Orange Candy Slices: And Other Secret Tales

by Viola Canales

In this debut collection of coming-of-age stories, Canales intoduces the reader to the cultural traditions and activities of a border community: homage to the Virgin of Guadalupe, the celebration of the day of the Three Magi, a carousel of unique saints, and a flock of very special pink plastic flamingos. With the passage of time, the narrator discovers changes within herself and the community around her.

Genres: Young Adult

121 pages, Paperback

First published November 1, 2001

About the author

Viola Canales (b. April 21, 1957)) is an American writer originally from McAllen, Texas. She has published a short story collection, Orange Candy Slices and Other Secret Tales (2001), and a novel, The Tequila Worm (2005), for which she won the Pura Belpré Award in 2006.

Canales attended St. Stephen's Episcopal School in Austin, Harvard College, and Harvard Law School. She has been a captain in the US Army, a litigator, and an official in the Clinton Administration.

Reviews

[Martha Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved the Red Polka Dot Dress and Panadería. I love how she weaves culture and legend together in each story. I could read her work and never tire. This is a great easy read.