Review of ¡YUM! ¡MMMM! ¡QUÉ RICO!: AMERICAS’ SPROUTINGS

Mora, Pat. Rafael López. (Ill.) 2007. YUM! ¡MMMM! ¡QUÉ RICO! : AMERICAS’ SPROUTINGS. New York: Lee and Low Books Inc. ISBN 978-1-58430-271-1

Award-winning author, Pat Mora, gives us a collection of haiku paying homage to native foods of the Americas. From blueberries to chiles to papayas; the color, taste and smell are all explored in these short poems. Each haiku is accompanied by a paragraph discussing the origin, use and other facts about the title fruit. Illustrator Rafael López produced vibrant acrylic on wood panel illustrations which reflect the diversity of the people of the Americas. Pictures of farms, rainforests, deserts, and urban communities further demonstrate López’s recognition of the variety of landscapes of the Americas. Though haiku has its own parameters, Mora also uses assonance—nutty, jelly, gooey, party—and alliteration—squirts, seedy, splatter—to spice up her poetry. Mora provides extras such as a map of the Americas, compass rose, and English translations of Spanish terms used in her poems. She closes her compilation with an author’s note which creates a personal connection between herself and her reader. “I love variety, don’t you?” she asks. To extend this connection, she provides a jump-rope rhyme for children which uses the titles of the haiku.

This animated single-poet compilation, with its bright illustrations, is highly recommended for readers ages 4-10.