2. Biography
Born on January 19, 1942
in El Paso, Texas.
Her family moved to the
United States during the
Mexican Revolution.
Grew up in a bilingual home
and attended an English-speaking school.
She realized that her Mexican heritage had never
really been welcomed at school.
3. Biography (continued)
Re-discovers her Mexican
heritage and biculturalism
through her writing
She has written more than 40
books in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction among
others
She has won 10 adult book awards, 7 young adult
book awards, and 58 children’s book awards.
Founder and promoter of "El día de los niños/El
día de los libros,"
4. Themes
Family
Desert
Diversity
Mexican-American culture
Embracing different traditions
and customs
5. Her Poetry
Free verse and rhyme
I say yo soy libre
I am free
free, free,
free as confetti.
6. Her Poetry
Incorporates Spanish words with English text
7. Her Poetry
Graceful repetition
Colorful language that appeals to the senses, and
a feeling of love and respect for the desert
environment.
8. Snippet of "One Blue Door"
To make a poem To make a poem
listen: crow calls. you need to glide
Rain paints a door, on crow's back caw,
blue in the sky. skimming the trees.
To make a poem To make a poem
you need the door you need to taste
blue and lonely petals of rain.
swinging in the rain. Open you mouth…
To make a poem … Leap through
you need to leap one blue door.
through that blue
door onto a crow.
9. Illustrations
Provide a vivid image of a diverse and dynamic
Mexican-American culture
The use of bold reds, blues, and oranges
illustrate traditional Latin art
Colorful
10. Some Titles
Young-Adult and Adult
Dizzyin Your Eyes:
Poems About Love
Pat Mora My Own True
Name
Poetry
Agua Santa: Holy
Water
Borders
Communion
Chants
Adobe Odes
11. Some Titles
Children’s
The Rainbow Tulip
The Desert is My Mother
The Race of Toad and Deer
A Birthday Basket for Tía
A Library for Juana
Book Fiesta
Love to Mamá
Uno, Dos, Tres, One, Two, Three
Yum! ¡Mmm Qué Rico!
America’s Sproutings
12. Use in the Classroom
Can easily be used in Social Studies instruction
Read a poem from Confetti and have students prepare a
Me Bag that contains different items about their culture
and have them share with their classmates
After reading Delicious Hullabaloo and learning
about indigenous foods of the Americas,
Have students prepare their own
“pachanga deliciosa” and share their
own culture’s traditional foods
Introduce students to Latin music
and instruments and have them share
their own music and dances which
they can perform for their classmates
