Shadow of a Bull

by Maia Wojciechowska, Alvin Smith (Illustrator)

Overview

Manolo was only three when his father, the great bullfighter Juan Olivar, died. But Juan is never far from Manolo's consciousness—how could he be, with the entire town of Arcangel waiting for the day Manolo will fulfill his father's legacy?
But Manolo has a secret he dares to share with no one—he is a coward, without afición, the love of the sport that enables a bullfighter to rise above his fear and face a raging bull. As the day when he must enter the ring approaches, Manolo finds himself questioning which requires more courage: to follow in his father's legendary footsteps or to pursue his own destiny?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780689300424
Publisher:	Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	03/01/1972
Series:	Shadow of a Bull Nrf , #1
Pages:	176
Sales rank:	1,096,884
Product dimensions:	5.38(w) x 8.38(h) x 0.80(d)
Lexile:	740L (what's this?)
Age Range:	10 - 14 Years

About the Author

Maia Wojciechowska's family fled Poland during World War II and emigrated to the United States after the war. She worked as an undercover detective, a motorcycle racer, a translator for Radio Free Europe, and a bullfighter before turning to writing. She was a friend of Ernest Hemingway, who said she knew more about bullfighting than any other woman.

Editorial Reviews

Gr 4-7--Haunted by the legend of his father, a world-famous bull fighter, 11-year-old Manolo Olivar searches for the courage to pursue his own dream. The characters in Maia Wojciechowska's Newbery Medal winning story (S&S, 1964, 1972) come vividly to life through Francisco Rivela's dramatic reading. His melodic voice and authentic Spanish accent draw listeners into Manolo's emotional struggle to remain faithful to himself while retaining the honor of his family and the respect of the townspeople who are looking to him to restore the glory that his father had once brought to their small Andalusian town. Readers unfamiliar with the Spanish terms for bullfighting techniques may find some of the passages hard to follow without consulting a dictionary (the original book included a glossary of terms). Wojciechowska's coming of age story, while set in surroundings unfamiliar to most Americans, will strike a responsive chord with young listeners facing their own issues about growing up, meeting others' expectations, and discovering that there are many different kinds of courage.--Cindy Lombardo, Ashland Public Library, OH

School Library Journal

"This book is a must.... Anyone who starts Shadow of a Bull will finish it in a single sitting."
— New York Times

"It is hard to imagine a child...who would not be enthralled by this book."
— New Yorker

From the Publisher