Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish and English [Hardcover]

Alma Flor Ada (Author), Simon Silva (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Translated by Rosa Zubizarreta.

Simple poems and glorious paintings offer a deeply moving portrait of migrant Chicano farmworker families at work and play.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

PreSchool-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.

From 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

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Rayo; 1 Blg edition (April 28, 1997)
• Language: English, Spanish
• ISBN-10: 0688139035
• ISBN-13: 978-0688139032
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 9.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #421,716 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Alma Flor Ada, Pro­fes­sor Emerita at the Uni­ver­sity of San Fran­cisco, has devoted her life to advo­cacy for peace by pro­mot­ing a ped­a­gogy ori­ented to per­sonal real­iza­tion and social jus­tice. A for­mer Rad­cliffe Scholar at Har­vard Uni­ver­sity and Ful­bright Research Scholar she is an inter­na­tion­ally re-known speaker and the author of numer­ous children's books of poetry, nar­ra­tive, folk­lore and non fic­tion. Her books have received pres­ti­gious awards; among many: Christo­pher Medal (The Gold Coin), Pura Bel­pré Medal (Under the Royal Palms), Once Upon a World (Gath­er­ing the Sun), Par­ents' Choice Honor (Dear Peter Rab­bit), NCSS and CBC Notable Book (My Name is María Isabel). She is also the author of a book of mem­oirs, Vivir en dos idiomas, two nov­els for adults, En clave de sol and A pesar del amor, and sev­eral pro­fes­sional books for edu­ca­tors, includ­ing A Mag­i­cal Encounter: Latino Children's Lit­er­a­ture in the Class­room, as well as a wealth of edu­ca­tional mate­ri­als. Her work, in col­lab­o­ra­tion with F. Isabel Cam­poy in pro­mot­ing author­ship in stu­dents, teach­ers, and par­ents is the con­tent of their book Authors in the Class­room: A Trans­for­ma­tive Edu­ca­tion Process. Alma Flor Ada has been awarded the Amer­i­can Edu­ca­tion Research Asso­ci­a­tion [AERA] His­panic Issues Award for Research in Ele­men­tary, Sec­ondary and Post­sec­ondary Edu­ca­tion and the Cal­i­for­nia Asso­ci­a­tion for Bilin­gual Edu­ca­tion [CABE] Life Long Award.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The colors and mood of the book is earth-embracing., November 26, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish and English (Hardcover)

I found this book to be breath taking in color and content. My childhood came rushing back and many memories. The symbolism in portraying Cesar Chavez and the earth as one was well done. The colors portrayed the warmth of the content. Excellent!

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gathering in the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish and English, December 11, 2001

By 

Blanca Escobedo (Medford, OR United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish and English (Hardcover)

This is a must have for any chicano especially with kids. It is a magnificant piece of art that allows us to talk to our kids and others about our latino heritage in the agricultural fields of America. I bought this book because I am a fan of Simon Silva's art work and this book is like having a selection of his prints to display on the coffee table instead of the wall. It is a great conversational piece as art or history, as a tool to teach our personal heritage or as an educational piece for those of different ethnic backgrounds, and last but not least it is great for young and old. I love it!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Work of Art, September 9, 2000

By 

"sahrabear" (McMinnville, OR USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish and English (Hardcover)

This book is not only a wonderful cultural asset it is very pleaseing to the eyes and the spirit. Children will learn valuable knowledge about the cultures the surround us and not even know they are leaning, beacause of all the beautiful drawings. You will read this again and again. I often use just one page in storytime and it sparks a whole hour of interest.