* "This inventive stew of food haiku celebrates the indigenous foods of the Americas. Each of the 13 poems appears on a gloriously colorful double-page spread, accompanied by a sidebar that presents information about the origin of the food. From blueberries to prickly pears to corn, the acrylic-on-wood-panel illustrations burst with vivid colors and stylized Mexican flare. The poems capture the flavor of the item in a way children can easily understand-- 'Chocolate': 'Fudge, cake, pie, cookies. / Brown magic melts on your tongue. / Happy, your eyes dance.'; 'Pineapple': 'A stiff, spiky hat / on thick prickly skin, inside / hide syrupy rings.' .

this will provide lots and lots of lip-smacking fun that teachers can use to supplement social studies and language arts units; they can also share one poem at a time, between other subjects. An author's note, which addresses lingering scientific debate about the geographical origins of some of the featured foods, also includes a warm celebration of diversity: 'We do know that all these plants were grown and enjoyed . long before Christopher Columbus or any other Europeans had ever tasted such wonderful foods. The world's variety is amazing--and delicious.'" -- Booklist , starred review Notable Children's Book, American Library Association (ALA) Américas Book Award, Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs Texas Bluebonnet Masterlist, Texas Library Association (TLA) Best of the Best Books, Chicago Public Library Books for the Holidays, Boise Public Library.