A retelling, in parallel English and Spanish text, of the traditional tale told in the Southwest and in Mexico of how the beautiful Maria became a ghost.

A collection of stories by Sandra Cisneros, the celebrated bestselling author of The House on Mango Street and the winner of the 2019 PEN/Nabokov Award for Achievement in International Literature. The lovingly drawn characters of these stories give voice to the vibrant and varied life on both sides of the Mexican border with tales of pure discovery, filled with moments of infinite and intimate wisdom.

La Llorona (The Crying Woman) is a sad and haunting tale from Mexico. Parents have told the story for hundreds of years to misbehaving children and to guard against vanity. Some say the story is about Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés and a native Mexican woman who served as his translator. Her loss can be compared to the loss of native Mexican culture after the Spanish conquest.

"How is it that there are so many lloronas?" A haunting figure of Mexican oral and literary traditions, La Llorona permeates the consciousness of her folk community. From a ghost who haunts the riverbank to a murderous mother condemned to wander the earth after killing her own children in an act of revenge or grief, the Weeping Woman has evolved within Chican@ imaginations across centuries, yet no truly comprehensive examination of her impact existed until now. Tracing La Llorona from ancient oral tradition to her appearance in contemporary material culture, There Was a Woman delves into the intriguing transformations of this provocative icon. From La Llorona's roots in legend to the revisions of her story and her exaltation as a symbol of resistance, Domino Renee Perez illuminates her many permutations as seductress, hag, demon, or pitiful woman. Perez draws on more than two hundred artifacts to provide vivid representations of the ways in which these perceived identities are woven from abstract notions—such as morality or nationalism—and from concrete, often misunderstood concepts from advertising to television and literature. The result is a rich and intricate survey of a powerful figure who continues to be reconfigured.

All her life, Prietita has heard terrifying tales of "la llorona", the legendary ghost of a woman who steals children at night. When she actually encounters the ghost, Prietita discovers a compassionate woman who helps Prietita on her journey of self-discovery. Based on a Mexican legend. Full-color illustrations.

AY-EEEE! A spooky howl pierces the dark night. Is it the wind? Or is it the ghost called La Llorona? La Llorona is said to haunt moonlit roads and riverbanks, crying for her lost children. Before she became a ghost, La Llorona was a beautiful young woman named Maria. But Maria’s wish for wealth led her to doom. Read this haunting tale to find out more.

Laney Moralesœ dream of playing soccer in Mazatlan, Mexico soon turns into a nightmare, as she discovers that the spine-chilling legends of old may actually be modern mysteries. Friendless and frightened, Laney must endure the eerie cries in the night alone. Why does no one else seem to hear or see the weeping woman in the long white dress? Laney must stop the dreadful visits, even if it means confessing her poor choices and coming face to face withLa Llorona.