"The Corn Grows Ripe" is a book by Dorothy Rhoads, it is about a Mayan boy named "Dionisio" but everyone calls him "Tigre": jaguar in Spanish. Tigre is actually a lazy boy but a heavy burden is layed on his shoulders, his father is hurt and Tigre has to feed his family. This book is really interesting because it is about Mayas and we will study Mayas in Humanities.
Chapters 1-3:
This book is about a character called Tigre, a mans burden is layed on his shoulders after his father breaks a leg. In the 1st chapter, the book describes Tigre's family and gives background information on him and his family. Also, the book provides us with information about his pets and what his house is made of. Next, the book talks about how Tigre and his father went to make a new cornfield. In conclusion, his father breaks his leg in an accident (a tree fell on his leg) and Tigre has to go to the big village for the bone setter.
Chapters 4-6:
In the 4th chapter, which is called "The Journey" Tigre and his dog travel 17 miles to reach the big village. There, they find the bone setter and the medic goes with them to their village to help father heal. After that, in the next chapter Tigre chops down the last tree, by doing that he made a big space for the cornfield, but he is not bragging about it instead when he comes home he exclaims quietly: "Tzoki!" (It is finished!). In the evenings after his hard work, he comes to Don Alfonso's house to learn all the lessons he had missed and to learn even more! Still, bad fortune remains with Tigre's family: Father's condition doesn't improve. The medic comes regularly but mother and great-grandmother don't think it is worth to give that much chickens and honey away. In conclusion, lots of chickens were killed by a vampire bat, no one knew hot it came through, they thought Mother didn't close the door well enough but one day Tigre went into the chicken coop and found the vampire bat, it was trapped and couldn't get out.
Chapters 7-11:
At first, in the 7th chapter, Tigre prepares to burn the milpa and burns it when it is time to burn. Next, he gets ready for the fiesta (a major celebration in May, which includes bull fighting). He also says that he will make a rope (kids in his village, not all, make a rope to bring the bulls into the arena) because he wants to participate in the "corrida" (bullfight). In chapter 9, Tigre works on his rope but soon finds this activity boring and stops. After some time, he feels guilty and starts to work on his rope again and finds out that when he does activities that are unpleasant for him, his will becomes stronger. In conclusion, he competes in the bullfight and afterward, is really tired.
Chapters 11-15:
In this chapter (chapter 11), Tigre's (his family's) and all the other cornfields are dry because of bad weather (really hot) weather. After that, the men of the village call the medic from the big village to come and tell them what to do. The medic says that they have to pray to the chacs (rain gods) to bring rain. From now on, everyday, people come to the main church and pray to the chacs that rain will come. Also, a ceremony is held to call the chacs and Tigre is 1 of the 4 frogs that take a major part in that ceremony (he croaks and calls the chacs). Finally, clouds come out and rain pours down on the village, after the rain is gone everyone starts planting corn in their cornfields (milpas). In conclusion, Tigre, his dog and his father come to their cornfield and take their well deserved harvest.
