Culture 3 - Hispanic/Latino(a): Neighborhood Odes

Soto, Gary. NEIGHBORHOOD ODES. Ill. by David Diaz. Orlando: Harcourt, Inc., 1992. ISBN 0152053646

NEIGHBORHOOD ODES is a collection of poems about life in a Mexican-American community. Soto takes seemingly insignificant things like pomegranates, family pictures and tortillas and shows how they can bind people together.


The interlingual use of Spanish is a distinct cultural marker from the first poem, "Ode to Los Raspados". The Spanish words are defined in a glossary so as not to disrupt the picture being painted. "Papa drives a truck Of helados and Snow cones, the Music of arrival Playing block After block." Some poems are all English and others are a combination, "Ode to El Guitarron" and "Ode to Pablo's Tennis Shoes". The Spanish words are used with clues to be able to figure out the meaning without interrupting the poem. "The high school novios Are now married, Belinda and Rudolfo," from "Ode to Weddings".
Celebrations mentioned in the poems also present cultural markers. "Ode to La Pinata" is about a girl's birthday party and the fun of hitting a candy-filled pinata. "Ode to Weddings" mentions different family and friends: "Abuelo, compradres, tias, viejos".
The poem that presents a strong cultural aspect is "Ode to La Llorona" which tells the story of a ghost weeping for her children who drowned. This is a legend that has been told for years within this culture.
The illustrations by David Diaz also contribute to the feel of the book. They are all black and white and look similar to the paper art, papel picado. They look simplistic but are beautiful and anyone who has any experience with the Mexican-American culture will be familiar with it.
I shared "Ode to Family Photographs" with a group of students and shared personal pictures that did not turn out well. The students loved it and were anxious to discuss their own families.

HORN BOOK GUIDE: "With humor, sensitivity, and insight, Soto explores the lives of children."

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "Black-and-white illustrations blend well with the astute verbal imagery."

Read other books of poetry by Gary Soto:
A FIRE IN MY HANDS
ISBN 9780152055646

CANTO FAMILIAR
ISBN9780152000677

Have students write their own odes to things in their neighborhoods.

Visit the following website to read one version of La Llorona:
http://www.literacynet.org/lp/hperspectives/llorona.html