A review by liftyourheavyeyelids
Laughing Tomatoes and Other Spring Poems: Jitomates Risuenos y Otros Poemas de Primavera by Francisco X. Alarcón

5.0

This is just such a well executed children's book of poetry, I don't think my review can do it justice.
This book, the artwork and the poetry are so beautiful. Although I am Puerto Rican and not Mexican, for me the poetry really captured what it is like to be a latinx person in the U.S. There are many poems that are specific to the Chicanx experience, but "Roots"/"Raíces", "Las canciones de mi abuela"/"My Grandma's Songs", "Las palabras son pájaros"/"Words are Birds" and "Other Voices"/"Otras voces" are all filled with the concurrent sadness and hope that many different latinx people families all experience.

Also, a side note, I really appreciate that the author did his own translations, because the poems work in both English and Spanish. Sometimes (poetry especially) that are translated by someone other than the author get lost in translation, so to speak.