Carmen Tafolla,
The Holy Tortilla and a Pot of Beans: A Feast of Short Fiction
Wings Press, 2009.

Ages 14+

After reading the selection of short stories that make up  The Holy Tortilla and a Pot of Beans, worthy winner of the 2009 Tomás Rivera Award, you almost feel as though you are closer to touching the essence of life – and touching is the right word here!  The stories explore human relationships both between humans, as you might expect, but also between people and the natural world around them, and especially with the earth.  The soil of the earth has a tangible spirituality about it.  Sometimes, this spirituality is explicitly palpable in Carmen Tafolla’s writing; at other times it is just a whiff – and in those stories where characters are out of kilter with the rhythms of the earth, horrors seem to be lurking.

There are stories to suit every mood and temperament – “The Holy Tortilla” of the title is beautiful and uplifting.  The optimism and profound calm engendered by the miraculous appearance of a miniature Virgin Mary renders those who do not allow themselves to step out of their everyday lives ridiculous; and the influence for good engendered is emphasised by its unexpected connection with a later story.  A pot of beans has an important role in both the first story, “Chencho’s Cow”, a rather sinister trickster tale, and “La Santísima María Pilar: The Queen of Mean”, whose ending renders its narrator (almost) speechless. The rest of the book runs a whole gamut of events and emotions: “I Just Can’t Bear It” is a hilarious story about a funeral; and “Federico y Elvira” is a touching and at the same time highly-amusing depiction of newly-weds.  There are stories filled with intense pathos; and there are much darker stories which expose the horrors and repercussions of hate, war, racism and abuse.

Carmen Tafolla has published many acclaimed books for children of all ages, including the significant That’s Not Fair!: Emma Tenayuca’s Struggle for Justice / ¡No es Justo!:La Lucha de Emma Tenayuca por la Justicia. It also comes as no surprise to learn that she is a renowned performer: her written dialogue fairly sizzles with energy. Her language is unmistakably rooted in Latino culture: indeed, she slides effortlessly in and out of Spanish – and I strongly recommend that anyone who needs to make use of the excellent glossary, arranged chronologically, does so before embarking on each story.  In this way, readers can enjoy the full effect of the liveliness of the writing and soak up the culture which is embedded in the narrative. The story contents demand a certain level of maturity from young adult readers; for those who are ready to embark on The Holy Tortilla’s journey, this is quite a ride!

Marjorie Coughlan
June 2009