Prietita was at the house of la curandera, the healer when her sister informs her that her mother is ill. She asks the healer for a remedy for her mother’s illness. La curandera is missing one ingredient, so Prietita goes to find the leaves of the ruda plant to complete the remedy. In this quest, she finds herself near King Ranch. She was warned not to enter the property because the owners are known to shoot trespassers.  In desperation for the last ingredient, she decides to go onto the property anyway.

 As she searches, she unknowingly goes deeper and deeper onto the ranch and soon becomes lost. She asks animals she comes across to help her in her search, but as she follows them, they soon take her nowhere. Prietita hears someone crying in the woods and soon finds herself in the presence of la Llorona.  Her grandmother had told her stories of la Llorona. La Llorona was known as a ghost that led children away from their families, never to be seen again. Even with these frightening stories, Prietita sensed kindness from la Llorona. She asked the ghost to please help her in finding the ruda plant. La Llorona agrees and guides her to the ruda plant. Prietita discovers a side of la Llorona that no one has seen.

Author Anzaldua brings an ancient Mexican folktale to life with a unique twist. The text is rich with interlingual language as well as a complete translation of the text in Spanish right below the English version. The setting of the story is in South Texas where the author is originally from. She introduces the reader to native plants of South Texas such as the huisache, live oak, and cactus. Prietita meets animals in the woods which include the white tail deer, salamander, and dove.  With these various native plants and animals mentioned, the South Texas setting of the story becomes authentic to the reader.       

Christina Gonzalez has illustrated the book with authentic and realistic depictions of Mexican Americans in today’s society. Our main character Prietita is dressed in blue jeans and sneakers, helping set the story in present day South Texas. Her paintings depict characters with various shades of brown faces and black and brown hair both wavy and straight. The eyes of the characters are shaded in various shades of brown. Theses subtle differences help the reader recognize that there are differences among people in a culture.

Each page leaps out at the reader with the illustrator’s use of vibrant primary colors and tones. The pages are strewn with color from end to end leaving no blank spaces of white. It is visually stunning and a well written story that has left no detail omitted. The authenticity of the setting as well as the characters will bring the story to life for many children.