LS 5663 Spring 2012

Module 2    Multicultural poetry

Bibliographic information:

Mora, Pat, and Rafael López. Yum! mmmm! qué rico!: Americas' sproutings. New York: Lee & Low Books Inc., 2007. ISBN: 9781584302711

Review:

Yum! MmMm! Que’ rico!: America’s Sproutings by Pat Mora is a delicious collection of her Haiku poems celebrating foods native to North and South America. These tasty morsels appeal to readers’ visual and rhythmic senses and tempt their taste buds, too. Most of the poems brought to life are about treats that most readers have eaten.  However, the unfamiliar delicacies are presented in such an enticing way that many readers will want to try them. Each poem is paired with an interesting fact or historical note allowing readers to learn geography, history and cultural facts as they enjoy the imagery and playfulness Mora creates with her words. In her “Dear Reader” note at the end of the book, Mora writes that she always wanted to write about foods in North and South America so she combined them into this one book. This added feature is where readers also learn of her love of poetry and diversity. There is no table of contents, index or pagination to help readers find a specific poem but Mora includes a mini Spanish-English dictionary, acknowledgements and author’s sources at the beginning which helps readers connect with her poetry.  Rafael Lopez creates rich, multidimential illustrations with arylics on wood panels that increase readers' interest in Mora's poems.

Highlighted Poem:

Papaya by Pat Mora

Chewing your perfume,

We taste your leafy jungle.

Yum! Juicy tropics.

Introduction/Activity:

3nd grade: Haiku/Research project

When students are preparing to present the information they have collected for their research assignment on an inventor, teach the characteristics of Haiku (uses just a few words to capture a moment or create a picture in the reader's mind, written in three lines, with five syllables in the first line, seven syllables in the second line, and five syllables in the third line).  Read Yum! MmMm! Que’ rico: America’s Sproutings to demonstrate how Mora used Haiku to present each food. Re-read “Papaya” and ask students what they learned about a Papaya from the poem. Have students write a Haiku about their inventor and include it as part of their presentation of the inventor.