THE RUNAWAY TORTILLA written by Eric A. Kimmel and Illustrated by Randy Cecil

Review by Christi De Leon

1.    BIBLIOGRAPHY

Kimmel, Eric A. The Runaway Tortilla. Ill. by Randy Cecil. New York: Winslow House, 2000. ISBN 189081718X

2.    PLOT SUMMARY

The Runaway Tortilla is a Southwestern version of The Gingerbread Man. Just as a woman named Tía Lupe was about to make tortillas, a tortilla named Señorita Tortilla decides to jump off of the griddle and run away. Tía Lupe and her husband, Tío José chase after Señorita Tortilla. Two horned toads, three donkeys, four rabbits, five snakes, and six cowboys also go after her. However, she eventually encounters Señor Coyote, who tricks her into getting eaten. 

3.    CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Señorita Tortilla jumps right off of the griddle and rolls away rather quickly, being chased by Tía Lupe, Tío José, and many creatures of the land. Each time more join in to get her, she persistently repeats, “Run as fast as fast can be. You won’t get a bite of me. Doesn’t matter what you do. I’ll be far ahead of you.” Outsmarted by Señor Coyote, she greedily goes into his mouth in exchange for treasure. The tortilla gets eaten, the story ends abruptly, and the treasure remains untouched. In this story, the tortilla’s good sense was overcome by her greed. Although a highly entertaining variation of a classic, this tale does not exactly have a satisfying ending. Prior to reading this story to children, readers should be aware of particular wording. For instance, the tortilla calls Tío José a "Fat old Man!" and Tía Lupe a "Greedy old woman!" Also, the tortilla yells out, "Silly jackasses!" to the donkeys chasing her. Although the words chosen help set the snappish tone in the story, it may be important to mention how most of the tortilla's remarks are impolite and that a jackass is another word for a donkey.

The illustrations, prepared with oil paint, set the tone for the story suitably. The warm colors complement the dry, sizzling nature of the Southwest. The portrayed desert atmosphere is filled with sand, cactus, and wildlife. The expressions on characters’ faces are dull, yet somewhat aggravated at their failure to catch the tortilla. Cowboy hats with brims folded like a taco and Western vests represent the culture of the Rio Grande.

4.    REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

From School Library Journal: “Kimmel's saucy story joins a swarm of similar, albeit popular, retellings of traditional tales with a Southwestern setting.”

From Kirkus Reviews: "Anyone who's ever driven across town for the perfect taco will understand the allure of the world's most entertaining tortilla."

5.    CONNECTIONS

Gather other stories retold by Eric Kimmel to read such as:

The Three Little Tamales. ISBN 0761455191

Cactus Soup. ISBN 0761458328

Gather other variations of the classic folktale: The Gingerbread Man such as:

Brett, Jan. Gingerbread Baby. ISBN 0399234446

Dennis, Robert. The Gingerbread Bear. ISBN 0545489660

Possible activities:

Read a classic version of The Gingerbread Man. Compare and contrast The Runaway Tortilla and The Gingerbread Man using a Venn Diagram.

Make homemade tortillas. Allow students to share the tortillas with others in the school community, while also sharing what they have learned about the Southwest culture.