better when read out loud." -Tucson Citizen "Hayes has captured the essence and diversity of Cuba...Perfect for teaching bilingual students or units on world myths in the classroom. Recommended." -REFORMA newsletter "This colorful bilingual anthology of thirteen Cuban folktales has sabor, the flavor of the Caribbean, bringing the rich mixture of Spanish, African and American influences to his readers. Cuban folkloric wisdom and wit fill these pages. There is a rhythmic quality to the linguistic expression in both the English and Spanish narratives, reminiscent of the importance of rhythm in the Cuban way of life." -The American Folklore Society: Aesop Prize commendation

Joe Hayes received the Anne Izard Storytellers' Choice Award for Dance, Nana, Dance. In his acceptance speech, Joe talked about his hopes for his book: "Someone has said that enemies are just people whose stories we don't know. I see a lot of truth in that. The more other people's stories are hidden from us, the easier it is for us to view them as enemies. But when we begin to learn their stories we recognize all we share in common with them and we delight in how the unique beauty of their traditions enriches our own lives."