Off the Shelf 0607-19

Red Hot Salsa: Bilingual Poems on Being Young and Latino in the United States

Edited by Lori Marie Carlson
© 2005

This collection of poetry is great not only for the interesting and relevant topics, but also for learning and appreciating the Spanish language and culture. Each poem is written first in English and then in Spanish. It is fascinating to see how the words look and sound both the same and different – it is easy to see society (English) as sociedad (Spanish), but somehow ‘superar los limites invisibles’ sounds so much more vibrant and forceful than ‘overcome the invisible boundaries.’

The content includes language and identity, neighborhoods, amor (love), family moments and memories, and victory. Quotes from our two favorites are:

Spanish is a matter
of rolling rrrrrrs

Julissa E. likes Spanish by Gary Soto - he demonstrates the uniqueness of the language.

Mira al sol
Como viene
Cada manana

M. Coleman likes Look to the Sun by Sandra Maria Esteves for the beauty, inspiration and courage.

Overall, this small book is full of sparkling jewels and well worth your time. For added value, you can improve your bilingual skills!

Our recommendation: 4.5 out of 5 stars
Submitted by Julissa E., LWTHS student and M. Coleman, Media Specialist