Poems to Dream Together/poemas Para Sonar Juntos: Poemas Para Sonar Juntos (Multilingual Edition) [Hardcover]

Francisco X. Alarcon (Author), Paula Barragan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 30, 2005 | Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up

A bilingual collection of poetry by acclaimed Chicano poet Francisco X. Alarcón celebrating family, community, nature, and the positive power of dreams to shape our future.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-5–Alarcón has a knack for tapping into the experiences and emotions of childhood. This vibrant collection of 17 short, bilingual verses is about dreams–both the day and the night variety–as well as the hopes and aspirations of individuals, families, and humanity at large. Rooted in the everyday world of children, the poems feature a family garden, a photo album, favorite fruits, going to school, and household chores. They also touch on larger life lessons, protecting the environment, and dreams for the future. With simple elegance, the verses read aloud beautifully and the poetic images are at once accessible and inspiring. The boldly colored, mixed-media artwork serves as a perfect complement. The art is varied and engaging, and the layout at times displays the Spanish text on top and the English underneath; at other times, side-by-side on the page; and still others on opposite sides of a spread. Overall, this is a dreamy choice for schools and libraries.
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From Booklist

Gr. 3-5. In an inspiring bilingual collection of short poems, Alarcon shares his dreams of peace, community building, and a bright future for children of all cultures. The works are charming in their simplicity and transcend cliche with beautifully unsophisticated imagery ("I feel / like one / happy onion."). The rhythm and cadence work well in both the Spanish and the English entries, and Barragan's illustrations are a fine complement to the text. Flat, bright colors and simple shapes give them the look of classroom paper cutouts, but the compositions are as intricate as Mexican mural paintings. The book delivers a strong message with a very gentle touch, a rare quality that will appeal to children as well as adults. Stella Clark
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Lee & Low Books; Bilingual edition (May 30, 2005)
• Language: Multilingual
• ISBN-10: 158430233X
• ISBN-13: 978-1584302339
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,179,042 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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.