There are no glass slippers in this tale based on folklore from Hidalgo, Mexico, but elements of the Cinderella story remain. Domitila, a skilled cook and craftswoman, takes a job at the governor’s house where Timoteo, the governor’s son, loves her cooking.

When Domitila returns home because her mother dies, the boy searches the countryside looking for her. Interestingly, it is Timoteo who transforms from an arrogant politician’s son into a kinder, more loving person during his search and meeting with Domitila’s new stepmother and stepsister. All eventually ends happily.

Each page is adorned with a character value in both English and Spanish. The illustrations capture on canvas the warmth of relationships and the fondness for color and texture which help define Mexican culture.

Definitely recommended.

From Booklist-
“Young readers will enjoy comparing this moralistic story with the familiar fairy tale, and will come away with an expanded sense of the region's landscape and culture.”

From School Library Journal-
“Well-written and strongly illustrated, this tale is a solid addition to the canon of New-World Cinderella stories.”