LAUGHING TOMATOES

AND OTHER SPRING POEMS

by Francisco X. Alarcon Illustrations by Maya Christina Gonzalez

Award-winning bilingual poet, Francisco X. Alarcon, has created another winner in his book of delightful free-verse poems, Laughing Tomatoes and Other Spring Poems. Alarcon, is the author of several books of poetry for adults but this is his first publication aimed at children ages 9-12 years of age. In here, he returns to the joy of his childhood, family, friends and especially his grandmothers. Alarcon celebrates those everyday items such as corn, chiles, springtime and the magic of being a child in both English and Spanish verse. His poems are concrete and about things in most everyone's life.The very first of the 18 poems must be read, to a child's delight, upside down! This sets the tone for even more fun in the rest of the poetry. Alarcon writes in "Tortilla":

"each tortilla

is a tasty

round of applause

for the sun"

It is this sense of joy in the ordinary that will help young readers understand better what free verse is and that poetry can be about anything the writer wants it to be about. Both avid poetry readers and beginner or reluctant readers will enjoy this book.

The illustrations by Maya Christina Gonzalez add to the playfulness of Alarcon's words. Utilizing cartoon watercolor drawings, she fills the pages of happy people with tomato smiles, joyful animals and inviting fruits and vegetables.

Laughing Tomatoes is a feast for the eyes, ears and the soul.

Feast well and enjoy!

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Alarcon, Francisco X. 1997. LAUGHING TOMATOES AND OTHER SPRING POEMS. Ill. Maya Christina Gonzalez. San Francisco: Children's Book Press.