Twenty-one poems reflect pleasures, loves, joys, regrets and fears experienced growing up in a Chicano neighborhood in California. The poet hones in on the small details of ordinary places (the park, the library) and ordinary things (a sprinkler, Pablo's tennis shoes) with such extraordinary clarity of vision that each ode packs an emotional punch, taking the reader by surprise. The poems are accompanied by striking black-and-white illustrations. (Age 8 and older)

From family pictures to pinatas, from the "gato "with a meow like a rusty latch to Fourth of July fireworks, the poet celebrates the startling and often overlooked moments that define childhood. Affectionate without being overly sentimental, the collection provides a good introduction to contemporary poetry as well as a fine homage to a Chicano community. --"Publishers Weekly"
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