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The Magic Bean Tree: A Legend from Argentina
In the middle of the wide Argentine pampas there once grew a magic tree. Above this tree slept a bird so evil it could stop the rain from falling. And not far from this tree lived a brave boy who one day set out to save his village and all the creatures from dying of thirst. Illustrated with charming folk-art-like paintings and retold with simplicity and drama, this legend of a child's courage and faith explains why Argentineans believe that good luck can be found in the shade of a carob tree.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published March 30, 1998
2 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
Nancy Van Laan
40 books19 followersNancy Van Laan was born in Baton Rouge, La. Her father was a colonel in the US Air Force, and the family moved frequently as Van Laan was growing up. She began making up stories to pass the time on long car trips. Although Van Laan had a learning disability, she loved to read. She began drawing and writing poetry as a child and enjoyed illustrating her own stories. Van Laan also loved ballet and began taking lessons at the age of nine. By age seventeen, she had her own ballet company in Birmingham that performed on a weekly program broadcast on Alabama Educational TV (now Alabama Public Television). Van Laan’s dancing career ended after an injury she sustained as a student at Sullins College in Bristol, Va. After completing her AA degree at Sullins, she enrolled at the University of Alabama, earning her BA in radio and television in 1961.
Van Laan moved to New York after college. She worked briefly at an advertising company and then joined ABC-TV where she worked as a network censor from 1962 to 1966. Van Laan began writing at this time and also studied art. After her first two children were born, she resigned from ABC and began painting professionally, creating murals for schools and private clients. She earned an MFA in theater from Rutgers University in 1979 and wrote two plays which were performed regionally. Van Laan moved to eastern Pennsylvania where she taught English at a private boarding school from 1984 to 1989. She also taught creative writing at Rutgers from 1986 to 1989. Van Laan published her first book, The Big Fat Worm, in 1987. Two years later, she left teaching to write full time. Since then, Van Laan has published over two dozen books. One of these, Rainbow Crow, was featured on the PBS television series Reading Rainbow. Van Laan lives and writes in Doylestown, Pa.
Van Laan moved to New York after college. She worked briefly at an advertising company and then joined ABC-TV where she worked as a network censor from 1962 to 1966. Van Laan began writing at this time and also studied art. After her first two children were born, she resigned from ABC and began painting professionally, creating murals for schools and private clients. She earned an MFA in theater from Rutgers University in 1979 and wrote two plays which were performed regionally. Van Laan moved to eastern Pennsylvania where she taught English at a private boarding school from 1984 to 1989. She also taught creative writing at Rutgers from 1986 to 1989. Van Laan published her first book, The Big Fat Worm, in 1987. Two years later, she left teaching to write full time. Since then, Van Laan has published over two dozen books. One of these, Rainbow Crow, was featured on the PBS television series Reading Rainbow. Van Laan lives and writes in Doylestown, Pa.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 14, 2023
This children’s book explores the importance of rain to the people of the Argentine Pampas.
It’s an old Quechua legend that centers around the Argentinian belief that luck is always found under the shade of the carob tree. In this legend, the carob tree, is home to an evil bird who, at will, stops the rain from falling. All the villages in its vicinity have dry, unproductive ground, yet the evil bird wouldn’t grant rain…not even when they gather together to scare the bird during the night. One day a little boy, Topec, decides to try to deal with the bird so that he can save his people and their land.
Topec is the only one who believes his power of prayer can help the situation. He prays to Pachamama (Mother Earth), Pampero (the South wind), the Mother of Storms and The Life Giver in hopes that they can bring the rain back. Does it help? You’ll have to read to find out!
The vivid drawings and use of color give readers a sense of the heat radiating from every page! I appreciated the glossary and love that the message focuses on courage and working together to solve a problem.
*We are in the Argentinian Pampas today and this book has more meaning to me now that I can see how vast and barren the land truly is here. These vast plains cover central Argentina from the Atlantic to the foothills of the Andes and span 300, 000 square miles.
It’s an old Quechua legend that centers around the Argentinian belief that luck is always found under the shade of the carob tree. In this legend, the carob tree, is home to an evil bird who, at will, stops the rain from falling. All the villages in its vicinity have dry, unproductive ground, yet the evil bird wouldn’t grant rain…not even when they gather together to scare the bird during the night. One day a little boy, Topec, decides to try to deal with the bird so that he can save his people and their land.
Topec is the only one who believes his power of prayer can help the situation. He prays to Pachamama (Mother Earth), Pampero (the South wind), the Mother of Storms and The Life Giver in hopes that they can bring the rain back. Does it help? You’ll have to read to find out!
The vivid drawings and use of color give readers a sense of the heat radiating from every page! I appreciated the glossary and love that the message focuses on courage and working together to solve a problem.
*We are in the Argentinian Pampas today and this book has more meaning to me now that I can see how vast and barren the land truly is here. These vast plains cover central Argentina from the Atlantic to the foothills of the Andes and span 300, 000 square miles.
March 24, 2020
This folktale from the Quechua people of Argentina tells of a time "long ago," when a summer with no rain threatened the very survival of life on the pampas, and Pachamama (Mother Earth) seemed deaf to the people's cries. It fell to a young boy named Topec - who, alone amongst his people, still had faith in Pachamama, and in Pampero (the South Wind), the Mother of Storms (the rain-bringer), and the Life Giver (the Sun) - to find the rain and bring it back. Questioning the river, the North Wind, and the Carob Tree, Topec eventually learns the truth: the gods and goddesses have been prevented from seeing that the pampas need rain by the outspread wings of the Great Bird of the Underworld. Aided by his people, and by the animals, Topec succeeds in driving away the Great Bird, when he alights on the magical Carob Tree to sleep...
This fascinating story offers an all-too brief glimpse into a folk tradition that I would like to explore more fully! I keep hoping I will happen on more Latin American folklore in general, and Argentine folklore (whether from the indigenous peoples, or the European settlers) in particular. It's really a shame that so little seems to be available in English! In any case, this engaging story is most welcome, and is greatly enhanced by the artwork of Beatriz Vidal, whose illustrations have also graced such titles as Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain: A Nandi Tale and A Gift of Gracias: The Legend of Altagracia . I enjoyed the artwork (as always) and appreciated the fact that author Nancy van Laan included a list of sources (none of them an anthology of tales, alas). Recommended to young folklore enthusiasts - particularly those who enjoy arboreal tales - and to fans of the artist!
This fascinating story offers an all-too brief glimpse into a folk tradition that I would like to explore more fully! I keep hoping I will happen on more Latin American folklore in general, and Argentine folklore (whether from the indigenous peoples, or the European settlers) in particular. It's really a shame that so little seems to be available in English! In any case, this engaging story is most welcome, and is greatly enhanced by the artwork of Beatriz Vidal, whose illustrations have also graced such titles as Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain: A Nandi Tale and A Gift of Gracias: The Legend of Altagracia . I enjoyed the artwork (as always) and appreciated the fact that author Nancy van Laan included a list of sources (none of them an anthology of tales, alas). Recommended to young folklore enthusiasts - particularly those who enjoy arboreal tales - and to fans of the artist!
November 24, 2009
In this story from Argentina, a drought has come over the land and only little Topec still prays to the various gods that give life. He decides to find the rain and discovers that the great bird of the underworld is in the way of the Carob Tree to give rain, so he gathers all the villagers and animals together at night to scare the great bird awake and bring rain back to the land.
**This is a great story to learn that involves audience participation. I would add some chant or rhythm or song at the end for when Topec is trying to scare the great bird awake in order to bring rain back to the land. This would be a great telling for a big audience of all ages. At the end, you could even incorporate the rain game (rubbing your hands together, snapping your fingers, clapping your hands, and stomping your feet to create a thunderstorm).
**This is a great story to learn that involves audience participation. I would add some chant or rhythm or song at the end for when Topec is trying to scare the great bird awake in order to bring rain back to the land. This would be a great telling for a big audience of all ages. At the end, you could even incorporate the rain game (rubbing your hands together, snapping your fingers, clapping your hands, and stomping your feet to create a thunderstorm).
July 21, 2010
Starts kind of slowly, but moves much more quickly once we get into the action (and into the sound effects!). Still a bit long for story time for my little one. Enjoyed learning about another culture's legends and mythology. Liked that it included a glossary (including pronunciation for most of the tricky words) at the front. Wasn't crazy about the simplistic illustration style.
March 9, 2017
In this retelling of a legend from Argentina, young Topec goes in search of life-giving rain during a terrible drought and discovers that the rain has ceased because of the Great Bird of the Underworld, a powerful being that cannot be killed. Helped by sage advice from the lone carob tree standing in the pampas, the only tree alive in the world, Topec hatches a plan to rid his people of the evil bird and unleash the rain. Will his plan succeed? This story highlights Topec's individual bravery, yet it places value on cooperation with others as well as he puts his plan into action.
One of the ways in which the carob tree manifests its magic is by dropping magic beans, which provide sustenance for the llamas, flour for human use, and seeds to cover the rest of the land in carob trees. This motif of magic beans is shared by the tale of "Jack and the Beanstalk," though in the latter story, the beans sprout into a massive beanstalk overnight, while in this story, the beans behave more realistically. Nonetheless, the magic beans in both tales expand the possibilities for their recipients and improve their lives immensely.
In the folk-art-style illustrations, the animals are painted in as much detail as the people, placing an emphasis on the importance of nature. The pages that describe the drought contain tones of yellow, brown, and orange, and the sun is much larger than its normal size to convey how parched the land is, while the sections of the story concerning the carob tree feature cool greens and the light or dark blue of the daytime or night sky. While most of the illustrations are two-page spreads, they mostly serve to set the scene, with the lengthy narration on each page dominating as it explains the action of the story. While the author lists eight sources at the beginning, she does not explain how closely her story resembles what she found in her research, causing adult readers to question how accurate her retelling is compared to the original legend. However, this story's engaging pictures and youthful protagonist make this an entertaining tale for children, and it could easily be used in an elementary classroom in a unit about folktales from around the world following research to ascertain its closeness to the original. Target Audience: Ages 5-8
One of the ways in which the carob tree manifests its magic is by dropping magic beans, which provide sustenance for the llamas, flour for human use, and seeds to cover the rest of the land in carob trees. This motif of magic beans is shared by the tale of "Jack and the Beanstalk," though in the latter story, the beans sprout into a massive beanstalk overnight, while in this story, the beans behave more realistically. Nonetheless, the magic beans in both tales expand the possibilities for their recipients and improve their lives immensely.
In the folk-art-style illustrations, the animals are painted in as much detail as the people, placing an emphasis on the importance of nature. The pages that describe the drought contain tones of yellow, brown, and orange, and the sun is much larger than its normal size to convey how parched the land is, while the sections of the story concerning the carob tree feature cool greens and the light or dark blue of the daytime or night sky. While most of the illustrations are two-page spreads, they mostly serve to set the scene, with the lengthy narration on each page dominating as it explains the action of the story. While the author lists eight sources at the beginning, she does not explain how closely her story resembles what she found in her research, causing adult readers to question how accurate her retelling is compared to the original legend. However, this story's engaging pictures and youthful protagonist make this an entertaining tale for children, and it could easily be used in an elementary classroom in a unit about folktales from around the world following research to ascertain its closeness to the original. Target Audience: Ages 5-8
April 16, 2018
An old legend is told within these pages of the carob tree and a brave little boy that helped bring rain back to the village.
Ages: 4 - 8
Cleanliness: men women and children wear only skirts or loincloths - no details are drawn. The gods of the natives are mentioned and the people pray to them.
#geography #southamerica #argentina
**Like my reviews? I also have hundreds of detailed reports that I offer too. These reports give a complete break-down of everything in the book, so you'll know just how clean it is or isn't. I also have Clean Guides (downloadable PDFs) which enable you to clean up your book before reading it! Visit my website: The Book Radar.
Ages: 4 - 8
Cleanliness: men women and children wear only skirts or loincloths - no details are drawn. The gods of the natives are mentioned and the people pray to them.
#geography #southamerica #argentina
**Like my reviews? I also have hundreds of detailed reports that I offer too. These reports give a complete break-down of everything in the book, so you'll know just how clean it is or isn't. I also have Clean Guides (downloadable PDFs) which enable you to clean up your book before reading it! Visit my website: The Book Radar.
February 27, 2023
This would be a great group story time book to read out loud to a gathering with drums maybe for the chanting parts. Fun vibrant illustrations and the glossary at the beginning allows the story itself to flow without being bogged down with explanations. The sources listed are an appreciated resource as well for folktale lovers.
September 29, 2011
This book retells an Argentinian legend that describes how the people brought back the rain by getting rid of the bird that blocked them from the view of the gods. This book could be used to teach children about Argentina culture.
October 20, 2011
This is another good example of a legend or folk story. It could be introduced to talk about South American culture and countries or even as an introduction for creating short stories.
December 15, 2011
This book is great to show a glimpse into another cultures art work. It is a charming book that keeps magic alive.
April 12, 2012
Interesting legend from Argentina depicting a brave boy determined to end a drought.
September 10, 2016
A story about drought and carob.
August 30, 2015
I liked this book. It showed how passion and bravery can lead to what you want. I chose this book, because I thought it was the story of jack and the bean stock but I ended up enjoying this book too.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews