Domitila: A Cinderella Tale from the Mexican Tradition

Raised by loving parents in the vast desert state of Hidalgo, Domitila grows to be a talented and beautiful young woman in this Mexican folktale, skilled at both cooking and working with fine leather. When her mother becomes ill, and Domitila must leave home in order to find work, she eventually gains a position as second cook in the governor's kitchens. Here, putting her mother's oft-repeated mantra - "Do every task with care, and always add a generous dash of love" - to work, Domitila so impresses the governor's son, Timoteo, with her delicious nopales, that when she must return home, he sets off in pursuit. Gaining great insight into this humble girl, with her many gifts, Timoteo is much changed by his journey, and even the meddling show more of the evil widow Malvina, who wants him to marry her own daughter, cannot prevent him from finding his true love, Domitila.

Based upon a story passed down in the Rivero family of Santa Barbara, California, Domitila is a fascinating variant of the Cinderella type tale, complete with the worthy (but poor) heroine, the 'prince' who comes to love her, and the meddling step-family. There are some significant differences, of course, with Domitila's nopales, and a small sample of her leather-working, providing Timoteo with the means of locating her, as opposed to some kind of footwear, but this only adds depth and richness to the tale. In this story, it is Cinderella's skill, and her goodness, that win the prince, not her elusive beauty, or small feet. The accompanying illustrations by Connie McLennan are appealing, although I think I agree with another reviewer, in thinking that Domitila's face looks very different, at certain points in the story. Despite this quibble, this book has both narrative and illustrative appeal, and is one I would recommend to all young fairytale lovers, and to anyone looking for Cinderella variants. show less

Domitila is not only sweeter than a cactus bloom in early spring, she is also a talented cook and an amazing leather artist. Most of the classical elements of a Cinderella story can be found in Domitila. A gentle weaving of her mother's nurturing with strong family traditions is the secret ingredient for Domitila to rise above hardship to eventually become the Governor's bride. Moreover, with a firm belief in simplicity and realism, Domitila makes a lasting impression as a triumphant Cinderella in her humility, service, and unassuming modesty.

I liked this book for a few reasons. One reason I really liked this book was the features on the last page. The book concludes with a glossary page defining Spanish words, a recipe for the Nopales that Domitila makes in the book, and a publisher's note explaining the story. I really liked this last page because it extends the book and explains what occured in the story. The glossary helps readers who may not pick up on the meaning of Spanish words in the context of the story. The recipe was a fun addition that readers could use to make food like Domitila. Finally, the publisher's note helped explain the overall theme of the book and the background of the traditional story. Another reason I liked this book was the Spanish headings on show more each page. The headings made this picture book seem like a longer chapter book. While it was a little confusing that the words were in Spanish, it fit the story because it is a traditional Mexican tale. I liked the headings because for those who speak Spanish, it is clear what that page will be about. The main idea is to never give up hope because love conquers all and can bring people out of the worst situations. show less

Domitila is a Mexican version of Cinderella with lots of culture involved. I love all the bilingual quotes on each page; they are full of wisdom. It is very similar to Cinderella and is helpful for Mexican children to relate to. I love the fact that the protagonist is a great cook and nopales are her specialty, yum!

Domitila is another version of Cinderella. There were several differences with this version of Cinderella. This story focused on food instead of cleaning chores. Instead of her being found by her shoe, she was found by the food she cooked. I think this book allows you to see the multicultural aspect.

This beautifully illustrated book is Cinderella story. Domitila is a young woman who is very talented-she is an excellent cook and a leatherworker. Domitila end up working at the governors house after her mother becomes very sick. While working at the governors house, the governors son Timoteo falls in love with Domitila's cooking. Eventually, Domitila has to leave because her mom passes away. Timoteo goes to find Domitila and eventually changes his attitude and him and Domitila end up getting married. This book is a great book in that it exposes to children to a culture and language that they may not be aware of. There are really cool proverbs in Spanish and English bordering the pages and the back of the book as an appedix of cooking show more terms. show less

Domitila's mother falls ill and she must go and cook for the governor in order to make money to help her family. While there, she follows the wisdom and advice that her mother has taught her growing up. She cooked wonderful meals that caught the attention of the governor's son. As soon as he noticed her, she had to rush back home due to her mother falling ill. The governor cannot get Domitila out his mind and goes out in search of her and her wonderful food. Another woman tries to thwart the governor's son so the governor will fall in love with her daughter. However, in the end, by following her mother's advice to put love and care into everything, love prevailed and the governor found Domitila.