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Under the Royal Palms: A Childhood in Cuba
In this companion volume to Alma Flor Ada's Where the Flame Trees Bloom, the author offers young readers another inspiring collection of stories and reminiscences drawn from her childhood on the island of Cuba. Through those stories we see how the many events and relationships she enjoyed helped shape who she is today.
We learn of a deep friendship with a beloved dance teacher that helped sustain young Alma Flor through a miserable year in school. We meet relatives, like her mysterious Uncle Manolo, whose secret, she later learns, is that he dedicated his life to healing lepers. We share the tragedy of another uncle whose spirited personality leads to his love of flying...and the crash that takes his life.
Heartwarming, poignant, and often humorous, this collection encourages children to discover the stories in their our own lives -- stories that can help inform their own values and celebrate the joys and struggles we all share no matter where or when we grew up.
We learn of a deep friendship with a beloved dance teacher that helped sustain young Alma Flor through a miserable year in school. We meet relatives, like her mysterious Uncle Manolo, whose secret, she later learns, is that he dedicated his life to healing lepers. We share the tragedy of another uncle whose spirited personality leads to his love of flying...and the crash that takes his life.
Heartwarming, poignant, and often humorous, this collection encourages children to discover the stories in their our own lives -- stories that can help inform their own values and celebrate the joys and struggles we all share no matter where or when we grew up.
88 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 1998
About the author
Alma Flor Ada
678 books188 followers(http://facebook.com/almaflorada)
Dr. Ada was the founder and First Editor in Chief of :
NABE, Journal of the National Association for Bilingual Education
She has been active for many years in various professional associations including : IRA, International Reading Association
CRA, California Reading Association
CABE, California Association for Bilingual Education
USIBBY, US Branch of the International Board of Books for Young People
She is a member of :
Advisory Board of Loose Leaf Public Radio Programs
National Television Workshop
Between the Lines
Reading Up!, Natural Head Start Association
A frequent speaker at national and international conferences, Dr. Ada also works in school districts with children, teachers and parents.
The award-winning author of numerous children’s books and a prolific translator, Alma Flor Ada is a leading mentor and philosopher of bilingual education in the United States.
She has authored several reading programs, among them two Spanish reading programs :
Cielo abierto (K-6)
Vamos de fiesta! (K-3)
and of two English reading programs :
Signatures (K-6)
Collections (K- 6)
and is a series consultant for Relatos de la historia (1-5), a Spanish social studies program developed by Harcourt School Publishers.
Among her most substantive contributions to the transmission of Hispanic culture to children are :
Música amiga, a program for learning through songs, published by Del Sol Books
Puertas al Sol - Pathways to the Sun, published by Santillana
Latino poetry, Art, and Biographies for children, published by Santillana
Dr. Ada received her Ph.D. in Spanish Literature from the Pontifical Catholic University of Lima, Perú and did post-doctoral research at Harvard University as a Fellow of the Radcliffe Institute and a Fulbright Research Scholar.
Dr. Ada was the founder and First Editor in Chief of :
NABE, Journal of the National Association for Bilingual Education
She has been active for many years in various professional associations including : IRA, International Reading Association
CRA, California Reading Association
CABE, California Association for Bilingual Education
USIBBY, US Branch of the International Board of Books for Young People
She is a member of :
Advisory Board of Loose Leaf Public Radio Programs
National Television Workshop
Between the Lines
Reading Up!, Natural Head Start Association
A frequent speaker at national and international conferences, Dr. Ada also works in school districts with children, teachers and parents.
The award-winning author of numerous children’s books and a prolific translator, Alma Flor Ada is a leading mentor and philosopher of bilingual education in the United States.
She has authored several reading programs, among them two Spanish reading programs :
Cielo abierto (K-6)
Vamos de fiesta! (K-3)
and of two English reading programs :
Signatures (K-6)
Collections (K- 6)
and is a series consultant for Relatos de la historia (1-5), a Spanish social studies program developed by Harcourt School Publishers.
Among her most substantive contributions to the transmission of Hispanic culture to children are :
Música amiga, a program for learning through songs, published by Del Sol Books
Puertas al Sol - Pathways to the Sun, published by Santillana
Latino poetry, Art, and Biographies for children, published by Santillana
Dr. Ada received her Ph.D. in Spanish Literature from the Pontifical Catholic University of Lima, Perú and did post-doctoral research at Harvard University as a Fellow of the Radcliffe Institute and a Fulbright Research Scholar.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
February 13, 2017
I enjoyed this memoir of Alma Flor Ada's childhood in Cuba very much. This book is the sequel to Where the Flame Trees Bloom, which I haven't read but which I certainly will now. Her descriptions of Cuba in the late 1930's and early 1940's are idyllic and filled with family warmth. I like the idea of a house build around a central courtyard, though it would be impractical here in the northern U.S. with all the snow we get. I would love to see flame trees and all the flowers and fruits she describes. Makes me want to go there. Sigh.
October 22, 2016
1) I love this book to use in a classroom, mainly because it shows the struggles and joys that the author goes through in her childhood, just as some of the students will have probably gone through. Books are such a great way to relate to people sometimes, and sometimes all it takes is someone hearing that someone else went through the same thing they did or are at the time and relating to that. I think it's also a great way to teach the history of Cuba from all the events and places the author describes in Cuba, how she makes you feel as if you are really there with her. I think it could be read indivuadually or over the course of a week throughout class.
2) Grade Level: 3rd-7th grade, Age level: 8-12 years old
3) Appropriate classroom use of the book: History, to show the differences such as culture and customs in Cuba and America
4) Individual students who might benefit from this book would be: students who may think they have a rough life here in America, but when they see how much underprivileged other countries are, they will learn to be thankful for what they have.
5) Small group use: Each small group could have a different book that has experiences from different countries and they would have to come up with a skit to act out to the class of an event that happened in their book with their group so that we feel as if we were there.
6) Whole class use: Read as a whole class to show that even children in other countries go through the same struggles and joys that we do here in America. Ask the students what events throughout their lives have shaped them into the person they are today and have everyone share if they want to.
7) Related books: Enchanted Air, An Island Like You, Where the Flame Trees Bloom
8) Multimedia connections: I could not find any multimedia connections directly related to this book, however you could get on YouTube and show your class videos of Cuba, so they would be able to get a better understanding of what she was living in.
2) Grade Level: 3rd-7th grade, Age level: 8-12 years old
3) Appropriate classroom use of the book: History, to show the differences such as culture and customs in Cuba and America
4) Individual students who might benefit from this book would be: students who may think they have a rough life here in America, but when they see how much underprivileged other countries are, they will learn to be thankful for what they have.
5) Small group use: Each small group could have a different book that has experiences from different countries and they would have to come up with a skit to act out to the class of an event that happened in their book with their group so that we feel as if we were there.
6) Whole class use: Read as a whole class to show that even children in other countries go through the same struggles and joys that we do here in America. Ask the students what events throughout their lives have shaped them into the person they are today and have everyone share if they want to.
7) Related books: Enchanted Air, An Island Like You, Where the Flame Trees Bloom
8) Multimedia connections: I could not find any multimedia connections directly related to this book, however you could get on YouTube and show your class videos of Cuba, so they would be able to get a better understanding of what she was living in.
July 3, 2011
There are ubiquitous childhood experiences – playing in the mud, using one's imagination to 'explore', struggling in school – that all children can relate to. Ada uses these unifying topics to tell tales of growing up in Cuba, yet, at the same time, it is her different perspective, because of the setting of her memories and her personal feelings, which lend this book its appeal. Though many facts are provided, Ada personalizes them to add interest and relevance. Pictures of Ada and her family, the use of translated Spanish, and comparisons between life in Cuba and America compliment the text, infuse the recollections with a genuineness, and provide a context for readers to better understand the author's shared knowledge, respectively. By sharing the stories of her childhood, Ada invites her readers to do the same – to tell their own stories and discover the personal meanings the recollections represent.
November 30, 2016
1. this a book of stories about the authors life in Cuba. these are tails that show how Alma Flor Ada was changed and inspired to become the writer she is today. Her relationship she has with her dance teacher is inspiring with out her help school would have been a lot worse that year. Her uncle has been secretly helping heal lepers. To the loss of her other uncle in a airplane crash.
2. grades 3-4
3. I would bring this book out when talking about what inspires kids or the history behind Cuba.
4. I believe students who are picked on or new to school could enjoy this book.
5. Small groups could discuss their favorite story from the book.
6. The class could find a life lesson from each story so we know what shaped her life.
7. Laughing Out Loud, I Fly
8. I could not find any connection to this book.
2. grades 3-4
3. I would bring this book out when talking about what inspires kids or the history behind Cuba.
4. I believe students who are picked on or new to school could enjoy this book.
5. Small groups could discuss their favorite story from the book.
6. The class could find a life lesson from each story so we know what shaped her life.
7. Laughing Out Loud, I Fly
8. I could not find any connection to this book.
February 1, 2009
Summary: This is the first volume of Alma Flor Ada's biography.
Response: I completely enjoyed this biography - Alma Flor Ada is a beautiful storyteller! It is so perfect by itself, that I really can't think of anything to add, other than to recommend it!
This book would be a wonderful read-aloud to intermediate level classes, either for a biography unit, an author study, or just to vary the typical read aloud choice of fiction by reading a biography. It make me want to read more of her books, and I would imagine it would have the same affect on at least some young readers, too. It is certainly a wonderful way to introduce your writers to the idea that we all have stories to tell, and that each of our childhoods is unique and worth recording.
BIOGRAPHY
Response: I completely enjoyed this biography - Alma Flor Ada is a beautiful storyteller! It is so perfect by itself, that I really can't think of anything to add, other than to recommend it!
This book would be a wonderful read-aloud to intermediate level classes, either for a biography unit, an author study, or just to vary the typical read aloud choice of fiction by reading a biography. It make me want to read more of her books, and I would imagine it would have the same affect on at least some young readers, too. It is certainly a wonderful way to introduce your writers to the idea that we all have stories to tell, and that each of our childhoods is unique and worth recording.
BIOGRAPHY
April 8, 2013
Children's book author and illustrator Alma Flor Ada shares memoirs of her childhood in Cuba. The text is accompanied by black and white photographs of herself and family members. A quick read, very enjoyable and at the same time admirable since it must have been a painful journey for the author in reliving parts of her childhood that were marked by tragic events. I found it so easy to disappear in the story and travel back in time and place to experience what life was like for young Alma.
October 25, 2011
This book is not especially exciting or thought provoking, but it is a good read. The short stories do not scream Cuba but rather they quietly describe one woman's upbringing in her small town. I think this book would be excellent with a program/lesson about story telling and writing about one's own experiences because each story flows so smoothly.
December 16, 2011
I can't remember the last time I read a juvenile biography (probably when I was a juvenile myself), but this was a delightful read. The author's keen reminiscenses bring her childhood in a small town in Cuba to life, reaffirming my desire to visit one day. (Laws, shmaws.) Now I just have to figure out how to plug a biography to a child who isn't writing a report on someone...
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February 21, 2011I am going to be rereading this with a group of 4th graders in one of my Title I groups.
April 23, 2010
Under the Royal Palms: A Childhood in Cuba – Alma Flor Ada
Grade: 5-8
Pages: 96
Theme: Cultural
Genre: Biography, Diversity
Response: I was recommended this book from a friend, who was born in Cuba, and moved here to the United States when he was around 4 or 5 years old. He remembers living in poverty, but at the time, it didn’t seem like poverty. The photographs give a glimpse into the country and life of Alma, through her experiences, both good and bad. I thought it was great for intermediate students to read, seeing how many of our Latin students in Florida are of Cuban descent, or coming from Cuba. It also gives students who aren’t of Cuban descent, or haven’t interacted with students of Cuban or Latin decent, a glimpse in what some of them have experienced.
Class Activitiy: Students will write their own 3-5 page autobiography.
Grade: 5-8
Pages: 96
Theme: Cultural
Genre: Biography, Diversity
Response: I was recommended this book from a friend, who was born in Cuba, and moved here to the United States when he was around 4 or 5 years old. He remembers living in poverty, but at the time, it didn’t seem like poverty. The photographs give a glimpse into the country and life of Alma, through her experiences, both good and bad. I thought it was great for intermediate students to read, seeing how many of our Latin students in Florida are of Cuban descent, or coming from Cuba. It also gives students who aren’t of Cuban descent, or haven’t interacted with students of Cuban or Latin decent, a glimpse in what some of them have experienced.
Class Activitiy: Students will write their own 3-5 page autobiography.
June 9, 2013
In this autobiography bilingual children’s author Alma Flor Ada captures snapshots of her childhood and relays them from her perspective. Ada tells of great adventures like her uncle purchasing a plane and crash landing to his death, her family hosting a Jewish woman who fled during the Second World War, and an aunt and uncle who together worked to aid lepers in the community. Ultimately Alma ties the experiences of her youth to who she is today and how that has helped her understand the world around her.
Why does this autobiography exist? I felt like Alma Flor Ada picked the most random scenes from her life and tried to make them sound prolific. I was bored and had to force myself to finish the entire book.
Why does this autobiography exist? I felt like Alma Flor Ada picked the most random scenes from her life and tried to make them sound prolific. I was bored and had to force myself to finish the entire book.
August 18, 2015
Reading this book was such a treat. Alma Flor Ada shares a mix of happy and sad moments from her childhood. She also shares ordinary days that are filled with love and playfulness. It made me think back to some of my own childhood moments. These stories give us a taste of what life was like for her growing up in Cuba.i especially loved the story about counting bats with her grandmother as the bats flew in and out at night. She explained that it would become impossible, but that was part of the fun. She writes, it was never the final count that mattered, but rather the joy of seeing them fly."
February 5, 2010
This book received the 2000 Pura Belpre Award. It was originally published in 1998. The publisher is Atheneum Books for Young Readers. The reading level is for children ages 8-12. Its format is that of a chapter book. This book tells of the author's early account of her growing up in Cuba. It describes her family, their traditions, joys and tragedies. Relationships are nurtured with others outside of her family and children can relate to them with their own relationships with family and friends.
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February 4, 2016Ten essays of reminiscences from the author's childhood in Camaguey, Cuba, are intended to inspire young readers to see there are interesting stories in their own lives. She recalls the fatal crash of her pilot uncle, the fun she had with her extended family in their big Quinta Simoni home, her beloved ballet teacher who died of cancer, her stern Uncle Manolo and his work with lepers, and sights and sounds such as the water pots of tinajones, the predatory marabu plant, and chatter of gossiping neighbors.
June 15, 2011
After returning from Cuba I began developing a growing interest for life in Cuba before and during Castro's rule. This book a non-fiction memoir of life during the aftermath of the Cuban revolution. I knew what my Cuban grandparents had told me about the revolution but this book gave me another perspective on what life was like in the seemingly perfect society of communist Cuba.
June 25, 2012
Under the Royal Palms is a collection of stories about the author’s childhood in Cuba. Among the chapters, readers will learn about Alma’s unique and mysterious family, her friendship with a dance teacher that helped her get through a rough year at school, and secretive life of the French family who helps in Alma’s family’s shop.
February 2, 2009
Alma Flor Ada shares stories of her childhood growing up in Camaguey, Cuba in this companion memoir to Where the Flame Trees Bloom. Black and white photographs accompany the text which offers a glimpse into Ada’s life.
December 2, 2012
Read this for my Children's Lit class. Learned some new Spanish words and a bit about what life was like in Cuba in the 1940's.
June 17, 2016
Este libro es sobre la vida de Alma Flor Ada. Los capitols son diferentes partes de su vida.
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November 30, 2016Friendship, Healing and Pain
March 9, 2018
Nice stories written from the author's memories. Well written, I guess I was just expecting more.
March 12, 2022
I am not easy to draw in with memoir-type books, but I did enjoy this book. Alma Flor Ada has a beautiful way of describing things that is lyrical, but still accessible to a young reader. I did find it a bit slow-going, but that may be due to my own difficulty in connecting with books that have no particular action. I liked that the author had pictures of herself and some of her family members throughout, and I enjoyed learning a bit more about this segment of time in Cuba, since it is not a place I know very much about. It reminded me a bit of Pura Belpré's own book, Firefly Summer, so I feel it fitting to have been one of the early recipient's of the award named after her.
June 12, 2022
THIS BOOK WAS TERRIBLE. I am a concerned parent whose child was forced to read this book in middle school. She complained to me EVERY SINGLE DAY about how TERRIBLE it was and how BORING. I didn't believe her so I read it myself and it made me want to claw my eyes out with a rusty spoon because it was so unbelievably boring. WHY WRITE AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY ABOUT YOUR LIFE IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE AN INTERESTING LIFE! I COULD CARE LESS ABOUT YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY TREE OR WHATEVER THE BOOK WAS EVEN ABOUT. IT WAS SO BORING I FELL ASLEEP READING IT. THIS BOOK SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED!!
January 24, 2026
Through rich memories and personal photographs, readers learn of the love the author had for Cuba, Camagüey, and her family. Each memory comes from her heart, shared with readers to encourage them to come up with their own to share with others. Alma Flor Ada won the 2000 Pura Belpré Author Award for her work on this book. Read more about it on my blog: https://shouldireaditornot.wordpress....
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April 20, 2021Alma Flor Ada grew up on the island of Cuba. This biography takes us through her childhood and how she came to be the person who she is today. Grades 3-5
May 10, 2022
A very sweet collection of childhood memories. Alma Flor Ada is a captivating story-teller and I'd like to read more books by her for children.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews