author: Pat Mora
illustrator: Enrique O. Sanchez
Lee & Low, 1996
grades 1-4
Mexican American
In Mora’s short
poems, in English with Spanish words seamlessly woven in, a little girl joins
birds, ranitas, bees and wind to sing a morning song to the sun, hears all the colors
of the sounds, tries to catch the morning wind, watches a carver awakening an
animal, “asleep in a piece of wood,” sees dragons and caballitos in the sky,
smells cinnamon and anise the panadero’s sweet secrets; remembers the cascarones,
filled with confetti; and sits on Abuelita’s lap, where she can listen to
cuentos and tell about her day.
Each short poem
on the left side is set into a background of bright colors, which are muted
into the softer tones and images on the right. Sanchez’s acrylic paintings also
reflect both the meanings and rhythms of the poems; together, the words and
pictures glow.
Confetti is a gentle love song to the Southwest,
and to Mexican-American family, culture and community. Highly recommended.
—Beverly Slapin
(published 4/6/13)
(published 4/6/13)
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