Abuela's Weave

By Omar S. Castañeda
Illustrated by Enrique O. Sanchez

Ebook

View the Teacher's Guide

Esperanza's Abuela, her grandmother, is unmatched in her skill in weaving traditional Mayan tapestries. She has shared her gift with her granddaughter, and now they plan to sell their goods at the market. However, the birthmark on Abuela's face may scare customers away. So Esperanza must cope with the city streets and find buyers alone.

This touching story of personal growth and family pride is illustrated with authentic Guatemalan scenery that gives life to the country's radiant landscape and bustling city streets.

Learn how to teach students about modern Mayan culture in Guatemala with the lesson plan, Mayan Culture Today: Using Multiple Resources to Learn about a Living Culture, by Dr. Steven W. Barrett in Social Studies and the Young Learner (2006) from the National Council for the Social Studies.

Pair Abuela’s Weave with these hands-on weaving activities provided by The Incredible Art Department (IAD).

For more ideas on teaching indigenous Guatemalan culture and traditional weaving, check out the unit Weaving the Tapestry of Life by Elise Edwards, part of The Alma Project, a cultural curriculum infusion model by Denver Public Schools.

Check out reading and craft tips created by the staff and partners of Reading to Kids, a grassroots organization dedicated to inspiring underserved children with a love of reading.