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shanviolinlove's review
4.0
Beautiful yet often indicting observations about land, seasons, memories, heritage. I loved getting immersed in the mental maps and landscapes of Rios' imagery; much detail and histories are fit in the small frame of couplets. I do think he relies heavily on the same framing of ideas, both in structure and wording, and occasional poems don't resonate as strongly as others, due to lapsing almost to prosey descriptions or presenting pretty images not anchored in any substantial foundation. Still, on the whole, I found myself returning to more than a few poems in this collection, wanting more of the color and sound crafted in his lines. Won't be the last collection of his I read!
torit's review
3.0
I liked the playfulness and surprise in these poems. Ríos writes about his experiences in a unique and engaging way.
mlindner's review
4.0
I truly enjoyed these poems which are primarily set in Nogales, Arizona straddling the Mexican-US border. There's a bit of magic and misdirection and a whole lot of truth.
featherbooks's review
4.0
Delighted with this find. I've read "Kid Hielero" to several captive audiences and will not think of watermelon in the same way again.
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