About this item
Famous tales refashioned in Latin American settingsEleven classic tales are retold with an injection of Latino culture, providing a twist on the traditional forms while sustaining a freshness all their own. The title story, "Red Ridin' in the Hood," moves the setting to the barrio, where Red decides to brave dangerous Forest Street in order to reach her abuelita and encounters the menacing wolf in a thumping Chevy lowrider. Some stories are set in the Mexican countryside; in "Belleza y La Bestia," the beautiful heroine is a defender of the Revolution and teaches the beast about the righteousness of the freedom fighters. "El Da de los Muertos," a retelling of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, takes place in the time of the Aztecs and casts Orpheus as the feather-maker Nochehuatl.These and the other cuentos in this book are further brought to life by abundant illustrations, by turns comical and poignant.
About the Author
Patricia Marcantonio (who also writes as Patricia Santos Marcantonio) is the granddaughter of Mexican immigrants and native of Pueblo, Co. Marcantonio is the author of the Victorian Felicity Carrol mystery series (Crooked Lane Books) ; Verdict in the Desert, published by Arte Público Press, the largest US publisher of contemporary and recovered literature by US Hispanic authors; and Under the Blood Moon (Dark Ink) . Her YA novel Best Amigas will be released by Regal House Publishing in November 2023. One More Chapter will publish her woman's fiction novel, Misbehaving at Cactus Lanes in January 2024. She received Alexa Rose Foundation Grants to direct her original play, Tears for Llorona, inspired by an old Mexican ghost story, and to workshop her play, Starring Jane Eyre. Pioneer Drama Service has published her new play, Roja Ridin' in the Hood and Other Tales, based on her award-winning children's book, Red Ridin' in the Hood and Other Cuentos. She is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America. Her screenplays won the Willamette Writers Kay Snow and Reel Women of the WestScreenplay contests, as well as placing in the top percentage of the Seattle Film Summit, Phoenix Film Festival, Stage 32 Blood List, and MORE Women in Film competitions. As a journalist, she earned several state and regional awards. For several years, she covered crime and courts as a reporter. She's given writing presentations at the Willamette Writers, Historical Novel Society, and Pacific Northwest Writers Association conferences.
