Animal Poems of the Iguazú / Animalario del Iguazú - Paperback

by Francisco X. Alarcón (Author), Maya Gonzalez (Illustrator)

let's listen to / the green voice / of the rainforest

The animals of the Iguazú speak for themselves, creating a collection of poems that will resonate with readers of all ages.

In the magical rainforest of the Iguazú National Park, butterflies are the multicolored flowers of the air. Great dusky swifts watch over the park, and the untamed spirits of jaguars roam the jungle. Spanning three countries--Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay--the thundering waterfalls and lush green rainforests of the Iguazú have dazzled visitors for centuries, and are now in danger of being lost.

Following the Amerindian oral tradition, award-winning Chicano poet Francisco X. Alarcón lets the animals of the Iguazú speak for themselves in their own soaring, roaring, fluttering voices, and the resulting poems are as urgent as they are beautiful and humorous. Maya Christina Gonzalez's mixed media illustrations bring the colors and textures of the Iguazú rainforest to vibrant life.

Author Biography

Francisco Alarcón was a renowned poet and educator, and a three-time winner of the Pura Belpré Author Award Honor for his bilingual Magical Cycle of the Seasons series of poetry for children. His many other honors include the American Book Award, the PEN Oakland Josephine Miles Award, the Chicano Literary Prize, and finalist for state poet laureate of California. Alarcón was also the author of several poetry collections for adults and textbooks for teaching Spanish. In addition, he directed the Spanish for Native Speakers Program at the University of California. Alarcón passed away in early 2016.

Maya Gonzalez is an author and the illustrator of many award-winning children's books published by Lee & Low. They are also a progressive educator who developed the symbol and theory of the Gender Wheel, a tool to express the dynamic, infinite, and inclusive reality of gender. Gonzalez creates gender-inclusive books and materials that focus on teaching, inspiring, and empowering children and adults to create personal and cultural change in their lives, and provides lectures and workshops to educators, parents, and caregivers. They live with their family in San Francisco, California. genderwheel.com