Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish and English

by Alma Flor Ada and Simon Silva

Alma Flor Ada celebrates the lives and work of Latino farm laborers in this singular... read more

Alma Flor Ada celebrates the lives and work of Latino farm laborers in this singular bilingual alphabet book that pays welcome tribute to the hardworking people who harvest the bounty of the land. Each double-page spread features a short poem about some aspect of field workers' lives in both Spanish and English. The featured alphabet letter is taken from the first letter of the Spanish-language titles to poems such as Árboles (Trees), Lluvia (Rain) and Orgullo (Pride). The poem for the letter C is titled César Chávez, in whose memory Ada dedicated this book that is illustrated with the glowing, expansive artwork of Simón Silva, which spans each two-page spread of this 11 1/2 x 9 1/2 " volume. Silva's deeply hued gouache paintings of the laborers and the land are infused with the heat of the sun and the dignity of the people. (Ages 5-10)

© Cooperative Children's Book Center, Univ. of Wisconsin - Madison, 1997

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