The Night of Las Posadas

by Tomie dePaola

Tomie dePaola's glorious paintings are as luminous as the farolitos that light up on the Plaza in Santa Fe for the procession of Las Posadas , the tradition in which Mary and Joseph go from door to door seeking shelter at the inn on Christmas Eve.This year Sister Angie, who is always in charge of the clebration, has to stay home with the flu, and Lupe and Roberto, who are to play Mary and Joseph, get caught in a snowstorm. But a man and a woman no one knows arrive in time to take their place in the procession and then mysteriously disappear at the end before they can be thanked.That night we witness a Christian miracle, for when Sister Angie goes to the cathedral and kneels before the statue of Mary and Jospeh, wet footprints from the snow lead up to the statue.

Genres: Christmas, Picture Books, Childrens, Holiday, Religion, Fiction, Cultural

32 pages, Paperback

First published September 27, 1999

About the author

Tomie dePaola (pronounced Tommy da-POW-la) was best known for his books for children.

He had a five-decade writing and illustrating career during which he published more than 270 books, including 26 Fairmount Avenue, Strega Nona, and Meet the Barkers.

Tomie dePaola and his work have been recognized with the Caldecott Honor Award, the Newbery Honor Award, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, and the New Hampshire Governor's Arts Award of Living Treasure.

Reviews

[Debbie W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful Christmas story set in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Tomie dePaola tells of the traditional procession, Las Posadas, an old Spanish custom, with a "miracle" that gave me tingles down my spine. Another great book by this author and illustrator!

[Melody Schwarting · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely story about the tradition of Las Posadas, a tradition of recreating Mary and Joseph's journey to find an inn. This one is a bit mystical, and involves a snowstorm, making it a heartwarming Christmas story. My neighbors set out lights on their sidewalk every year, but I hadn't connected it with Las Posadas until now. Fittingly, their names are Joe and Maria. We might have to join them this year.

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another beautiful book that will become a Christmas favorite - the art is truly wonderful.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful!

[Nicole Gustafson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This multicultural book is a depiction of the tradition in which Mary and Joseph sought shelter and were turned away during Christmas Eve. This story takes it to a new level, not only does this book have great illustrations coupled with a backstory it also has awe and mystery behind it as well. This story is told from an outside voice, a narrator if you will of a family that was to play the part of Mary and Joseph in a play for the Christmas Eve festivities. After a snowstorm makes it impossible for Lupe and Roberto to take part in the Christmas Eve play, the town starts to panic. When all seems lost, two outsiders show up with a woman who is ready to give birth, they offer to help out the town and the play goes off flawlessly. When Sister Angie goes to find the outsiders, they appear to have vanished, she is very thankful that the play was saved and that Lupe and Roberto are safe, she goes to the cathedral to say a prayer, this is when she discovers that there are footprints leading up to the statue of Mary and Joseph. Coincidence or not? You decide!

This story fits the bookshelf of Traditional Literature because the people in the story seem real and the plot also has a realistic spin too it, however the story of statues coming to life to play a part in the Christmas Eve pageant is “make-believe”. This story sounds logical and the characters seem like real people, however folk tales do a great job to seek to explain things about life, nature or human condition. This story was the story about miracles and how unexpected things happen to great people.

This book is a great story to have in your pocket for Christmas traditions and to even have in your classroom to teach about the night of Las Posadas. This is a great multi-cultural book that is a great entertainer for even some of the older children/students. This is highly recommended and would make a great addition to your bookshelf!

I would also recommend this book for sentence fluency as well, Tomie dePaola does a great job varying his sentence lengths, making sure the story has an engaging beginning that not only draws the reader in, but keeps the reader enticed the whole way through the story. This story is very easy to follow and even gives a sense of wonder.

Some mentor texts that would go along great with this book are: Uno, Dos, Tres, Posada! by Virginia L. Kroll, Carlos, and one of my favorites Light the Farolito by Jean Ciavonne and Donna Clair

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed Tomie dePaola's depiction of a Las Posadas story set in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He personalizes it through the inclusion of Sister Angie, Lupe, and Roberto, who are to have important roles in the drama this year. Alas, Sister Angie gets sick, and Lupe and Roberto are stranded in the snow on their way to play Mary and Joseph in this story/song/prayer that recounts the story of the young couple being turned away five times as they beg for a place to spend the night and have their baby. A miracle intervenes (read the book to find out what happens) that mysteriously ties to a special carving in the church, and the community celebrates when Mary and Joseph outlast the character of the devil (actually two of them!) and are received into the courtyard. The artwork in this story expresses the spirit of the storyline, which is sophisticated enough to hold the interest of the entire family (although younger children might miss some of the nuances while enjoying the colorful illustrations). This is a lovely book to strengthen the spiritual and cultural aspects of the Christmas season.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am redundant in my use of the adjective beautiful in writing about Tomie de Paola's children's books; for this I apologize. Having apologized, let me say that The Night of Las Posadas is a beautiful way to introduce children to a charming tradition found in Mexican culture.

I am an educator and it is a joy to introduce my students to the pleasure of French and art; sometimes the inundation of Spanish to the detriment of other languages is discouraging. Even so I feel that any opportunity to so beautifully (there, I've done it again)introduce a child to a second language and the culture found therein is important.

[Katherine Moses]

The Night of Las Posadas is the story of Sister Angie and the Las Posadas that almost did not happen. Sister Angie's niece, Lupe, and Lupe's husband, Roberto, will play Mary and Joseph. This story is a work of fiction.

This story is appropriate to use in the classroom. The text tell the reader how a traditional Las Posadas is performed.

Tomie dePaola made very detailed pictures that children will love looking at during the story. The story teaches students about Las Posadas in very simple terms.

[Libby · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love all the Tomie dePaola Christmas books that I've read, and this one was no exception. It tells the story of the Las Posadas procession that takes place on Christmas Eve in New Mexico, and about a miracle that happens during a snowstorm one year. Like many of dePaola's books, it's influenced strongly by his Christian faith. The kids enjoyed that it was essentially a Christmas pageant, since they are gearing up for ours at church.

[Christabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

We loved expanding our knowledge of Christmas traditions outside our culture. There was a "magical" twist that also brought a fun element to this story and was not exactly expected. I think this set the stage well for getting the kids to think outside their own understanding of the way they celebrate this holiday.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read for Christmas..krb 12/14/15


Love to hear about the celebrations that other cultures do and would like to go to see on of these some day...krb 12/14/16 (Funny...we read this exactly 1 year ago to the day!)

Going through old picture books during our holiday break..krb 1/3/24

[Fenixbird SandS]

My son's elementary school celebrated this holiday, Los Posadas. It was my first time experiencing this soulful procession..

[Sherry Rampey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Latino cultural tradition that tells the story of Maria and Jose (Mary and Joseph) on Christmas Eve. Best to tell this story with a cup of hot cocoa and some cookies.

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a magical book! I LOVE Tomie dePaola and his work, anyway, but this one is really special and a great book to share with my young Spanish students.

[Deana Pittman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book about the Spanish tradition of Las Posadas and its interpretation of our Savior's birth. It is a great Christmas book to share with your little ones!

[Michael Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fictional miracles take away from the real thing. It's a nice story, but it's just a story in this case.

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't get this book until after Christmas, but I read it to my granddaughter. She loved it. Tomie de Paola has another home run on his hands.

[Kat · Rating 4 out of 5]

A coworker always talks about Las Posadas and when I saw that Tomie de Paola had written a book about it I had to read it. What a beautiful, warm story.

[Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book to share the traditions of Las Posadas!

[Suzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this author and his stories. I think this was slightly over my six year old’s head. Looking forward to future readings together.

[Luisa Knight · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't care for the story too much and thought the ending was a little odd - when the two children who are supposed to act as Mary and Joseph in the town parade can't make it, two mysterious people show up to take their place. You discover that they were the church's statues, come to life.

Ages: 4 - 8

Cleanliness: nothing to note.

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[Jana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Young readers will enjoy learning about the celebration of Las Posadas as celebrated in Santa Fe. Sister Angie has been involved in this procession for many years and this year she has arranged for her niece, Lupe, and her husband to portray Mary and Joseph and their search for shelter on the night of Jesus' birth. It's a big honor to play the part of Mary and Joseph and they have been rehearsing their parts for weeks. But when Sister Angie comes down with the flu on Christmas Eve and Lupe and her husband are stuck in a snowstorm it looks like the celebration is going to be a disaster. This is a lovely story with terrific illustrations showing a Christmas miracle. Definitely a nice read aloud choice during the days leading up to Christmas.

[Jessica Hanley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a great way to introduce children to the Hispanic custom of celebrating Las Posadas. As I teach in a primarily Hispanic school, this would be a great story to share with them around Christmas. The bold colors he uses illustrates his tale and impresses the joy behind his story.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pair it with Las Posadas: An Hispanic Christmas Celebration for a nonfiction account of this religious tradition.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another beautiful picture book from Tomie dePaola! In Mexico, families celebrate the Night of the Towns for Christmas. It is Christmas Eve in English. Families remember and towns enact the memory of the baby Jesus being born in a manger. Touchingly done!

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

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[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably would've enjoyed this more if I was Catholic.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is Christmas Eve, and in a small mountain village above Santa Fe, the annual Las Posadas procession is set to begin. An annual Christmas tradition in which the arrival of Mary and Joseph in Bethlehem is reenacted, it features Maria and José pleading for entry to multiple "inns," only to be denied by various devils (vigorously booed by the crowd) before finally finding shelter in the courtyard of the Palace of Governors, where a great celebration would be held. Organized each year by Sister Angie, Los Posadas is a community event of great importance, but when that redoubtable nun comes down with the flu, and the couple meant to play Maria and José are stranded in the snow, it looks like it can't go forward. It is at this point that a different Mary and Joseph arrive, claiming to be friends of Sister Angie, and willing to play their part to keep the celebration going...

I have loved Tomie dePaola's work since I was a girl, from his wonderful stories about that grandmotherly witch, Strega Nona , to his beautiful retelling of the French folk-tale, The Juggler, in his classic picture book, . As it happens, the latter is my favorite book by dePaola, and I never fail to be thrilled by its tale of a wonderful, if slightly melancholy miracle. Here too, in The Night of Las Posadas, dePaola spins the story of a miracle, and I felt that same thrill, when it was revealed. There is much to enjoy in this book, from dePaola's trademark illustrations—always appealing!—to the many cultural details of a Christmas tradition unfamiliar to me (and to many other American children, I would imagine). I enjoyed the relationship between Sister Angie and her niece and nephew-in-law, Lupe and Roberto, and I appreciated the extra information about this custom that the author included in his brief afterword. Recommended to picture book readers looking for Christmas stories featuring Spanish / Latino cultural traditions, as well as to those seeking tales of the miraculous.

[J.D. Holman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I borrowed this book from my hometown library with the intention of reading it to some of my classes, but they all chose the Hanukkah book I had instead. So I read it on my own.

It's a bit long for storytime, anyway. I only have ten minutes, and many of my students don't have the attention span for a book this length in one sitting.

This is a good book portraying how a village might celebrate las posadas. There are explanations before and after the story about what the holiday is and how it is observed, and where. Fans of dePaola won't want to skip this one.

There's a nice little bit of Christmas/las posadas magic here, too ...

[Panda Incognito · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has gorgeous artwork and teaches about Mexican Christmas traditions, but the plot twist at the end seemed creepy to me. I would have been fine with angels showing up to take the characters' places when they couldn't make it to the festival, but statues from a church decoration coming to life and convincing everyone that they're friends of the couple? Terrifying. I don't have any problems with supernatural beings appearing in stories, but the idea of inanimate objects coming to life that way freaked me out.