Book Review: THE SECRET FOOTPRINTS by Julia Alvarez

 

 

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Alvarez, Julia. 2000. The Secret Footprints. Ill. by Fabian Negrin. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN-13: 9780679893097

2. PLOT

“On an island not too far away and in a time not so long ago,” magical creatures called ciguapas lived in underwater caves only emerge at night to walk on land and hunt for food. The ciguapas live in fear of humans, because their queen has warned them that if humans catch them, they would put the ciguapas in cages and take them to the doctors to study them.  They had a secret which kept them safe, but once their secret was almost discovered. There was a young ciguapa named Guapa who was “bolder and braver” than all the rest. Despite the queen’s warnings that if humans caught her, she would be forced to take baths and do laundry and wash your hands before meals", Guapa wanders closer and closer to the humans, and is seen one night by a human boy. Later, she wanders to close again and is discovered by the boy’s family but manages to escape. Through this experience, Guapa learns to heed her elders’ advice, and her tribe learns that “some human beings can be kind.”

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The Secret Footprints by Julia Alvarez is a re-telling of an ancient Dominican folktale which Alvarez heard as a child growing up in the Dominican Republic.  Alvarez has authored several books, but this story, suitable for first through fourth graders, is her debut as a children’s author. The story of the ciguapas has a magical quality to it, much like “The Little Mermaid,” because its main characters live in underwater secrecy and only come out at night.  

A note from the author at the end of the book explains that there are many versions of the legend of the ciguapas, and it is believed that they might have originated from the Taino Indians who inhabited the islands. This tale is a lesson on both the wisdom of listening to adults (“You must stop taking chances”…”they will force you to take baths and do laundry and wash your hands before meals”), and the realization that sometimes the fear of the unknown (“some ciguapas said they would rather die than be discovered,”) is often unfounded. At the end of the story, the ciguapa queen observes “I suppose some human beings can be kind.”

Cultural markers can be found in the legend handed down to generations of Dominican children, in the features and coloring of the mysterious Ciguapas, and the humans. A strong family theme, common to Latino cultures, is demonstrated by the family eating their picnic lunch, and also by the illustrations of the ciguapa families playing on the beach at night. References to the Spanish language are evident in the sprinkling of Spanish terms such as “Si”, Guapa which means brave, bold and beautiful in Spanish, the pastelitos which the boy leaves for Guapa, and Guapa’s exclamation “Ay, no!”

Fabian Nagrin used lush, tropical colors in his illustrations. The underwater homes of the ciguapas are a vibrant blue, full of wonder and mystery which invite the reader to dive in and explore. The island meadow where Guapa discovers the family having their picnic is a cool, verdant green, alive with colorful plants and soft-looking grass. The characters of both the humans and ciguapas have a somewhat rounded and soft appearance. The peaceful scenes add to the narrative which reveals that some humans are kind and helpful. All in all, this legend is enjoyable to read. It is not too scary for young readers, with a mysterious secret which will intrigue all readers.

4. REVIEWS.EXCERPTS

CRITICAS REVIEW: Negrin's pastel, dramatically hued illustrations gorgeously capture the lush tropical settings as well as the moonlit, underwater scenes. This book will be of particular interest to those who share the Dominican background of the author and story.

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: Alvarez's language flows as effortlessly as the vivid colors in the pictures, setting a mood of ease and tranquillity echoed in the rounded forms and curving lines of the illustrations. This gentle tale, with its images of glowing color, conjures up a touch of magic.

5. CONNECTIONS

This tale has a fairy tale feel to it. Ask students what other stories or fairy tales they have read or watched where there are magical creatures that hide from humans. What happened when their presence was revealed? Have students create a Venn diagram or T-chart to compare the books or movies with “The Secret Footprints.” Children could imagine that they are magical creatures who do not want to be discovered. What kind of secret could they invent to keep from being found?

Other books by Julia Alvarez:

Alvarez, Julia. How the García Girls Lost their Accents. ISBN-13: 9781565129757

Alvarez, Julia. In the Time of the Butterflies. ISBN-13: 9781565129764

Alvarez, Julia. Something to Declare. ISBN-13: 9780452280670