Review of NEIGHBORHOOD ODES

Soto, Gary. David Diaz (Ill.) 1992. NEIGHBORHOOD ODES . New York, NY: Harcourt Brace & Co. ISBN 978-0-152-568-795

PLOT SUMMARY
NEIGHBORHOOD ODES by Gary Soto is a delightful collection of poetry. The mental images conjured by Soto’s words will illicit a smile from the reader—no matter the neighborhood of origin. Odes to commonplace things such as sprinklers, parks, cats, and libraries ensure all readers will find a connection within this assortment of poetry. Diaz’s black and white illustrations, reminiscent of the Mexican art of papel picado, reinforce the link between the poetry and the Mexican-American culture it reflects.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)
This collection of poetry is accessible to a range of readers—young and old—from a variety of ethnic backgrounds. While Soto is clearly representing the Hispanic culture, he does so without excluding other ethnicities from his readership. Through the use of language, cultural markers such as celebrations and foods, and illustration, NEIGHBORHOOD ODES provides a collection of poetry which humorously and respectfully embraces Latino culture.

Soto successfully uses language to convey an Hispanic-American flavor through his poetry. The use of interlingualism, switching back and forth from English to Spanish, complements his work. This practice can be distracting or, at its worst, decrease the authenticity of the literature. However, Soto manages to incorporate both languages in a fluid manner. “I count to ten, uno, dos, tres…” (Soto, p. 5) Spanish words are slipped into the middle of sentences in natural phrasing, as in “Ode to the Sprinkler,” “I run como un chango…” (Soto, 6). While the reader may not know every word in a poem, neither is his or her enjoyment hindered by the use of two languages. Soto provides a glossary at the end of the book. This unobtrusive tool helps English-only readers increase their comprehension without interrupting the flow of each poem.

The subject matter of many of the poems, including foods and celebrations, offer clues as to the cultural focus of this collection of poetry. Raspados (snow cones), chicharrones (pork rinds), and pomegranates are among the foods to which Soto pays tribute. Soto also uses celebrations as the focus of his poetry. These include birthdays (“Ode to La Pinata”), the Fourth of July (“Ode to Fireworks”), and weddings (“Ode to Weddings”). Despite the fact that the experiences of the characters reflect Hispanic culture, the perspective is one that is shared by many cultures. In “Ode to Fireworks,” two brothers use up all of their fireworks before nightfall and we see a familiar fraternal exchange. “We’re mad for not waiting. I punch him in the arm and he punches me back….We watch the sky for rockets” (Soto, p. 47).

David Diaz’s illustrations also demonstrate the book's cultural influence. Diaz’s black and white drawings in the style of the folk art papel picado, allow the reader to see an unmistakably Mexican influence.

The interlingual text, references to traditional foods and celebrations, and use of papel picado-style illustrations reveal an infusion of Hispanic culture. Because of—and perhaps even in spite of—its Mexican influence, this collection of poetry is likely to find fans across many cultures.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
“The Hispanic neighborhood in Soto's 21 poems is brought sharply into focus by the care with which he records images of everyday life…. Affectionate without being overly sentimental, the collection provides a good introduction to contemporary poetry as well as a fine homage to a Chicano community.” (Publisher’s Weekly)
“Although Soto is dealing with a Chicano neighborhood, the poetry has a universal appeal.” (School Library Journal)

Reviews obtained from Amazon.com and accessed at:
http://www.amazon.com/Neighborhood-Odes-Gary-Soto/dp/0785724966/ref=sr_oe_1_3/105-9798100-6170832?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1183153669&sr=1-1

CONNECTIONS
Other collections of poetry for children K-6:
Mora, Pat. LISTEN TO THE DESERT=OYE AL DESIERTO, ISBN 978-0-618-11144-2
Bernier-Grand, Carmen T. CESAR: SI, SE PUEDE!, ISBN 978-0-7614-5283-6
Argueta, Jorge. TALKING WITH MOTHER EARTH, ISBN 978-0-88899-626-8

Lee, Claudia M. Ed. MANDADEROS DE LA LLUVIA: Y OTROS POEMAS DE AMERICA LATINA, ISBN 978-0-88899-471-4

Other books by Gary Soto for K-3 readers:
CHATO’S KITCHEN, ISBN 978-0-698-11600-9
SNAPSHOTS FROM THE WEDDING, ISBN 978-0-698-11752-5

TOO MANY TAMALES, ISBN 978-0-399-22146-0