Poems to Dream Together: Poemas Para Soñar Juntos
A bilingual collection of poetry by acclaimed Chicano poet Francisco X. Alarcón celebrating family, community, nature, and the positive power of dreams to shape our future.
A young boy dreams that "all humans / and all living / beings / come together / as one big family / of the Earth."
So begins this delightful bilingual collection of poems by Francisco X. Alarcón. As we travel through the boy's colorful universe, we learn about his family and community working together and caring for each other and the world in which they live. Neighbors help repair adobe homes. The boy and his family share old photographs, tend their garden, and pamper Mamá who "works day and night." Tribute is paid to those who toil in the fields, and to César Chávez. Most of all, we see how dreams can take many forms, from the fantastic imaginary ones that occur while we sleep to the realistic ones that guide our lives and give us inspiration for the endless possibilities of the future.
Partly based on Alarcón's own dreams and family memories of growing up in Mexico and California, and vibrantly illustrated by Paula Barragán, these joyous, universal poems will inspire all readers to dream their own dreams for a better, compassionate, and loving world.
"Close your eyes / and now get ready / to hop on a dream."
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Francisco X. Alarcón was a renowned poet and educator, and a three-time winner of the Pura Belpré Author Award Honor for his bilingual Magical Cycle of the Seasons series of poetry for children. His many other honors include the American Book Award, the PEN Oakland Josephine Miles Award, the Chicano Literary Prize, and finalist for state poet laureate of California. Alarcón was also the author of several poetry collections for adults and textbooks for teaching Spanish. In addition, he directed the Spanish for Native Speakers Program at the University of California. Alarcón passed away in early 2016.
Paula Barragán is a native of Quito, Ecuador. She received her degree in graphic design and illustration from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. In addition to being a painter, Barragán is a printmaker and carpet designer. Her fine art pieces have been shown at galleries in the United States and South America. Barragán currently lives in Quito.
"Alarcón has a knack for tapping into the experiences and emotions of childhood... With simple elegance, the verses read aloud beautifully and the poetic images are at once accessible and inspiring." -- School Library Journal
"In an inspiring bilingual collection of short poems, Alarcon shares his dreams of peace, community building, and a bright future for children of all cultures. The works are charming in their simplicity and transcend cliche with beautifully unsophisticated imagery" -- Booklist
ALSC Notable Children's Books - American Library Association (ALA)
Best Children's Books of the Year - Bank Street College of Education
Best of the Best Books - Chicago Public Library
Jane Addams Children's Book Award - Jane Addams Peace Association
