Author explores Latina ritual: Q&A with Julia Alvarez | The Arizona Republic

Author explores Latina ritual: Q&A with Julia Alvarez Arizona Republic: “The word in itself is special. ‘Quinceañera’ has a regal look and sound. And consider the young girl: dressed in a long, pastel gown, a bodice that clings to her figure, billowing skirt and tiara recessed in upswept hairstyle, as she is presented in the midst of family and friends.

“Julia Alvarez [of Middlebury College] was taken with the image. In her book Once Upon a Quinceañera, the Vermont-based author with Dominican Republic roots traces the ancient Aztec rite that has become an elaborate fiesta in the U.S., celebrating a Latina girl’s passage into womanhood on her 15th birthday.”