Culture 3: Hispanic/Latino(a) Literature
A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Mora, Pat. 2007. YUM! ¡MMMM! ¡QUÉ RICO! : AMERICAS’ SPROUTINGS. Ill. by Rafael López. NY, New York: Lee & Low Books. ISBN 9781584302711
B. PLOT SUMMARY
YUM! ¡MMMM! ¡QUÉ RICO! : AMERICAS’ SPROUTINGS is written by Pat Mora and illustrated by Rafael López. This collection of Haiku consists of fourteen diverse varieties of plants from the Americas with a paragraph about the origin of each titled variety.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
In Pat Mora’s YUM! ¡MMMM! ¡QUÉ RICO! : AMERICAS’ SPROUTINGS, the author offers the reader an entertaining and spirited collection of poetry that will appeal to both children and adults. Rafael López’s illustrations provide an essential element to Mora’s haikus that forms a picture perfect exhibition of authentic cultural markers of the foods of the Americas. The poems are compiled alphabetically progressing from blueberry, chile, chocolate, corn, cranberry, papaya, peanuts, pecan, pineapple, potatoes, prickly pear, pumpkin, tomato, to vanilla. Mora disperses a small number of Spanish words in her poems that are effortlessly identifiable in italics. The translations for these Spanish words are on the opposite side of the poem’s title page. For example, Mora states, “Chilli in Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs and one of the original languages of Mexico, the word became chile in Spanish and chili in English . . . The word chocolate comes from the Nahuatl word xocolatl, which means ‘bitter water.’” According to an excerpt from the back of Mora’s book, she informs the reader of the following, “I love variety . . . Spanish and English . . . I like diversity in people and poetry too. The world’s variety is amazing and delicious.” Regarding the native people of the Americas, she states, ". . . these plants were grown and enjoyed by the peoples of the Americas long before Christopher Columbus or any other Europeans had ever tasted such wonderful foods."
The following three poems are examples of Pat Mora’s vibrant haikus that draw on alliteration, personification, assonance, and sensory imagery.
In Pat Mora’s YUM! ¡MMMM! ¡QUÉ RICO! : AMERICAS’ SPROUTINGS, the author offers the reader an entertaining and spirited collection of poetry that will appeal to both children and adults. Rafael López’s illustrations provide an essential element to Mora’s haikus that forms a picture perfect exhibition of authentic cultural markers of the foods of the Americas. The poems are compiled alphabetically progressing from blueberry, chile, chocolate, corn, cranberry, papaya, peanuts, pecan, pineapple, potatoes, prickly pear, pumpkin, tomato, to vanilla. Mora disperses a small number of Spanish words in her poems that are effortlessly identifiable in italics. The translations for these Spanish words are on the opposite side of the poem’s title page. For example, Mora states, “Chilli in Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs and one of the original languages of Mexico, the word became chile in Spanish and chili in English . . . The word chocolate comes from the Nahuatl word xocolatl, which means ‘bitter water.’” According to an excerpt from the back of Mora’s book, she informs the reader of the following, “I love variety . . . Spanish and English . . . I like diversity in people and poetry too. The world’s variety is amazing and delicious.” Regarding the native people of the Americas, she states, ". . . these plants were grown and enjoyed by the peoples of the Americas long before Christopher Columbus or any other Europeans had ever tasted such wonderful foods."
The following three poems are examples of Pat Mora’s vibrant haikus that draw on alliteration, personification, assonance, and sensory imagery.
PINEAPPLE
A stiff, spiky hat
on thick prickly skin, inside
hide syrupy rings.
PEANUT
Smear nutty butter,
then jelly. Gooey party,
my sandwich and me.
CHILE
Dad bites green mouth-fire,
laughs when tears fill his eyes, sighs,
"Mmmm! This heat tastes good."
Dad bites green mouth-fire,
laughs when tears fill his eyes, sighs,
"Mmmm! This heat tastes good."
Rafael López’s illustrations are as delicious and interesting as are the foods in Mora’s haiku. Applying acrylic on wood-panel, López creates vivid and bold pictures with golden reds, blues, oranges, and greens colors. The illustrations are as inviting as the poems. Also, the boldness of the hues and the strength of the acrylic images give the reader a culinary delight in a traditional Mexican mural. Further, the acrylic on wood panel displays families, celebrations, and traditions, which reflects the diversity of the people of the Americas. There is a folkloric element to López’s murals that offers the reader numerous prominent cultural markers that include an assortment of skin tones and facial features, body types, hairstyles/hair textures, clothing, modern/traditional representations of urban and rural architecture, various representations of transportation, and diverse environments. López illustrations of rainforests, farms, and deserts, urban and rural communities provide the reader with an array of authentic cultural markers of the Hispanic culture.
Pat Mora’s haiku and informational text celebrates foods native to countries throughout the Americas. Readers of all ages will delight in a visual banquet of Mora's zany haiku poems and López dazzling traditional art work of enchanting and succulent foods of the Americas.
D. BOOK REVIEWS
Booklist
"This inventive stew of food haiku celebrates the indigenous foods of the Americas."
Curriculum Connections
"In this cross-curricular treat, imaginative, double-page, lushly rendered acrylic illustrations on wood panels are paired with playful haikus and a paragraph of information to introduce 14 foods indigenous to the Americas, including blueberries, pumpkins, and corn."
Book Links
"Mora's descriptive poetry features wonderful word choices and gets it right to the essence of each food … What makes this collection especially memorable are López' bright, double-page paintings on wood panel, which vibrantly show children and families enjoying each food.”
School Library Journal
“The art conveys an infectious sense of fun, as smiling suns and moons beam down upon happy children and animals, along with a trumpet-wielding peanut-butter sandwich and a dancing pineapple . . . Teachers will find this a welcome addition to their social-studies units, but it should also win a broad general audience for its inventive, fun-filled approach to an ever-popular topic: food.”
Library Media Connections
"If you love food, this book will appeal to you … These delightful pictures and delicious text meld together for an enticing word banquet. Mora has captured just the right combination of fun, flavor, and information. This is sure to be a hit with almost every reader. The curriculum connections are many, food, haiku, and geography. Teachers and media specialists will love having this book in their collections."
Le Blogac
"From acclaimed Latina poet and author Pat Mora comes a delightful collection of haiku focused on some of the most familiar (and a few unfamiliar) foods that are native to the Americas … With joyous illustrations that practically jump off the page, artist Rafael López captures the essence of each haiku and brings these delicious poems to life."
Paper Tigers
"Chiles, papayas and prickly pears praised in Haiku form . . . Pat Mora, creator of Dia de los Niños/Dia de los Libros, pays tribute to the diversity she embraces and celebrates through her work. Rafael López's … scrumptious mural-like paintings hold meanings beyond the words themselves I think it’s a terrific combination of haiku about edible plants native to the Americas, factual information about these foods, and vibrant artwork."
Wild Rose Reader
"This collection of haiku introduces 14 foods from the Americas. López's colorful double-page spreads, rendered in acrylic on wood panels, add to the imaginative presentation of such gastronomic favorites as chocolate, corn, prickly pear, pumpkin, and more. Each haiku is also accompanied by an informative paragraph about the food, including its history and probable origin."
E. CONNECTIONS
This collection will provide a pleasurable approach to introduce haiku to elementary students.
This collection will provide a pleasurable approach to introduce haiku to elementary students.
Introduce the above poems by asking students to tell about their favorite food and to draw a picture of it.
B. PLOT SUMMARY
PARTLY CLOUDY: POEMS OF LOVE AND LONGING by Gary Soto is a collection of one hundred poems about the emotions and feelings that causes anxiety and tribulation in the lives of young adults. Each of Soto’s poems is written with a sharp lens into the emotional state of teenagers. The point of views and emotions expressed in each poem are genuine and passionate. This compilation is representational of the young person’s heart and soul communicated through free verse. The poems in this collection are voiced by a male and a female teenager.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
PARTLY CLOUDY: POEMS OF LOVE AND LONGING is an exceptional piece of work that will beguile the strongest of young adult readers. This exceptional collection taps into the teenagers murky feelings of young love. The poems in this collection unmistakably offer the reader an insightful glance into the hearts of the adolescent world of uncharted feelings of puppy love.
The cultural markers communicated in PARTLY CLOUDY by Gary Soto represent the culture of the young adult. These markers are articulated in the print of each poem. The titles of some of the poems include: Barriers, The Big Chill, First Kiss, Lazy Cupid, Fake Love, When I Lost You, Sparks, Home Alone, and Liking It, Rumors, Eternal Love, and Stars. Also, this collection is divided into two very distinctive selections. PARTLY CLOUDY offers the reader a section for boys and a selection for girls. This allows the readers of either sex to select the poems that relate to their emotional state. The poems in this compilation are written in free verse. Many of the poems are concise, with a few stanzas that do not rhyme. The cultural markers that connect to the Latino culture are basically nonexistent, except for one poem titled Barriers. The narrator of the poem states, "Who will understand us? . . . Not your parents or mine, As I'm Japanese/And you're Mexican." The poet’s culture and the female and male narrators cultures are undetectable in this bold book of poems.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
THE DREAMER by Pam Muñoz Ryan and Peter Sís provides the reader with a fascinating blend of poetry, historical fiction, imaginary biography, and a gimps into the life of a young boy with a steadfast determination to follow his dream. The text and illustrations take the reader on a remarkable journey into the heart and imagination of the Chilean born Nobel Laureate Pablo Neruda, who received the Prize for Literature in 1971.
A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Soto, Gary. 2009. PARTLY CLOUDY: POEMS OF LOVE AND LONGING. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. ISBN 9780152063016
Soto, Gary. 2009. PARTLY CLOUDY: POEMS OF LOVE AND LONGING. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. ISBN 9780152063016
B. PLOT SUMMARY
PARTLY CLOUDY: POEMS OF LOVE AND LONGING by Gary Soto is a collection of one hundred poems about the emotions and feelings that causes anxiety and tribulation in the lives of young adults. Each of Soto’s poems is written with a sharp lens into the emotional state of teenagers. The point of views and emotions expressed in each poem are genuine and passionate. This compilation is representational of the young person’s heart and soul communicated through free verse. The poems in this collection are voiced by a male and a female teenager.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
PARTLY CLOUDY: POEMS OF LOVE AND LONGING is an exceptional piece of work that will beguile the strongest of young adult readers. This exceptional collection taps into the teenagers murky feelings of young love. The poems in this collection unmistakably offer the reader an insightful glance into the hearts of the adolescent world of uncharted feelings of puppy love.
The cultural markers communicated in PARTLY CLOUDY by Gary Soto represent the culture of the young adult. These markers are articulated in the print of each poem. The titles of some of the poems include: Barriers, The Big Chill, First Kiss, Lazy Cupid, Fake Love, When I Lost You, Sparks, Home Alone, and Liking It, Rumors, Eternal Love, and Stars. Also, this collection is divided into two very distinctive selections. PARTLY CLOUDY offers the reader a section for boys and a selection for girls. This allows the readers of either sex to select the poems that relate to their emotional state. The poems in this compilation are written in free verse. Many of the poems are concise, with a few stanzas that do not rhyme. The cultural markers that connect to the Latino culture are basically nonexistent, except for one poem titled Barriers. The narrator of the poem states, "Who will understand us? . . . Not your parents or mine, As I'm Japanese/And you're Mexican." The poet’s culture and the female and male narrators cultures are undetectable in this bold book of poems.
Although a focus on a specific culture is not prevalent in this poetic masterpiece, Gary Soto's voice is loud and clear: Young love has no cultural boundaries.
D. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
AWARDS
2011 Pura Belpre Author Award
2010 Boston Globe-Horn Book Fiction Honor Book
School Library Journal
“Soto skillfully captures the voice and emotions of young teens in love. The free verse poems are grouped together in two sections: ‘A Girl's Tears, Her Songs’ and ‘A Boy's Body, His Words.’”
2010 Boston Globe-Horn Book Fiction Honor Book
School Library Journal
“Soto skillfully captures the voice and emotions of young teens in love. The free verse poems are grouped together in two sections: ‘A Girl's Tears, Her Songs’ and ‘A Boy's Body, His Words.’”
Publishers Weekly
“Teenagers pine for, revel in and recover from early loves and relationships in Soto's (Mercy on These Teenage Chimps ) collection of nearly 80 poems, divided into two sections: “A Girl's Tears, Her Songs” and “A Boy's Body, His Words.”
Booklist
Booklist
“In rapid, clear free verse, young teens, both girls and boys, speak about falling in love—the jealousy, loneliness, and hurt of rejection and breaking up, as well as the romantic bliss.”
Kirkus Reviews
Kirkus Reviews
“The deceptively simple poems examine love from many angles in verses that are by turns funny and poignant. In ‘Obsession,’ a girl talks about having so many pictures of her boyfriend that her optometrist says, ‘A curious case. Young lady, there's a picture / Of a boy at the back of your retinas.’”
E. CONNECTIONS
After reading PARTLY CLOUDY, students may write poems in their journals about their feelings of love.
After reading PARTLY CLOUDY, students may write poems in their journals about their feelings of love.
Related works relating to teenage love include the following:
Johnson, Dave.2000. MOVIN’ TEEN POETS TAKE VOICE. Orchard Books. ISBN 9780531302583
Giovanni, Nikki. 2003. PAINT ME LIKE I AM: TEEN POEMS. Harper Tempest. ISBN 9780064472647
A. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Ryan, Pam Muñoz. 2010. THE DREAMER. ILL. by Peter Sís. NY, New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 9780439269704
B. PLOT SUMMARY
Neftalí is a dreamer who loves words and nature. His father demands that he be realistic and focus on his studies. Neftalí learns to listen to his inter voice and trust himself. This book is about the twentieth century poet Pablo Neruda who defies his father and follows his dreams.
C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
THE DREAMER by Pam Muñoz Ryan and Peter Sís provides the reader with a fascinating blend of poetry, historical fiction, imaginary biography, and a gimps into the life of a young boy with a steadfast determination to follow his dream. The text and illustrations take the reader on a remarkable journey into the heart and imagination of the Chilean born Nobel Laureate Pablo Neruda, who received the Prize for Literature in 1971.
THE DREAMER offers the reader several Chilean cultural markers relating to the setting, physical environment, characters names, language patterns, traditions, and support of the family, and the treatment of the indigenous people of Chile. The first cultural marker is the historical setting. The story takes place in the early 1900s in Temuco, Chile. Ryan offers the reader the following Chilean region cultural markers in the story: “Andes Mountains,” “Mount Llaima,” “River Cautin, “Labranza,” “Boroa,” and “Ranquilco.” Next, the physical environment is another cultural marker in the story. The characters live in a rural and impoverished area of Chile. The following cultural markers, relating to the characters physical surroundings are provided in the story: “Water mysteriously trilled . . . worming its way indoors,” “Weepy puddles dripped from the ceiling, filling the pots that had been poised to catch them,” “Rodolfo navigated the muddy street by leaping from stone to stone,” “the makeshift walls of his timid house,” and “the haphazard design of the room with incomplete stairs . . . deserted in the middle of constructions,” are authentic cultural markers of the how the characters existed in their surroundings.
Many of the characters names are cultural markers too: “Rodolfo, Jose Reyes, Orlando, Laurita, Mamadre, Valeria, Guillermo, Enrique, and Blanca. Moreover, the characters language patterns are cultural markers in THE DREAMER: “un perro callejero,” “el viento,” Buena suerte,” and “Libiamo, libiamo ne’ lieti calici che la belleza infiora . . .” Further, the physical characteristics of the people are cultural markers in the story. For instance, the reference to the Mapuche people of Chile, offers a cultural marker to a group of people in Temuco, Chile. In addition, the author’s notes shares Neftalí’s awareness of the unjust treatment of the Mapuche people, during this period in Chilean history. Moreover, Pablo Neruda poems focus on the social inequities and difficulties of the Mapuche people.
Finally, Neftalí does not have the support of his totalitarian father, who insists that his sons embark on a career in medicine or business. He labels Neftalí as a dreamer. Neftalí’s father shares, “Stop that incessant daydreaming! Do you want to be a skinny weakling forever and amount to nothing? Your mother was the same, scribbling on bits of paper, her mind always in another world.” Conversely, he does have the support of his Uncle Orlando, step sister and brother, a few friends and Mamadre, his step mother. Manadre consoles Neftalí and shares, “Your mother did not die from her imagination. It was a fever. And look at me. I am small and many say much too thin. I may not appear big and strong on the outside, but I am perfectly capable on the inside . . . just like you.”
In the beginning of the story, Neftalí submissively surrenders to his father’s directives and abandons his love for nature and books. However, by the end of the story, Neftalí develops from an inhibited boy to a strong and determined young man.
Peter Sís adds luminosity and ghostly brilliancy to the illustrations of a young boy soaring on a winged tipped pen, a spoon filled with a snow capped mountain, a dark menacing father, and the metamorphosis of a timid boy to a young adult, soaring across the pages of time.
D. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
AWARDS
Pura Belpré Award
School Library Journal
The perfect marriage of text and art offers an excellent introduction to one of the world's most famous poets. An appended author's note gives further insight into Neruda's beliefs and accomplishments.”
Booklist
“Ryan and Sís collaborate to create a stirring, fictionalized portrait of a timid boy’s flowering artistry. The neat squares of Sís’ meticulously stippled illustrations, richly symbolic in their own right, complement and deepen the lyrical quality of the book. This book has all the feel of a classic, elegant and measured, but deeply rewarding and eminently readable.”
The Horn Book
“The book is an immaculately crafted and inspiring piece of magical realism.”
E. CONNECTIONS
Using the internet, students may look up information about the country of Chile—its geography, climate, political history, and indigenous people, especially the Mapuche and share their discovery with their peers.
Other books by Pam Munoz Ryan:
BECOMING NOAMI LEON ISBN: 9780439269971
PAINT THE WIND ISBN: 9780545101769
RIDING FREEDOM ISBN: 9780439087964
Pam Muñoz Ryan's Web site:
http://www.pammunozryan.com/