BIBLIOGRAPHY
Mora, Pat. 2007. Yum! ¡Mmmm! ¡Qué Rico!: Americas' Sproutings. Illustrations by Rafael Lopez. New York: Lee & Low Books. ISBN 978-1584-30271-1
SUMMARY
Pat Mora presents readers with a collection of fourteen haiku describing various foods and spices that come from North, Central and South America. Sidebars of additional information teach us where the food originated and how it's eaten. What a yummy way to learn about blueberries, cranberries, chocolate, tomatoes, papayas, vanilla and other delicious food. Que rico!
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Pat Mora's Yum! ¡Mmmm! ¡Qué Rico!: Americas' Sproutings, has won many recognitions including being an ALA Children's Notable Book, a Texas Bluebonnet Award, a Chicago Public Library "Best of the Books," an ALA Top Ten Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, and an Americas Award Winner for the Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs. Mora's book is interdisciplinary; it discusses food and geography and is a great introduction to the Japanese poetic form of haiku. The haiku are fun and will inspire children to try new foods. I'm not a fan of papaya, but after reading its haiku, I'm tempted to try it again: "Chewing your perfume / we taste your leafy jungle / Yum! Juicy tropics."
Along with the haiku, the book is also informational; we learn where the food or spice originates, there is a description of the food item and how it can be eaten. In an author's note, Mora describes how she wanted to write a book of poetry on the native foods of the Americas and to use haiku, a seventeen-syllable poetic form. Since she likes diversity in her life, Mora decided to mix her interests to create this book. This is a great idea for children to realize: that beautiful things can be created if they blend together the things in life that interest them.
The illustrations by Rafael Lopez uses acrylic on wood panels and are indicative of his strong graphic style with magical symbolism. He depicts people representing a cultural diversity of Latino descent in happy family settings, as well as having anthropomorphic smiling suns and dancing pineapples. Lopez is a master at using color, with each double-page illustration being bold and bright. Children will have fun looking at the cheerful and textured pictures. One of the more beautiful books that I've had the pleasure to review.
Publisher recommendations: Interest Level K-6, Reading Level. 3.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
...an imaginatively vibrant book about crops native to the Americas. Each food has a brief history telling where they are grown, what uses other than food they have, and a haiku all its own. The fantastic artistry brings to life this book for an audience that might otherwise not take a second look...thoughtfully compiled, word choice is a bit overwhelming for the younger audience yet too basic for the next age level...Still, the illustrations bring the kids back for a second and third look, which reinforces the facts the author shares about these diverse crops.--Children's Literature
Using English and a smattering of Spanish words, Mora crafts a playful introduction to each [food]...the sense of whimsy is further underscored in Lopez's colorful acrylic on wood-panel illustrations. Artful compositions and brilliant complementary colors bear out the book's multicultural themes. The art conveys an infectious sense of fun...Teachers will find this a welcome additional to their social-studies units, but it should also win a broad audience for its inventive, fun-filled approach to an ever-popular topic: food. -- School Library Journal.
"This inventive stew of food haiku celebrates the indigenous foods of the Americas." -- Booklist
"Mora's descriptive poetry features wonderful word choices and gets it right to the essence of each food...Perfect for sharing as part of the curriculum or just for fun." --Book Links
"In this cross-curricular treat, imaginative...acrylic illustrations...are paired with playful haikus and a paragraph of information to introduce 14 foods indigenous to the Americas..." -- SLJ Curriculum Connections
CONNECTIONS
-Have students list 10 of their favorite foods and create a haiku poem choosing one.
-In art class, using the foods listed in Mora's book, have students create a collage or paint a picture.
-Using a map, plot the countries and/or states mentioned in the book. Ask students if they know other countries or states that are famous for a particular food, for example, Washington apples, French cheese, Hungarian goulash, etc.
-Discuss with students the food mentioned, examples are chili, chocolate, corn, cranberry, papaya, peanuts, pineapple, potato, and pumpkin. Ask students if they've eat the food before and where it can be found in a grocery store.
-If teachers have an account with "TeachingBooks.net, there is a link for this book with activities. http://www.teachingbooks.net/tb.cgi?tid=10318&a=1
-Students may also enjoy Pat Mora and Rafael Lopez's other book:
Book Fiesta!: Celebrate Children's Day/Book Day. ISBN 978-0061288777
-Students may enjoy the following series:
Erdosh, George. "Cooking Throughout American History." Published by PowerKids Press.
Schul, Mari. "How Fruits and Vegetables Grow." Published by Pebble Books.
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