The Messengers of Rain and Other Poems from Latin America

Grade 2-6-This anthology will fill a gap in many collections. The 64 poems from 19 countries include 20th-century classics and more recent selections, and represent women, indigenous writers, and widely published names such as Octavio Paz and Rafael Pombo. Lee made her selections from poems written originally for adults as well as for children; all of them have rich imagery and a sense of wonder that will appeal to a young audience. The collection is organized loosely into thematic sections, each with a different translator. Yockteng's fanciful watercolors head each section with a full-page spread, and spots brighten the pages between, here and there, without distracting from the poems. The verses are laid plainly and legibly on a white background, generally with plenty of space. Sometimes two narrow poems are set side-by-side, detracting from the otherwise clean design. Since there is such a demand for bilingual texts, and since many of these poems' true magic lies in the musicality of the originals, it is unfortunate that the Spanish texts aren't included. Gladly, a citation to them appears below each poem, many of which are available on the Internet. Short biographical notes about each poet, an index of poets, and an index of titles complete this collection, which will be a welcome addition to most libraries.
Nina Lindsay, Oakland Public Library, CA
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