IGUANAS IN THE SNOW AND OTHER WINTER POEMS

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Alarcón, Francisco X. 2001. IGUANAS IN THE SNOW AND OTHER WINTER POEMS. Ill. by Maya Christina Gonzalez. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press. ISBN 0892391685.

Iguanas in the Snow and Other Winter Poems is a delightful reading experience and one that children are sure to love. It captures and expresses the exhilarating experience of life both with word and paint. Iguanas in the Snow is a bilingual book of poetry that celebrates life in San Francisco and northern California from a child’s perspective. The poems in this book are free verse, short and fresh. Some of the poems are humorous while others are nostalgic, reminding us of the history of San Francisco and the cultures that have thrived there for many years. I read the words of these poems and all my senses become involved.

The book begins with Starfish on the Beach, “a five-fingered hand full of salt” accompanied by a drawing of two children closely examining a starfish; evoking memories of playing as a child. Poems about the weather, San Francisco; old places, life in the barrio, school, and family comprise this book. Some poems in the book are followed by a note explaining something mentioned in the poem. The book ends in the snow covered mountains of northern California with a poem expressing the optimism of tomorrow. In Ancestors of Tomorrow, “children are the blooming branches of trees…their seeds will become the roots.” The poem In My Barrio expresses the mood of this book.

In My Barrio

you can hear
the music
of life

coming out
of murals
in full color

The artwork by Maya Christina Gonzalez enhances and complements the poetry with another dimension of enjoyment. The illustrations are happy with vibrant colors and involved characters, mostly children. Old maps of California and Mexico add intriguing background for some of the poems. The background illustrations for the Clouds and In Winter poems at the beginning of the book show the weather while the words describe it making the reader feel cold and wet. The poem First Snowfall is written on falling snowflakes. Playful iguanas are interspersed throughout the book.

Iguanas in the Snow reflects the “music of life.” I am eager to read other books by Francisco X. Alarcón.