A Song of Frutas

(Hardback)

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Description

From Pura Belpr Awardwinning author Margarita Engle comes a lively, rhythmic picture book about a little girl visiting her grandfather who is a pregoneroa singing street vendor in Cubaand helping him sell his frutas.

When we visit mi abuelo, I help him sell
frutas, singing the names of each fruit
as we walk, our footsteps like drumbeats,
our hands like maracas, shaking

The little girl loves visiting her grandfather in Cuba and singing his special songs to sell all kinds of fruit: mango, limn, naranja, pia, and more! Even when theyre apart, grandfather and granddaughter can share rhymes between their countries like un abrazoa hugmade of words carried on letters that soar across the distance like songbirds.

Reviews

* "Palacios' beautiful artwork renders the city in rich, saturated colors with bustling crowds of people set against brightly hued buildings . . . Engle deftly weaves Spanglish through the conversational text . . . an author's note [enhances] the experience of this heartfelt read. . . " -- Booklist, Starred Review
* "Palacios vibrant illustrations beautifully capture the joy and livelinessofthe event. . .A joyful celebrationofCuban tradition and family ties." -- Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
*"Palacios gives a visual richness to the spreads, portraying streets teeming with peopleofvarious skin tones talking, dancing, and buying. . . Engles mixofSpanish and English flows easilyoff the pages."

-- Publishers Weekly, Starred Review
"Engles text is rich in sensory details . . . Palacioss digital illustrations are characterized by soft lines and warm colors that augment the positive mood throughout. . . Fond reminiscences and a nuanced cultural depiction make for another warm ode to Engles beloved isla." -- Horn Book Magazine
"[A] note of separation marks the apt and poignant segue to Engles historical and cultural notes on street vending . . . The sun-soaked colors and invitingly tactile texturing of Palacios digital artwork will draw readers to the joyful visit." -- BCCB
"Bright, colorful spreads share the beauty and vibrancy of the streets of Cuba and the joy shared by the family. Delightful verses sprinkled with Spanish express the girls love of family and home. . . A heartfelt story full of love for family and traditions, highly recommended for picture book collections. . ."

-- School Library Journal

Author Bio

Margarita Engle is the Cuban American author of many books including the verse novelsRimas Rebellion;Your Heart, My Sky;With a Star in My Hand;The Surrender Tree, a Newbery Honor winner; andThe Lightning Dreamer. Her verse memoirs includeSoaring EarthandEnchanted Air, which received the Pura Belpr Award, a Walter Dean Myers Award Honor, and was a finalist for the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction, among others. Her picture books includeDrum Dream Girl,Dancing Hands,andThe Flying Girl. Visit her at MargaritaEngle.com.

Sara Palacios is the recipient of a Pura Belpr Illustrator Honor forMarisol McDonald Doesnt Matchand the illustrator of several other picture books, includingA Song of Frutas,The Flying Girl,andMartina Has Too Many Tas.Sara graduated with a degree in graphic design and went on to earn BFA and MFA degrees in illustration from the Academy of Art in San Francisco. A native of Mexico, Sara now lives in San Francisco. Visit her at SaraPalaciosIllustrations.com.