The Immortal Rooster and Other Stories — Diane De Anda

The title story of this delightful new collection is a tale of nature in conflict with modern surroundings. City children love the excitement of barnyard animals as much as they do any wild thing. But, a loudly crowing rooster makes for unhappy parents and neighbors. Must we give up the magic of wildness to live in the cities and suburbs? In the story "Tia Luisa", the relevant question is: Must we also give up the magic of our old ways of life, for all new ways? All of De Anda's tales, in fact, are parables of pain and joy, disappointment and celebration.