Module 3 Book 1 Pat Mora poetry book

A.Bibliography:
Mora,Pat. Illustrated by Francisco X. Mora Delicious Hullabaloo/Pachanga Deliciosa. 1998.Houston,TX: Piñata Books. ISBN: 1558852468.

B.Plot
A variety of fun-loving animals prepare for a raucous party.


C. Critical analysis with cultural markers

The animals eat a variety of fruits found in tropical countries such as mangos and bananas. Mora lets the Spanish language rhymes create the cultural atmosphere but does not rely as much on the illustrations to provide cultural markers. The song/preparations for the fiesta take place in a non-descript house in a moonlit desert with sparse,flat surfaces and multicolored armadillos,fish and lizards that don't belong to any human culture.
However, there are quite a few cultural markers: The lizards mix together cilantro,tomates, and chile for the salsa ranchera, or tomato based hot sauce in a molcajete or Mexican mortar and pestle.In one illustration they are eating pan dulce or mexican pastry. One of the lizards plays maracas while another amigo plays guitar.

The poetry , which doesn't really flow very well,carries most of the cultural markers simply because it is Spanish. The lagartijas or lizards have amigos or friends and celebrate a pachanga or rowdy celebration or "blow-out."

Frankly, I found this book a bit dull and muted and wondered how a non-native speaker of Spanish would wrestle with the word "lagartija" while reading aloud.

D. Review Excerpts
Booklist: Presented bilingually with a Spanish translation by Alba Nora Martinez, this western frolic is winsomely illustrated in soft and soothing Southwestern shades. Slight but sassy, serve this one up with salsa and mariachi music.

San Antonio Express-News:
"Lively and colorful illustrations of dancing armadillos and salsa making lizards abound in this savory book. Mora’s poetic language and the sun-washed colors of the character animals and their food make this book a delight for the senses—it’s hard not to cha-cha while reading it aloud




E. Connections
Other bilingual poetry books (English/Spanish) for young children that celebrate animals include:

Mora,Pat. 1994. Listen to the desert. ISBN: : 9780395672921
Ada, Alma Flor and Isabel Campoy. 2005. Mama Goose: a Latino nursery treasure.
ISBN:9780786819539
Hall, Nancy Abraham. 1994. Baby chicks sing: traditional games,nursery rhymes and songs from Spanish speaking countries. ISBN:9780316340106