How Tia Lola Came to (Visit) Stay

Julia Alvarez

Feb 2009 · Yearling

About this ebook

An endearing family story from the international bestselling author of How The Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents and In the Time of the Butterflies

"This twist on a classic story demonstrates that difficult transitions can be eased by new connections. Or a possibly magical aunt." —The New York Times Book Review

Moving to Vermont after his parents split, Miguel has plenty to worry about! Tía Lola, his quirky, carismática, and maybe magical aunt makes his life even more unpredictable when she arrives from the Dominican Republic to help out his Mami. Like her stories for adults, Julia Alvarez’s first middle-grade book sparkles with magic as it illuminates a child’s experiences living in two cultures.

Ratings and reviews

This is a book about a family going through the process of a divorce. The mother needs help raising her children, and asks her Aunt (Tia) Lola to come stay with them and help. Lola does not speak any English, but her positive outlook on life endears her to the family and everyone around them.

Alvarez’s Tia Lola stories depict aspects of her multicultural background through a family's experiences with their eccentric Dominican aunt. These humorous and entertaining stories shed light on multiculturalism as well as other challenges, which might also be encountered by families such as divorce and change.

Describes the relationship between a boy and his hispanic aunt that comes to visit but ends up living with them. He comes to appreciate his heritage and his family.

About the author

Julia Alvarez is the award-winning author of How the García Girls Lost Their Accents, ¡Yo!, In the Time of the Butterflies, In the Name of Salomé, and a picture book, The Secret Footprints. Her most recent book for young readers is entitled Before We Were Free. She is a writer-in-residence at Middlebury College.