Culture 3 - Hispanic/Latino(a): Confetti

Mora, Pat. CONFETTI: POEMS FOR CHILDREN. Ill. by Enrique O. Sanchez. New York: Lee & Low Books Inc., 1996. ISBN 1880000857

CONFETTI is a collection of poems from the perspective of a young Mexican-American girl living in the Southwest. The girl is celebrating the things around her such as the sun, cloud shapes, leaves and sounds. The poems really point to using your senses to notice things around you.

CONFETTI uses interlingual Spanish and translates words in the text as well. Some of the interlingual Spanish is best figured out with the illustrations. "Oh, I see caballitos that race the wind high in shimmering blue" in "Cloud Dragons" with pictures of clouds in the shape of horses. "Castanet Clicks" uses English and Spanish numbers to make the poem sing-songy. "Uno, dos, one two, baskets blue."
"Abuelita's Lap" is about the little girl's feelings of comfort from her grandmother. All readers will be able to relate to these feelings for a special family member no matter what they call them.
Sanchez's illustrations will capture readers' attention because they are so colorful and vibrant. The bright colors of orange, yellow, red, blue and purple go well with the Southwest theme. They have a simplicity that allows the colors to take center stage. The pictures help tell the stories of each poem. "Purple Snake" is about carving wood into animal shapes but the poem doesn't use the word "carve" until the middle. In the beginning the author says the animal is "asleep in a piece of wood". The picture accompanying the poem shows the little girl watching a pair of hands with a knife working on a purple snake. In the background are paint cans with bright colors and in the foreground two other animals already carved.
The characters are also illustrated culturally accurate. They are colored with dark hair and brown skin. Their children's clothes are simple and would be suitable for any child of any current culture.
Objects in the illustrations are also cultural markers for the Southwest. Bright green cacti, pottery and baskets adorn many pages. Another interesting addition drawn on some of the objects are simple line details of contrasting color that give the art an ancient feel.

BOOKLIST: "Using Spanish and English, this collection of poems is as much fun to look at as it is to read."

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "Narrative poems in free verse capture the rhythms and uniqueness of the Southwest and its culture as seen through the eyes of a Mexican-American girl."

Read other books by Pat Mora:
A LIBRARY FOR JUANA
ISBN 9780375806438

MY OWN TRUE NAME
ISBN 9781558852921