Laughing Tomatoes: And Other Spring Poems / Jitomates Risuenos: Y Otros Poemas de Primavera (The Magical Cycle of the Seasons Series) [Paperback]

Francisco X. Alarcon (Author), Maya Christina Gonzalez (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up | Series: The Magical Cycle of the Seasons Series

Tomatoes laugh, chiles explode, and tortillas applaud the sun. With joy and tenderness, delight and sadness, Frances X. Alarcón's poems honor life and nature: welcoming the morning sun, remembering his grandmother's songs, paying tribute to children working in the fields, and dreaming of a world filled with gardens.

Artist Maya Christina Gonzalez invites readers to experience the poems with her lively cast of characters - including a spirited grandma, four vivacious children, and playful pets who tease and delight. Follow them from page to page as they bring each poem to colorful life. Laughing Tomatoes is a verbal and visual treat, giving readers eighteen opportunities to see everything for the first time.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 5?Coming out in the same season as Alma Flor Ada's Gathering the Sun (Lothrop, 1997), Tomatoes faces some stiff competition. Nonetheless, this collection of verses in English and Spanish, illustrated with bold, primitive paintings, carves a lighthearted niche all its own. Most of the poems are short, but even the longer ones are composed of telegraphic one- and two-syllable lines. The effect is that of quick snapshots of moments in life. The subjects?food, weather, plants, dreams?are all familiar ones. The selections scan equally well in English and in Spanish. This is an excellent teaching tool for units on poetry composition and on colorful use of language. Of special utility in bilingual classrooms, this book provides an amusing way to explore the same ideas in two languages. For more depth in both poem content and artwork, Gathering the Sun is clearly superior, but the books complement each other well. Both are good introductions to the serious and involved poetry of Lori Carlson's Cool Salsa (Holt, 1994), which is more issue oriented and challenging.?Ann Welton, Terminal Park Elementary School, Auburn, WA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Ages 5-8. This bilingual collection of poems by Chicano poet Alarcon celebrates spring and the fruits of family and sunshine. As with "Chile / El chile" ("sometimes / a bite is all it takes / for a supernova / to explode"), the poems are short and simple imagistic reflections exuberantly expanded by Gonzalez in colorful double-page illustrations featuring Latino children and a grandmother frolicking with playful pets beneath a smiling sun. Picture-book poetry for collections seeking Latino literature or just a burst of California sunshine. Annie Ayres --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Paperback: 32 pages
• Publisher: Children's Book Press; First Trade Paper Edition edition (March 10, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0892391995
• ISBN-13: 978-0892391998
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 8 x 0.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #982,936 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #62 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Literature & Fiction > Poetry > Spanish

More About the Author

Francisco X. Alarcón is an award-winning poet and educator whoi was born in Los Angeles, California, and is the author of eleven volumes of poetry, including, FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF NIGHT: NEW AND SELECTED POEMS (University of Arizona Press 2002), SONNETS TO MADNESS AND OTHER MISFORTUNES (Creative Arts Book Company 2001), SNAKE POEMS: AN AZTEC INVOCATION (Chronicle Books 1992), DE AMOR OSCURO / OF DARK LOVE (Moving Parts Press 2001).

He is also an acclaimed children's author who is able to write his books both in English and Spanish. His most recent book of bilingual poetry for children celebrates a natural wonder of the world, ANIMAL POEMS OF THE IGUAZÚ (Children's Book Press 2008) and it was selected as a Notable Book for a Global Society by the International Reading Association, and as an Américas Award Commended Title by the Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs. His previous bilingual book POEMS TO DREAM TOGETHER (Lee & Low Books 2005) was awarded the 2006 Jane Addams Honor Book Award.

The seasons of the year inspired Francisco to write four award-wining books of bilingual poems published by Children's Book Press of San Francisco. LAUGHING TOMATOES AND OTHER SPRING POEMS (1997) was awarded the 1997 Pura Belpré Honor Award by the American Library Association and the National Parenting Publications Gold Medal. He also received the 2000 Pura Belpré Honor Award for his second book of bilingual poems for children, FROM THE BELLYBUTTON OF THE MOON AND OTHER SUMMER POEMS (1998), and the 2002 Pura Belpré Honor Award for his fourth book of bilingual poems for children, IGUANAS IN THE SNOW AND OTHER WINTER POEMS (2001). He has published another book for children, ANGELS RIDE BIKES AND OTHER FALL POEMS (1999).

Francisco has been a finalist nominated for Poet Laureate of California in two occasions in the past five years. He teaches at the University of California, Davis.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a find!, December 7, 2000

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Laughing Tomatoes and Other Spring Poems / Jitomates Risuenos y otros poemas de primavera (Hardcover)

As a bilingual teacher I was thrilled to discover such a wonderful book. It can be compared to Carmen Lomas Garza's book, Family Pictures. The author, Francisco X. Alarcon weaves cultural, historical, spiritual and nature themes into poems that sing from the page, touch the soul and even inspire reflection. Each poem shares a snapshot of life - bringing back some of my personal memories. The bright, colorful illustrations by Maya Gonzalez complement the poems and further bring them to life with a Latin flair. My sixth grade students enjoyed this as well as my four year old nephew. I am sure it will become a timeless treasure in everyone's library.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Colorful celebration of life!, August 23, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Laughing Tomatoes and Other Spring Poems / Jitomates Risuenos y otros poemas de primavera (Hardcover)

My third grade students loved this book! Only a handful are English language Learners but all the kids got a kick out of the gorgeous illustrations and the fun poetry. We read the poems together in both English and Spanish and the kids had fun painting their own impressions of the poetry. I strongly recommend this book for any K - 6 classroom!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars beautiful bilingual book of poetry, December 13, 2009

By 

J. Jacobs - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Laughing Tomatoes: And Other Spring Poems / Jitomates Risuenos: Y Otros Poemas de Primavera (The Magical Cycle of the Seasons Series) (Paperback)

This is such a great book, one of the best children's poetry books I've come across. The poems are filled with light, happiness and observations on the beauty of life, including the sun, corn, roots, dew and chili peppers. Each poem is presented in both English and Spanish and the illustrations are bright and colorful. I started this book with a young toddler and look forward to having it as a staple in our home library over the coming years.