BOOK DESCRIPTION

CANCIÓN
Canta el agua en la roca,
el pájaro en la rama
y el poema en la página.

Todo es canción (Everything is Song) gathers some of the most recognized poems by Alma Flor Ada. The 142 pages, in a delightful format, have been illustrated by María Jesús Álvarez. In a 7 pages introduction ¿Qué es poesía? the author explains in clear prose the basic elements of Spanish poetry: Poesía en verso y prosa. El verso libre. La rima. La aliteración. El metro. Imágenes y metáforas. La visión poética are some of the themes explored.

The poems have been grouped by thematic interests: Mi cuerpo y yo [My Body and I], Con los que más quiero [With Those I Love], En la escuela [At School], Para reír y jugar [To Laugh and Play], Aires de la ciudad [City Airs], Somos amigos [We Are Friends], ¡Cuántas delicias! [How Many Delicious Treats], Vuelan y nadan, trepan y saltan [They Fly and Swim, Climb and Jump], Hojas, frutas y corolas [Leaves, Fruits and Petals], Sol y espuma [Sun and Foam], Sueños y fantasías [Dreams and Fanatsy], La fuerza de la palabra [Word Power].

AUTHOR’S NOTE

What a joy to see my poems collected this way! Poetry has been a very important part of my life. My grandmother, Dolores Salvador, instilled in me the love for poetry since I was very small. She would recite poems and invite me to recite with her. Some of her favorite has been written by my own grandfather, Medardo Lafuente Rubio, other’s by José Martí. She created her own music for some of Martí’s poems leaving with me the legacy of the particular enjoyment poetry, whether recited or sung, will always bring me. How I hope the children who have access to this book will enjoy the poems it contains and someday discover that they can also write their own poems.

Book Reviews

Criticas. School Library Journal

Ada has edited a number of lovely books of traditional rhymes, but Todo es canción (Everything Is Song) gives her a chance to showcase her own poetry. The selections are organized by theme. “For Laughing and Playing” includes traditional rhymes, with tales of cats and mice and hens. “In School” includes counting rhymes, and “My Books” is a gift for librarians everywhere to share with children. There are selections that will encourage movement, and those that can be adapted as fingerplays. “Sun and Foam,” “Dreams and Fantasies,” and “The Power of Words” all contain thoughtful and powerful pieces. The whole is summed up in the final poem, in which Ada celebrates the song in everything around us, and ends by saying, essentially, “Because you have been born, life wants to sing.” This book is to Latino children what Robert Louis Stevenson’s A Child’s Garden of Verses is to English-speaking youngsters. It is not just a poetry anthology, but truly a lasting contribution to Latino literature that belongs in every library that serves young Spanish-speakers and their parents.
–Tim Wadham, St. Louis County Library, MO

Video

Watch Video: Alma Flor Ada and Gabriel Zubizarreta dis­cuss their inspi­ra­tion for writ­ing Danc­ing Home.

Book Reviews

San José Public Library

In alternating chapters, the authors tell the story of two cousins Margarita, known as Margie to her school friends, and Lupe. The two girls are the same age, Lupe was born and raised in Mexico, until Margie’s parents arranged for her to come to live with them and go to school with Margie. Margie’s grandparents were all from Mexico, but she was very proud to have been born in Texas. She considered herself to be a true American… Read more »

School Library Journal

Gr 3–6–Margie is proud to be an American, born in the United States. Her parents were born in Mexico and so was her cousin, Lupe, who has come to stay with Margie’s family in California. At first Margie is excited, but that enthusiasm dissipates when Lupe is placed in her classroom. She doesn’t speak English, and Margie’s teacher expects her to translate for her. A couple of classroom bullies seem bent on belittling the cousins’ heritage. Margie is relieved when Lupe is transferred to a bilingual class, leaving a desk near her for the newest classmate, Camille. The girls become great friends. When they’re given a journal assignment, Camille models what it’s like to have a passion as she thinks, researches, and writes about dolphins. Lupe stays after school to learn folkloric dances, and the book concludes with a performance that helps Margie understand how American she is and how her Mexican heritage fits into her identity. This story will assist readers in embracing their own heritage and developing an appreciation for their classmates’ backgrounds. It’s an enjoyable offering (and a great read-aloud) that will capture readers’ attention and have them rooting for the cousins and their friendships and family relationships. A Spanish-language edition, Nacer Bailando, is available simultaneously.
–Helen Foster James, University of California at San Diego

Booklist

Ten-year-old Margie has spent her entire life trying to fit in—to pass as an American—despite the fact that her parents were born in Mexico. Then, her Mexican cousin Lupe comes to live with them, and her plan goes awry. At first, she resents Lupe for her foreign ways and for monopolizing her parents’ attention; later, she comes to love Lupe as a sister and appreciate the Mexican part of her heritage. Margie begins to master Spanish, enjoys celebrating Navidad, and participates in a Cinco de Mayo folklorico dance at school. Ada, the author of many multicultural titles, including Tales Our Abuelitas Told: A Hispanic Folktale Collection (2006), and Zubizarreta write knowingly of the difficulties of a life lived in two cultures. A subplot involving Lupe’s father (who came to America illegally and later abandoned his family) is also well handled, as is the inclusion of a Ruben Dario poem, “To Margarita.” Give this to fans of Pam Muñoz Ryan’s Esperanza Rising (2000) and Becoming Naomi Leon (2004).

Kirkus Review

Two cousins, one born in Texas and the other in Mexico, learn the importance of family and friendship. As an only child living in California with her Mexican-American parents, Margie Ceballos-González is proud to be American. Everything changes when her cousin Lupe González leaves her mother, stepfather and half-brothers in Mexico to live with Margie and her parents. Years before, Lupe’s father had moved to the United States for work and then disappeared. Margie and Lupe are both in fifth grade at the same school, and Lupe’s presence immediately draws exactly the sort of attention Margie has been trying to avoid. At home, she finds herself competing for attention as her parents welcome Lupe with Mexican foods and Spanish conversation. Sensing her cousin’s dilemma, Lupe finds ways to help Margie appreciate their shared Mexican heritage. Margie thaws, even realizing the beauty of her name, Margarita, which came from one of her mother’s favorite flowers, the daisy. The third-person narration shifts its focus gently from girl to girl, allowing readers access to their thoughts and feelings. The authors also connect Nicaraguan poet Rubén Darío’s “A Margarita” to the story, and the full poem follows the novel in both Spanish and English.

Although sometimes wise beyond their years, Margie and Lupe will charm readers as each girl struggles for belonging and acceptance in this realistic novel. (Fiction. 8–12)

Buy it from your favorite bookstore, order it from Amazon, or get personalized service from DelSolBooks by emailing Ray at ray@delsolbooks.com

Library Media Connection

When Margie’s Mexican cousin Lupe comes to live with her family, Margie’s carefully constructed American image is at stake. It’s even worse at home where Margie’s immigrant parents begin speaking more Spanish and forming a special bond with Lupe. But over the school year, Lupe and Margie begin to understand the challenges each cousin endures as well as the beauty of their dual cultures. The book reflects this dichotomy by using both Spanish and English, discussing holidays celebrated in Mexico, and celebrating the arts of Spanish-speaking countries. A poem by Nicaraguan poet Rubén Darío holds special meaning for the girls and is included in both languages. While the deliberate moral messages of acceptance and individuality are expressed didactically, Ada and Zubizarreta tackle important topics including immigration, bilingual education, and bullying. This book will speak intimately to readers straddling different cultures and grappling with what it means to be an American. –Kasey Garrison, Library Science Doctoral Student, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia

Information coming soon

Readers of Alma Flor Ada’s books and participants in her presentations have been awaiting for this book in which she tells the story of her own life. Alma Flor had already provided us with moments of her childhood in her two books for adolescents: Where the Flame Trees Bloom, Alla donde florecen los framboyanes and Under the Royal Palms and had given us some insights of her writing process, the stories behind her stories and poems, in Alma Flor Ada and You Volume 1 and Alma Flor Ada and You Volume 2. In the recently published Vivir en dos idiomas, Alma Flor shares with the adult reader the most important moments of her life: as a student, teacher, mother, activist, author and professor. She shares with openness and sincerity, and her engaging style as a storyteller, the circumstances that transformed her life, her experiences living in four different countries, the people who influenced her development and the lessons learned from life.

“Vivir en dos idiomas is positioned somewhere between literature and history; it is not, however, a work of fiction.” Using her signature style, Alma Flor Ada crafts an inspiring, intense, and personal examination of her life. This memoir presents the most significant experiences of a writer for whom narrating is synonymous with being, and an engagement that she cannot live without. From the very first pages we discover an extraordinary, gifted life. The author recounts the smallest aspects of an apparently idyllic childhood spent in Cuba –her first school years, and the first encounters with what would later become much more than inseparable companions: books. We will journey with her through ups and downs, through cities and countries in three continents. We will also witness the key incidents that led to her unflagging support of peasant immigrants in the United States. With exemplary style, Alma Flor Ada reveals the story of her career and invites us to find in books a new best friend.

”He vivido sin esperar premio ni castigo, y ahora descubro que el premio ha sido cada día vivido.” Vivir en dos idiomas se ubica en la frontera entre la literatura y la historia. Desde las primeras paginas descubrimos una vida tocada por un don. Con la sinceridad que la caracteriza, la autora hace una exploracion personal, intensa e inspiradora de su propia vida. Este libro presenta las experiencias y reflexiones mas significativas de una escritora para quien la narracion es parte del ser, un compromiso inaplazable. Con su inconfundible estilo, Alma Flor Ada nos relata los pormenores de una infancia aparentemente idiica en Cuba, sus anos de escuela y sus primeros encuentros con los libros, que mas tarde se convertirian en companeros inseparables, amigos, confidentes y portadores de su mensaje. La acompanaremos en su travesia, llena de avatares y logros, por distintos paises de tres continentes. Seremos testigos de episodios que marcarian para siempre su camino, como el contacto con maestros como Paulo Freire y las situaciones de injusticia social que motivaron su infatigable labor en pro de los campesinos inmigrantes en Estados Unidos. En estas paginas Alma Flor Ada nos ofrece, lejos de los reflectores de la figura publica, la posibilidad de ser sus companeros de viaje, mientras revela los secretos de su apasionante trayectoria.

It was indeed a challenging process to decide what from my very long and rich life to include in a book of memoirs, and a challenge as well to decide on the style of the book.

The book was started initially at the suggestion of Amaya Elezcano, a wonderful Alfaguara editor in Madrid, Spain, who encouraged me to work on a series of three books corresponding to different phases of my life. Later, another talented editor from the Alfaguara group, Silvia Matute, decided to publish the work in the Aguilar autobiographical collection as a book with three distinct parts.

The first section, Porque empecé a vivir [Because Life Began][G1] covers the years from age fifteen to twenty, when I lived partly in Cuba, partly in the United States. It explores my first experiences of living in a different country, of trying to study and learn in another language, of awakening to the destructive forces of racism and discrimination which could lead people to renounce their own language and identity. The reflections brought about by these experiences would have a lasting influence on my life. There are also more intimate reflections about my own spiritual search.

The style of this first part is different from the other two. Because Cuba played such an important role in defining my experiences, I felt the need to share some sociocultural content with the reader. To that end, each chapter is preceded by a vignette depicting a specific geographical, social or cultural aspect of my country that frames, or influences, the personal experiences.

The second part of the book, La lengua se hizo matria [Language Became the Motherland] covers the period of my life from twenty to thirty-two years of age. During that time, I lived and studied in Madrid, Spain and in Lima, Peru, and did postdoctoral research work at Harvard University through the Radcliffe Institute. It was a period of great change in my life. While I insist that I have never left Cuba, which is so much a part of me, I had to learn to live outside of my country, and far away from everyone I knew and loved. During that period I developed a profound love for another country, Peru, completed a doctorate, met some extraordinary teachers, and began publishing. But above all, during that time I began my lifelong work as a bilingual educator and the essence of my whole being was transformed as I became a mother.

The third part of the book covers some of the work experiences and ongoing reflections that have made up my life of advocacy in the United States since 1970. It explores the influence that Paulo Freire has had on my life and work, as well as what I have gained from working with farmworking families and from the dialogic process of learning alongside my doctoral students at the University of San Francisco and all the teachers whose classes and schools I have been privileged to visit.

Embarking on the introspective journey that writing a memoir requires is both difficult and demanding. At times, one is drawn so strongly into the past that it becomes difficult to be present in the here and now. Some of the memories are painful and haunting and if, until now, they have been explored only superficially, facing them may indeed be a hard task. Yet, how rewarding to be able to revisit one’s life!

A popular Latin American song says: Recuérdame, que recordar es volver a vivir… [Remember me, for to remember is to live again…]. And of course, that means to live again both joys and sorrows, successes and mistakes, presences and losses. But above all, to remember is to accept the opportunity to keep on learning from life… and I, for one, found there is much still to learn.

Sharing it, amidst smiles and tears, has been an act of love. It started with finding compassion for the many persons I have been, from girlhood to adulthood, but became above all an expression of love for all who in one way or another have been part of the story, and for the unknown readers who may find in these pages, I hope, an invitation to explore their own inner journeys.

But no matter how long, rich, and diverse the experience, there is one word that sums it up perfectly, a word that expresses the overwhelming feeling that is left at the end of the process: gratitude.

Thanks to life, to existence, to everyone I have encountered along the way, and to each day.

I have lived without expecting either punishment or reward. Now I discover the reward has been each day I have lived!

Noticias Terra : La cuentista y educadora cubana Alma Flor Ada revela en sus memorias una vida marcada por la lectura, los viajes y los recuerdos de su patria. Aunque la prolífica escritora ya había detallado en dos libros anteriores su quehacer literario y las historias personales que dieron lugar a cuentos y poemas, en “Vivir en dos idiomas” Ada examina los eventos más significativos de su vida para un público lector adulto. Dividido en tres partes, “Vivir en dos idiomas” se lee en ocasiones como un diario de viajes, pues son muchas las culturas con las cuales Ada ha entrado en contacto, a través de sus estudios, viajes y lecturas. La primera sección, sin embargo, tiene un tono particular que la distingue de las otras dos, ya que medita sobre el contexto cultural en que creció, salpicando su relato con canciones, anécdotas y poemas. Esta parte recoge recuerdos y relatos de su querida Cuba al igual que sus primeros encuentros con la cultura estadounidense. La segunda parte, trata de su formación académica en España, Perú y EEUU y su transformación personal al hacerse madre. Y la tercera aborda su labor educativa y literaria en EEUU, donde ha residido desde 1970, y la influencia de Paulo Freire en su incansable labor social. Muy pronto en la lectura nos damos cuenta que la infancia de Ada fue privilegiada, no sólo por la soltura económica de su familia, sino por haber contado con el apoyo de sus padres para explorar intereses a menudo contrarios a las normas sociales de la época. Ada recuerda, por ejemplo, que al cumplir los quince años, sus padres le dieron la opción de pasar un verano en un campamento en el extranjero en lugar de marcar la ocasión con una fiesta, como era habitual para entonces. Lectora y estudiante voraz, Ada aprovecha la oportunidad para asistir a un colegio de niñas en Pennsylvania, donde además de aprender inglés con compañeras igualmente privilegiadas, observa por primera vez el maltrato al que eran sometidas algunas de sus compañeras por pertenecer a un grupo minoritario. El tono de “Vivir”, sin embargo, no resulta pomposo, sino sincero y agradecido. Si bien resulta admirable que en su itinerante vida la escritora haya siempre obrado con tal rectitud, identificándose contra toda injusticia y logrando efectuar cambios verdaderamente asombrosos, es preciso recordar que en la lectura de autobiografía a veces se dice más en lo que queda fuera que en lo que se incluye. Las memorias literarias tienden a no diferir tanto de la buena ficción, en que nos invitan a reflexionar sobre nuestra humanidad y a llegar a nuestras propias lecciones, si es que las hay. Desafortunadamente, en más de una ocasión las memorias de Ada adolecen de didactismo. En una anécdota particularmente resonante, Ada recuerda su trabajo aun de estudiante en un orfanato de Denver. Ada y unas compañeras solían ayudar a bañar a los niños, muchos de los cuales eran hispanos, y les contaban historias en español e inglés después de terminar sus quehaceres. Un día, Ada cargaba a una niñita de tres años a quien le había tomado un cariño especial. Comenzó a contarle un cuento en inglés y la niñita la interrumpió para pedirle, en inglés, que lo hiciera “de la otra manera”. Como la niña le hablaba en inglés, Ada le preguntó que por qué quería que le hablara en español. La chiquita le contestó: “Porque así se oía mi madre”. Podemos imaginar el efecto que esta experiencia pudo tener en la joven Ada y deducir la importancia de la relación afectiva de los niños con la lengua materna. En este caso, como en muchos otros, la anécdota desnuda, sin comentarios o explicaciones, hubiese resultado más efectiva que seguida de un párrafo explicativo como aparece. Aún así, el libro describe la vida ejemplar de una escritora que ha dejado un importante y prolífico legado “en dos idiomas”.

READERS’ RESPONSES

If you have enjoyed reading or sharing this book, I would very much like to hear from you. Please click here to send your comments.

RECOGNITIONS

Pura Belpré Medal
American Library Association, Best Books of the Year 2000
American Library Association, Pura Belpré Award
Center for Latin American Studies, America’s Commended List
National Council of Teachers of English, Notable Book in the Area of Language Arts

Video: Colorin Colorado Interview, Spanish
Video: Colorin Colorado Interview, English

See also: The Alma Project

BOOK DESCRIPTION

In this companion volume to Alma Flor Ada’s Where the Flame Trees Bloom, the author offers young readers another inspiring collection of stories and reminiscences drawn from her childhood on the island of Cuba. Through those stories we see how the many events and relationships she enjoyed helped shape who she is today.

We learn of a deep friendship with a beloved dance teacher that helped sustain young Alma Flor through a miserable year in school. We meet relatives, like her mysterious Uncle Manolo, whose secret, she later learns, is that he dedicated his life to healing lepers. We share the tragedy of another uncle whose spirited personality leads to his love of flying…and the crash that takes his life.

Heartwarming, poignant, and often humorous, this collection encourages children to discover the stories in their our own lives–stories that can help form their own values and celebrate the joys and struggles we all share no matter where or when we grew up.

The Pura Belpré Award honors Latino writers and illustrators whose work best portrays, affirms and celebrates the Latino cultural experience in a children’s book. Alma Flor Ada was named the winner of the Belpré Author Award for Under the Royal Palms: A Childhood in Cuba, published by Atheneum Books.

In a heartwarming and loving portrayal of her childhood days in Cuba, Ada describes her deep friendship with a beloved dance teacher in Under the Royal Palms. Readers meet relatives and share the tragedy of the loss of Ada’s beloved uncle. Photographs enhance the diary-like portrayal of Ada’s early years.

“Where the Flame Trees Bloom encourages children to discover the stories in their own lives and to celebrate the joys and struggles we all share no matter where or when we grew up,” said Yolanda Bonitch, chair of the Pura Belpré Award Selection Committee.

Born in Camagüey, Cuba, Ada is professor of multicultural education at the University of San Francisco. She is a renowned author, translator, scholar, educator, storyteller and advocate for bilingual and multicultural education. Ada received a bachelor’s degree from Universidad Central de Madrid in Spain and a master’s degree and doctorate from Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru.

The award was announced January 17, 2000 during the American Library Association (ALA) Midwinter Meeting in San Antonio. The award is administered by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of ALA, and REFORMA, the National Association to Promote Library Services to the Spanish Speaking.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

I am frequently asked, by children and adults alike, which, among the many books I have written is my favorite. I try to explain that I cherish each of my books, because I have written each one with love and they all have taught me something about myself. But I must confess that my books of memoirs, Where the Flame Trees Bloom or Allá donde florecen los framboyanes and Under the Royal Palms, as well as those published only in Spanish, Barquitos de papel, Barriletes, Días de circo, Pin pin sarabín, and Pregones have a special significance because with them I have not only tried to capture the days of my childhood but I have honored the multiple people who made my childhood memorable. These books, like the memoirs I have written for adult readers, Vivir en dos idiomas. have been my way of thanking those who enriched my spirit and taught me so much about trying to honor each day the gift of life.

REVIEWS

Publishers Weekly

In this handsomely designed companion volume to Where the Flame Trees Bloom, Ada once again draws upon her experiences growing up in post-war Cuba. In a short introduction, the author describes her hometown, Camagüey, as a “city of contrasts”? with diverse religions and education and economic levels (“some had so much and others had very little”). The 10 stories that follow do not focus on these oppositions so much as the unique experiences of young Alma and her extended family. Several memories poignantly expose the disparity between those who have and those who have not, such as “Explorers,” in which young Alma and her cousin get lost in a marabú field and are aided and fed by a poverty-stricken family. Others illustrate life lessons (for example, the impossible but gleeful task of counting bats in flight for their nightly feeding taught Alma to appreciate the process of an endeavor, rather than its completion). But the best of these stories simply recreate a poignant or humorous moment from the author’s girlhood: Alma sipping from a porrón (a small clay pot) at school, lovingly filled with water by her mother; Alma’s pride in her uncle’s daring turning to grief when he dies in an airplane crash. Many of the stories stand well alone, but some take a meandering expository path to recount a history or explain a term. These more formal (though often graceful) tangents distance readers from the slices of life. Still, at the core of the collection, there is a heartfelt portrayal of a quickly disappearing culture and a vastly beautiful land. Ages 8–12.

School Library Journal

Grade 4–7: This simple and graceful reminiscence of a childhood in Cuba in the 1940s is a companion to Where the Flame Trees Bloom (Atheneum, 1994). Although not wealthy, the author’s family lived comfortably with aunts, uncles, and cousins in a large, shared family home in the small town of Camagüey. Here any event beyond the ordinary became the focus of everyone’s attention and the fuel for many days of conversation. Each chapter includes an early memory or experience of Ada’s: nursing the baby bats that fell onto her porch, the production of simple and inexpensive plaster figures for nativity scenes, etc. The author writes about the contrast of wealth and poverty in her country at that time and of the people who made an impression on her, including a ballet teacher who befriended her during a lonely year in a new school, and an uncle and aunt who worked with lepers. Her observations of people lead to a series of revelations that shaped her life. Black-and-white photographs of the author and her family appear throughout. –Sylvia V. Meisner, Allen Middle School, Greensboro, NC.

The New York Times Book Review

The success of ”Under the Royal Palms: A Childhood in Cuba,” the companion volume to Alma Flor Ada’s ”Where the Flame Trees Bloom,” derives in no small part from its appeal to adults as well as children. The author, a professor of multicultural education at the University of San Francisco who has written a number of children’s books, understands that to get to a child’s bedroom shelves, often a book must first enchant choosy adults to buy it. And enchant this one does. The slim, handsome book is divided into 10 chapters, each a self-contained story about Ada’s childhood half a century ago in Camaguey, a city in the province of the same name in the center of Cuba, known as the cradle of great poets and courageous freedom fighters. The stories and the endearing black-and-white photographs of her family are woven into a greater theme: everything Ada learned about life, she explains, she learned in her small town, surrounded by family and nature. Although this feels preachy at times, most parents would surely not mind the lessons. For instance, after telling how she spent childhood evenings trying to count bats with her loving grandmother, she draws an eminently sensible conclusion that could easily be applied to many an apparently vain effort: ”On the many occasions when I have later felt that I am once more trying to count bats, engaged in an impossible task, I have allowed myself to laugh, happy to remember that some of the best things in life are like counting bats: it was never the final count that mattered, but rather the joy of seeing them fly.” –Mirta Ojito.

Kirkus Reviews

Of books comprising nuggets of memory there seems to be no end, and in a companion volume to her Where the Flame Trees Bloom (1994, not reviewed), Ada recounts small stories of growing up in the town of in Camagüey, Cuba. She captures with some feeling the powerful effect of scent on memory: night jasmine, coffee, ylang-ylang, and her grandmother’s perfume of lavender and sage. She immortalizes sibling hurts and uncles’ gifts, and writes of the childhood mystery of adult conversations partially overheard and partially understood. She is rich in family, attempting with her grandmother the impossible task of counting bats as they fly, and smashing her favorite doll when her dashing uncle dies in a plane crash. She is rich in memories of other adults, too: Madame Marie, a French-Jewish refugee; Gilda, a dance teacher, whose affection carried Ada through an impossible year at school. Some repetition does not detract, and children might be moved by Ada’s exhortation to consider their own family stories. (b&w photographs) (Memoir. 9–14).

CLASP

Alma Flor Ada offers stories about Cuba that would not otherwise be available to those of us living in the United States. This collection provides the reader with a close look at an active and loving extended family. It chronicles events that would probably stand out for lots of children growing up throughout history and across geographical boundaries: living in different houses, in the city and in the country… and the tragic death of a beloved young uncle. This volume provides information on a prolific author that is accessible and helpful to readers studying Latino writers.”

Booktalks

Who knows where Cuba is? Alma Flor Ada takes us to Cuba and describes her memories as a little girl there. You will feel like you are right there feeling everything she is. As you read you will be able to see the photos of her family and friends which make it come to life even more. We all have fun times in our lives and we also have tragedies happen. Alma Flor Ada describes her Uncle’s plane crash and I thought I was right there. To see what Cuba is like and Alma’s memories of her childhood you must read Under the Royal Palms by Alma Flor Ada. — Karen Womack, graduate student

READERS’ RESPONSES

If you have enjoyed reading or sharing this book, I would very much like to hear from you. Please click here to send your comments.

Bilingual Anthology of Folklore for Young Children

RECOGNITIONS

Notable Book in the area of Language Arts by National Book Council
Best Ten Books for Babies, Beginning with Books, Center for Early Literacy
Best Book of the Year, Nick Jr. Magazine
Media Award, Parent’s Guide to Children’s Media
100 Titles for Reading and Sharing, New York Public Library
Books of the Year Award, Parenting Magazines
2 x 2 Reading List, Texas Library Association
Starred Review, School Library Journal
Starred Review, Críticas
Miami Herald Best Books of the Year

BOOK DESCRIPTION

El sol es de oro
la luna es de plata
y las estrellitas
son de hoja de lata.

The sun’s a gold medallion
The moon’s a silver ball.
The little stars are only tin;
I love them best of all.

Here is a groundbreaking bilingual collection of traditional rhymes that celebrates childhood and Spanish and Latin American heritage. From playing dress up to making tortillas, and from rising at daybreak to falling asleep, these joyful rhymes are sure to delight young readers.

Passed down from generation to generation, the twenty-nine rhymes included have been lovingly selected by distinguished authors Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campoy. English adaptations by Alice Schertle capture the spirit of each rhyme and have a charm all their own. Accompanied by enchanting illustrations by Spanish artist Viví Escrivá, this collection is destined to become a beloved classic for children already familiar with the rhymes as well as those encountering them for the first time.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

The treasuries of the folklore, whether rhymes, riddles, songs or tongue twisters were precious gifts in my childhood. In gratitude for the joy they gave me I have tried to share them in multiple forms, within poetry anthologies, like Días y días de poesía, Gorrión gorrión, and in books, like Mama Goose, MooMuu, Merry Navidad and many others. I have written about my childhood experiences with these folk traditions in the book Pin Pin Sarabín. I hope you find as much joy sharing this book as I had during its compilation.

REVIEWS

School Library Journal

Pre-School–Grade 2: Following in the tradition of Margot Griego’s Tortillitas para Mama (Holt, 1995) and Jose-Luis Orozco’s Diez deditos (Dutton, 1997) comes this stellar collection of nursery rhymes. Selected from the rich oral tradition of Latin America and the American Southwest, most of the verses are known throughout the Spanish-speaking world. The rhymes cover everything from early morning birds to elephants to angels, and the reason for their enduring popularity is clear. Deeply rhythmic verses, compelling rhyme schemes, and words that “play trippingly on the tongue” characterize every verse. Schertle’s excellent English adaptations are not literal translations but poetic re-creations. They retain the rhythm, meter, and general meaning of the originals, making the rhymes as memorable and memorizable in English as they are in Spanish. Escriv ‘s watercolor and colored-pencil illustrations use brilliant hues and detail to reconstruct a young child’s world. Certain to become a staple for preschool and early elementary programs, this offering is also a wonderful, reassuring lap book. A must-purchase for libraries. © 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Booklist

PreSchool: As the preface to this delightful book states, nursery rhymes and songs are an important part of Spanish oral folklore. The 29 rhymes here–some accompanied by finger plays or games, and some simply meant to be chanted on their own–in most cases came to the Americas from Spain. They are presented both in Spanish and in English, although “to preserve the charm of the original rhymes,” the English versions are not translations but “poetic recreations.” Even adult readers with a rudimentary knowledge of Spanish will see some of the differences, but both versions have a sweet, rhythmic simplicity that will get children singing, clapping, and perhaps making some forays into a new language. The watercolor illustrations, featured prominently on the page, are a mix of historical and contemporary, generic Latin American scenes, and pictures of animals (not Escriva’s artistic strong suit). Parents, teachers, and librarians will find a multitude of uses. –Ilene Cooper.

Grandma’s Book Letter

GRANDMA RECOMMENDS… FOR BABIES AND TODDLERS:
¡Pío Peep! Traditional Spanish Nursery Rhymes, selected by Alma Flor Ada and F. Isabel Campoy.

The authors tell us that Spanish oral folklore is rich in nursery rhymes and songs, some are fragments of ancient medieval ballads while others are old harvest songs. Ada and Campoy have gathered some of the best known and most loved rhymes in this lively bilingual edition.

…

Give the gift of another culture to wee ones this season with a bilingual bedtime reading of “Pio Peep: Traditional Spanish Nursery Rhymes.” Vivi Escriva catches the eye with bright watercolors while Alice Schertle preserves the sing-song sound as the 29 rhymes move from Spanish to English. The result of one translation is, “Rice Pudding / rice pudding / it’s married I’ll be / I’ll find in the city / the right girl for me.” — Linda Piwowarczyk

Great Kids Books

I really enjoy sharing poetry and stories from other cultures with young children. Here is a wonderful collection of traditional Spanish nursery rhymes and songs, in both Spanish and English. It’s perfect for toddlers and young children, but would also be great to explore with slightly older children who are leaning Spanish… More »

READERS’ RESPONSES

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JwecWt24UE

If you have enjoyed reading or sharing this book, I would very much like to hear from you. Please click here to send your comments.

RECOGNITIONS

America’s Commended List

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Saturdays and Sundays are very special days for the child in this story. On Saturdays, she visits Grandma and Grandpa, who come from a European-American background, and on Sundays–los domingos–she visits Abuelito y Abuelita, who are Mexican-American. While the two sets of grandparents are different in many ways, they also have a great deal in common–in particular, their love for their granddaughter.

While we follow our narrator to the circus and the pier, share stories from her grandparents’ pasts, and celebrate her birthday, the depth and joy of both cultures are conveyed in Spanish and English. This affirmation of both heritages will speak to all children who want to know more about their own families and ethnic backgrounds.

VIDEO DESCRIPTION

Award-winning and multicultural children’s literature comes to life at Shelley’s “Beyond the Page Café,” a multimedia environment where enthusiastic youngsters follow their imagination and experience books from the inside out.

Today’s special at the café is I Love Saturdays y domingos. Animated illustrations bring to life the charming story of a special girl and her family. Her paternal grandparents are of European descent; her maternal abuelito y abuelita are Mexican-American. This lucky girl enjoys the love of both sets of grandparents, each of whom provides a deep connection to their rich cultural heritage.

After the story, Shelley and the kids sit in on an interview with renowned educator and author Alma Flor Ada. Then they are off to enjoy a video field trip featuring grandparents. [18 minutes]

AUTHOR’S NOTE

This book is very dear to me for the great reception it has received from readers. Many times during autographing sessions people tell me they want it for a special child with dual heritage, and it not only for those that share Hispanic heritage, but many others as well.

While many people think I must have been inspired by my own family–two of my sons are married to women of Anglo descent and the third to a Brazilian, the idea for the book came to me, a long time ago, before any of my children had married. While in Hawaii, a Sunday afternoon in Lahaina. I watched as many families strolled by. It was apparent that they had very mixed heritage–Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Hawaiian, Puerto Rican, Anglo– and that they felt very comfortable with each other. That experience moved me to write this story. It took a long time for the book to be published and by then I did have grandchildren with dual heritage. Sometimes in my own experiences I wonder whether literature reflects life or life reflects literature.

Seeing this book transformed into a video has been wonderful. It made it even more interesting to be interviewed for the video in the company of my granddaughter Camille.

REVIEWS

Publishers Weekly

Through this affectionate and revealing portrait of a bilingual girl’s weekend visits to her two sets of grandparents, Ada (Where the Flame Trees Bloom) and Savadier (A Bedtime Story) prove that straddling two worlds can be a blessing rather than a hardship. The left of each spread depicts the narrator spending Saturdays with her paternal grandparents, with whom she speaks English; on the right, she passes los domingos (Sundays) with her Mexican-American Abuelito and Abuelita and converses in Spanish. The situations in the two households share enough similarities that readers can extrapolate the meaning of the Spanish words in context. For instance, on one spread, the colors of the balloons her paternal grandparents give her also appear in the kite that her Abuelito makes for her. Each pairing makes for a loving comparison and contrast, enlivened by Savadier’s graceful, warm-toned watercolor spot illustrations. At book’s end, both sets of grandparents coordinate a cooperative gift for the girl’s birthday. The balance tips slightly in Abuelito and Abuelita’s favor, in terms of fun and exoticism (e.g., Grandpa and Grandma watch a video about the circus while the Mexican-American grandparents “take me to a real circus”). Youngsters, however, will come away with the idea that this girl is very lucky to have four such interesting people who love her. Ages 4–8.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2: A little girl recounts the joy of her weekends, Saturdays spent with her Euro-American Grandma and Grandpa and Sundays (los domingos) with Abuelito and Abuelita, her Mexican-American grandparents. She does different things in each place and goes on different outings: off to the circus, to the pier, out floating balloons or flying kites. She hears different stories that reflect her grandparents’ heritages. However, on her birthday, it is clear that both sets of relatives are united in their love of their granddaughter. Lively, childlike prose that integrates Spanish words flawlessly and understandably makes this a winner for storytimes. Savadier’s watercolor cartoon illustrations are bright, clear, and stylistically reminiscent of Lillian Hoban’s work. Paired with books like Carmen Santiago Nodar’s Abuelita’s Paradise (Albert Whitman, 1992), or even such old standbys as Helen Buckley’s Grandfather and I (Lothrop, 1994), this book will make a strong statement about cultural diversity and the universality of love. Ann Welton, Grant Elementary School, Tacoma, WA.

Booklist

Ages 4–8. A little girl visits her Grandpa and Grandma, her father’s parents, on Saturdays and her “abuelito y abuelita,” her mother’s parents, on “los domingos.” Dearly cherished by both sets of grandparents, the little girl delights in the unique differences of the two households and moves with ease between the two cultures. Although the little girl uses Spanish words and phrases in describing her Sundays with her Mexican American grandparents, for the most part the meanings are explained or can be inferred from the context. Showing the various weekend experiences, Savadier’s softly colored watercolor illustrations reflect the happy heart of the little girl. Together, Ada and Savadier have created a picture book that gracefully embraces and celebrates a young child’s involvement in her dual heritages. Especially recommended for libraries serving Latino and multicultural communities. –Annie Ayres

Americas Commended List

A young child is doubly blessed to have two sets of loving grandparents, each with distinctive cultural heritages: her grandparents are European-American, and her abuelos are Mexican-American. She happily shares in the varied cultural experiences when visiting on the weekend. Ada effectively juxtaposes the joys to be found by a child growing up within dual cultures. Savadier accompanies the text with graceful color illustrations that capture the pleasures of childhood.

BLOG REVIEWS

Sara Hale’s Blog

This book is an example of multicultural or international literature. It is about a little girl who spends the weekends visiting her grandparents. Her grandparent’s on her father’s side of the family speak English, and her grandparents on her mother’s side of the family speak Spanish. The book has alternating pages that go back and forth between her experiences with each set of grandparents. When describing her Hispanic grandparents, some of the words are written in Spanish. Even though they come from different backgrounds, both sets of grandparents are very similar and plan the same activities for their granddaughter, such as cooking breakfast, playing with pets, counting things, learning about the circus, looking at fish, etc. At the end, the girl’s whole family gets together to plan a special birthday surprise for the little girl. The Hispanic culture is represented by the words written in Spanish and by some of the activities described, such as playing with piñatas and singing “Las mañanitas,” a popular Spanish song, on her birthday.

This book would be great for any classroom to teach children about the Spanish culture and also to show children that people from different backgrounds are alike and enjoy similar activities! Children can also connect to the book if they have ever spent a weekend with their grandparents. The book is especially great for classes that have Spanish-speaking students. I read this book to a second grade class last semester, and the whole class loved it. The Spanish-speaking children seemed very excited to be hearing a book with some Spanish words! They even sang the song, “Las mañanitas” for me, because I did not know the tune. I think that 3rd-5th graders would love this book as well, especially readers who are a bit behind grade level or students who are still learning English. The pages basically say the same thing in English and then again in a combination of English and Spanish, so this could help them learn the language by seeing direct translations and connections!

Hilary Lemar’s Blog

Award winning author, Alma Flor Ada, who also wrote My Name is Maria Isabel, has done an amazing job celebrating differences in culture in I Love Saturdays y domingos. This story starts off with a little girl telling about her weekends with her grandparents. She spends Saturdays with her father’s parents and domingos with her mother’s parents. She tells about what each grandmother serves her for breakfast. Her father’s mom gives her milk, scrambled eggs, and pancakes, while her mother’s mom gives her huevos rancheros. The little girl expresses her love for the differences in her grandparents’ cultures and speaks proudly of each grandparent and where they came from. This story shows how important a person’s culture is to themselves, as well as to the rest of their family. When this little girl grows up she will tell of these many different cultures that are all an important part of who she is. I think that this story is important to have in the classroom and would be great to do as a read aloud. I think that students would benefit greatly to read or have this book read to them because it will teach them that there are many different cultures and that people should be proud of their culture and who they are. I really feel that Alma Flor Ada does a wonderful job sending a positive message to be proud of and to celebrate you culture. Children will benefit from hearing this message and hopefully they will remember it in the future.

Compare and Contrast Activities: Carmen’s Blog

Discussion: It is important for students to be able to compare and contrast different things. Through writing a compare/contrast paper students are able to see the similarities and differences between different things. Then it is possible for them to come to a conclusion about possibly making a decision. In the book I Love Saturdays y Domingos by Alma Flor Ada a bilingual girl compares the different activities and personal qualities that she enjoys with each of her two sets of grandparents. Though she does different activities with each set of grandparents, she loves them each the same.

How to Teach It: I am going to read a book titled I Love Saturdays y Domingos by Alma Flor Ada. It is about a bilingual girl who has two sets of grandparents that are very different, but she loves them each the same. Listen for the similarities and differences that her two sets of grandparents have. In the story she calls one set of grandparents “Grandma and Grandpa” and her other set of grandparents “Abuelita and Abuelito”. Abuelita is the Spanish word for grandma and Abuelito is the Spanish word for grandpa. I’m going to have a list of the similarities and another list of the differences between the girl’s grandparents. Can anyone name any similarities between the girl’s grandparents? Ex: Both grandfathers like to tell stories about when they were growing up. Both grandmothers like to tell stories about their families when they were young. (I would write the similarities as a list on the board) Can you name any differences? Ex: Her Grandma has a cat, and her Abuelita has a dog. She watches movies about the circus with her Grandma and Grandpa. She goes to the circus with her Abuelita and Abuelito. (I would write the differences as a separate list on the board) Now that we know what a story is like that compares and contrasts different things or people, I want you to try and write your own comparing and contrasting story. You can compare/contrast anything you want. You can compare and contrast the activities and personal traits of your own grandparents like the girl in the book did, or you can pick two totally different things or people to compare and contrast. You might even try comparing two different options for a decision you are trying to make. To start off you might want to make a list of the similarities and then a list of differences so you can have a starting point for your story.

Mrs. Lawrence’s Blog

In one of her most popular works, Ada tells of a young girl enjoying the similarities and the differences between her English-speaking and Spanish-speaking grandparents. On Saturdays she goes to visit her father’s parents, Grandma and Grandpa. On Sundays she spends the day with her mother’s parents, Abuelito y Abuelita. She eats different breakfasts with each grandparent. Grandma has a cat named Taffy. Abuelita has a dog named Canelo. The young girl spends her weekend doing various activities with both sets of grandparents. It’s time to celebrate her birthday. She gets a new doll from Grandma and Grandpa and a dress. Her Abuelito has made her a dollhouse and Abuelita has made her a dress. The dress is the same as her doll. The kids take turn breaking the piñata. Her family celebrates by singing Happy Birthday and Las Mananitas. This multicultural story is warm and soft just like Elivia Savadier’s watercolor illustrations. Other titles by Ada are Dear Peter Rabbit, With Love, Little Red Hen, Three Golden Oranges, Yours Truly Goldilocks, and The Golden Coin. She received the Pura Belpre medal for her book Under the Royal Palms: A Childhood in Cuba. I thought this book was an excellent choice to teaching multicultural education. It really does include the beauty of diversity and the warm feeling of togetherness. This book is definitely a thumbs up, especially in the diversity category. An excellent way to help others understand the uniqueness of multicultural families.

Mrs. Moore’s Blog

I Love Saturdays y domingos by Alma Flor Ada: Award winning Alma Flor Ada (With Love, Little Red Hen) demonstrates the differences between two cultures in this book and how no matter what the differences, love is universal. A young girl encounters different experiences with two sets of grandparents during her weekend visits with them. One set of grandparents is English speaking while the other set speaks Spanish. The girl takes pleasure in how her grandparents are different in many ways, yet they have many things in common. One grandfather tells the girl stories about coming from Europe while abuelito tells stories about Mexico. Another difference is that the English-speaking grandparents make the girl pancakes for breakfast while the Spanish-speaking grandparents make juevos rancheros. The illustrations portray the joy and the love that family members share with each other. Elivia Savadier’s bright watercolor illustrations wonderfully capture the main thing that both sets of grandparents share in common in this story, which is their love for their granddaughter. This is a fabulous book that can be used to demonstrate the variety of cultures.. It could also be used to show that although there may be differences between cultures, people can all come together in love. I truly enjoyed this book especially because I can relate to it. My children have one set of grandparents that are English speaking and a set who speak English and Spanish. The two sets of grandparents share several differences and similarities. But one thing that they definitely share in common is that both sets love my children. As my son says, “I love Nana, Tata, Gigi and Papa and they love me.”

Mrs Moore: Target Audience: 2nd Grade
Discussion: This book is a great book to use to demonstrate the differences between cultures and heritages. It can be used to teach about the many ways birthdays can be celebrated among different cultures. In a class with much diversity, children will get to know more about their classmates. Children will get a better understanding about other cultures and gain knowledge of the difference in celebrations among various people. How to Teach It: Today I will be reading the book I love Saturday y domingos. Okay class, now that we have read this book, what were some of the differences between the two cultures in the book? In what ways were both sets of grandparents different? Did they share anything in common? What did you think about how they celebrated the girl’s birthday? How does your family celebrate birthdays? Do you know of birthday traditions from other cultures? Now we will be writing about your own family birthday traditions and compare it to a birthday tradition of another culture. (Allow students some time to research other cultures in the school library as well as in the computer lab.) Now that we have written our papers, who would like to share what they have written first?

The Hear My Cry Award is named for all ethnically and racially diverse authors. We need to bring more diverse authors into our classrooms and that is the basis of this award. This children’s literature award goes to a book that lets us see into the culture of another race or ethnicity.

This award is about the invisible social issues of not having diversity of literacy in the classroom. Throughout the article “Reading the World of School Literacy”, Willis addresses the issue of how teachers feel they have great literacy programs that they are using in their classroom, but most do not have any diversity to ethnicity or race even when those races are present in the classroom. Theoretically, each literacy program purports to be culturally neutral and not mediated by any dominant view of language, when, in fact, a Eurocentric, mainstream cultural view dominates.

The book that wins this award will show us about the culture of those that are ethnically and racially diverse and the author must be ethnically or racially diverse. For this award we are looking at all genres and all grade levels. Nominations are due on March 5, 2009.

Work Cited: Willis, Arlette. Reading the World of School Literacy: Contextualizing the Experience of a Young African American Male. Harvard Educational Review, Vol. 65 No. 1, 1995.

Nominated “I Love Saturdays y Domingos” by Alma Flor Ada.
This book is about a bilingual girl’s weekend visits to her two sets of grandparents. It sends the message that flopping between two worlds can be a blessing rather than a hardship. The left of each spread shows the main character spending Saturdays with her paternal grandparents, with whom she speaks English; on the right, she spends los domingos (Sundays) with her Mexican American Abuelito and Abuelita and converses in Spanish. The situations in the two households share similarities which make it easy for readers to understand many of the words in spanish. This book deserves to win the Hear My Cry Award because the author, Alma Flor Ada uses both english and spanish to show kids the beauty of having different cultures in their family.

Lesson Plan

http://www.ket.org/education/guides/BTP_ILoveSaturdays.pdf

READERS’ RESPONSES

If you have enjoyed reading or sharing this book, I would very much like to hear from you. Please click here to send your comments.

A triple murder takes place in the Cuba of the late 1950’s, changing forever the lives of six young individuals. Time and distance separate them now, yet all remain joined by a shared secret they’ve promised never to reveal. In this new saga, we feel suspense, surprises, deep emotions and unexpected outcomes that map the road by which the main characters will relive their past to find in their present the profound reality of their origins and identity — finally sowing the seeds for a better future. Through her characteristically evocative style, Alma Flor Ada describes the everyday historical and political events lived by Cubans in exile and by those that remain on the island. Her narrative transcends the purely anecdotal to present us with a kaleidoscope of intense feelings and moving dialogues where time and memory dance to the beat of absence and yearning.

Book Description

This story has been adapted from a popular children’s song. Count along in Spanish and English as each one of ten adorable puppies disappears from the pages.

Colorful and playful illustrations by artist Ulises Wensell, a vibrant rendition of the classic nursery rhyme by Alma Flor Ada and Isabel Campoy with a new and satisfying ending, and a delightful English adaptation by Rosalma Zubizarreta will make this edition an instant family favorite.

The book offers several pages of non-fiction information about the ten puppy breeds featured.

Puppies have never been so irresistible!

AUTHOR’S NOTE

The Diez perritos song was a favorite during my childhood. Years later it would become a favorite of my own children. While the song is lively and playful, there was always a certain amount of sadness as the puppies disappeared to an uncertain fate. So when Isabel Campoy and I decided to create a book based on this song we made sure that, when the puppies disappear from the page, following the rhyme it’s to engage in fun adventures.

Dogs have been an important part of my life, as well as for Isabel. The puppies here honor the dogs in our lives.

It was a particular joy that Ulises Wensell would create the wonderful illustrations. Ulises, his creative wife Paloma, and I have been good friends since the early 1970s. when Ulises illustrated my reading series Hagamos caminos, creating a series of whimsical characters that continue to enliven the pages of those books and workbooks. And since that time I cherished the dream of having a book illustrated by him. It was particularly touching that when I asked him that the last puppy, the one that remains as the protagonist’s great love, be a Samoyed he remembered our beautiful Snowflake that he had met very many years ago. I know that last puppy was painted with special love.

REVIEWS

School Library Journal

In one of the most popular counting rhymes in Spanish folklore, 10 adorable puppies decrease by one with each page turn. Enticements such as snow, pastries, fireworks, a new home, theater, sickness, and fun cause the puppies to move on, until only one remains as a beloved companion for a child. Vibrant colored-pencil and watercolor illustrations are done in deep hues of green, pastels, and earth tones to create realistic images that capture the spontaneous, playful, and affectionate nature of the pups. The text can be sung or spoken in Spanish or English. The English translation skillfully utilizes rhyme to maintain the story’s authenticity while accurately reflecting the original poem. The back section contains musical notation of the melody, guitar chord symbols, the bilingual verses in their entirety, and a glossary with information about the 10 dog breeds featured. Large, appealing illustrations will make this a favorite for storytime presentations; an excellent source in helping children to develop prereading skills, and a fun way to introduce them to early math concepts such as addition and subtraction.
–Cristi Jenkins, Fort Vancouver Library District, WA

RECOGNITIONS

Best-selling Book!
Once Upon A World Book Award, Simon Weisenthal Center, 1998
NCSS/CBC Notable Book in the area of Social Studies, National Council of Social Studies and the Children’s Book Council
Pura Belpré Honor Book, American Library Association 1997
NCTE Notable Book in Language Arts, National Council of Teachers of English
“Pick of the Lists” American Booksellers Association
California Readers’ Collection, Elementary List
Commended List, Center for Latin American Studies

BOOK DESCRIPTION

The author’s many years of work with migrant families inspired this poetic ABC of the fields, in two languages, and Simón Silva’s magnificent illustrations, in bold colors, have created a work of art to be enjoyed by children and adults alike. (K-12).

CD DESCRIPTION

Suni Paz has drawn from her extensive knowledge of Latin American folklore for the inspirational music that turns the poems in this book into memorable songs, an irresistible invitation to listen, to enjoy, to sing along.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Some of the most heartening experiences of my life have been my work with Migrant Farm Working families. I have described the academic results of sharing high quality children’s books with Migrant parents and inviting them to create books with their children in Pájaro Valley, California in the book A Magical Encounter: Use of Latino Literature in the Classroom. I have described my work with farm working parents, and the learning I derived from it, in my memoirs, Vivir en dos idiomas.

The poems of Gathering the Sun were born out of these enriching experiences. Simón Silva, who knew intimately the life in the fields during his childhood and has drawn from the heritage of the great Mexican muralists provided strong and magnificent illustrations that have made this book the true homage to the farm workers lives and struggles that I dreamt to create.

It has given me unsurpassable joy to sign this book for golden anniversaries of grandparents and for birthday gifts, for quinceañeras, newborn babies and babies yet to be born, realizing that in each case the book is a symbol of the strength, the resilience, the determination, the dignity and the profound love of family of those who work in the fields and whose labor allows us all to live.

Suni’s unique voice and her masterful compositions have allowed the words in this book to transcend their birth as poems becoming unforgettable songs. My gratitude to Suni and Simón, for allowing this homage to César Chávez and all campesinos to be as inspiring as his example and their lives.

REVIEWS

School Library Journal

Pre-School-Grade 5. An alphabet book with exceptional illustrations and excellent poetry that gives voice to the experience of Hispanic agricultural workers. Each letter is matched with a Spanish word (for example, “Arboles” for “A”) and accompanied by a poem in both Spanish and English that describes how the plant, fruit, vegetable, person, or feeling functions in the lives of these workers. Zubizarreta’s English translations are informed and graceful, but predictably cannot match the Spanish originals in rhythm, assonance, or meter. Silva’s vibrant, double-page, gouache illustrations are reminiscent of the artwork of Diego Rivera and Jose Clemente Orozco. The colors are brilliant, and the scope has a certain larger-than-life sense to it. This is a book that begs to be read aloud to all students, whether they are Spanish speaking or not. The sound of the poems will draw them in. The touching elegy for Cesar Chavez successfully imparts the impact of a heroic man on his people. Whether used to show the plight of migrant workers or the pride Hispanic laborers feel in their heritage, this is an important book. –Ann Welton, Terminal Park Elementary School, Auburn, WA Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Booklist

Ages 5–8. Using the Spanish alphabet as a template, Ada has written 27 poems that celebrate both the bounty of the harvest and the Mexican heritage of the farmworkers and their families. The poems, presented in both Spanish and English, are short and simple bursts of flavor: “Árboles/Trees,” “Betabel/Beet,” “César Chávez,” etc. Silva’s sun-drenched gouache paintings are robust, with images sculpted in paint. Brimming with respect and pride, the book, with its mythic vision of the migrant farm worker, will add much to any unit on farming or Mexican American heritage. Annie Ayres

Curled Up with a Good Kid’s Book

Tapping into a rich cultural history of people working the land and harvesting its bounty, Gathering the Sun is brilliantly illustrated, a delightful adventure into the world of language and art, of “simple words and sun-drenched paintings.” More than just an alphabet book, it teaches children the basics of language in the context of family and tradition.

The illustrated alphabet is Spanish, text in both Spanish and English: “arboles (trees), “the companions of my childhood”; duraznos (peaches), “like a gentle caress in the palm of my hand”; tomates (tomatoes), “red tomato in the kitchen, in the little tacos my godmother loves to make”; zanahoria (carrot), “The carrot hides beneath the earth. After all, she knows the sun’s fiery color by heart.”

Through the text by Alma Flor Ada and wonderful art of Simon Silva, beginning readers explore orchards and fields beside those who plant and nurture the crops, the book dedicated to the living memory of César Chávez: “Your example and your words sprout anew in the field rows as seedlings of quiet hope.”

In a joyful celebration of tilling, toiling and the language of nature’s bounty, the text is bilingual, with particular attention to the harmony of words and the images wrought from the earth’s palette, the cycle of growth and those who labor to carry their fruits from field to kitchen, from the hands that tend the plants to those who prepare the spicy and textured foods that grace the tables of grateful families: “In the field row lies a seed, all tucked in like a baby in the crib.”

Gathering the Sun is nothing less than stunning, saturated with color and the shared dignity of hard work, a reflection of the author and illustrator’s appreciation for all aspects of growth, from field to heart to spirit, acknowledging “honor and pride, family and friends, history and heritage, and… the bounty of the harvest.“
–Luan Gaines/2006 for Curled Up with a Good Kid’s Book

papertiger.org

Whole World of ABCs and 123s
In her selection of bilingual books for reading to children, librarian Ana-Elba Pavon said of this beautiful, verse abecedario: it is “a tribute to working in the fields. A collection of poems, it includes Cesar Chavez, individual fruits and vegetables, and other Latino symbols. Use the poem under the letter “O” for “Orgullo” or “Pride” as a chant with your audience. Have them repeat each verse of the poem after you read it.” Absolutely!

Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish and English by the prolific author Alma Flor Ada is by definition an alphabet book, but is a tribute to working in the fields. A collection of poems, it includes Cesar Chavez, individual fruits and vegetables, and other Latino symbols. Use the poem under the letter “O” for “Orgullo” or “Pride” as a chant with your audience. Have them repeat each verse of the poem after you read it.– Marjorie Coughlan

CITATIONS

The Children’s Literature Lover’s Book of Lists by Joanna Sullivan on page 64, page 278, and page 333
Valerie & Walter’s Best Books for Children 2nd Ed : A Lively, Opinionated Guide by Walter M. Mayes on page 41, and Index
In Sweet Company: Conversations with Extraordinary Women about Living a Spiritual Life by Margaret Wolff on page 69
The Reading Teacher’s Book of Lists (J-B Ed: Book of Lists) by Edward Bernard Fry on page 159
“Let’s Read : A Complete Month-by-Month Activities Program for Beginning Readers” by Elizabeth Crosby Stull in Back Matter

Image Gallery

READERS’ RESPONSES

If you have enjoyed reading or sharing this book, I would very much like to hear from you. Please click here to send your comments.