Red Hot Salsa: Bilingual Poems on Being Young and Latino in the United States [Spanish]

By Oscar Hijuelos and Lori Marie Carlson

Book Overview

Red Hot Salsa is an extraordinary collection of bilingual poems from the bestselling editor of Cool Salsa

i think in spanish
i write in english

i want to go back to puerto rico,
but i wonder if my kink could live
in ponce, mayag ez and carolina

tengo las venas aculturadas
escribo en spanglish
abraham in espa ol

--from "My Graduation Speech," by Tato Laviera

Ten years after the publication of the acclaimed Cool Salsa, editor Lori Marie Carlson has brought together a stunning variety of Latino poets for a long-awaited follow-up. Established and familiar names are joined by many new young voices, and Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Oscar Hijuelos has written the Introduction.

The poets collected here illuminate the difficulty of straddling cultures, languages, and identities. They celebrate food, family, love, and triumph. In English, Spanish, and poetic jumbles of both, they tell us who they are, where they are, and what their hopes are for the future.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: Spanish
• ISBN: 0805076166
• ISBN13: 9780805076165
• Release Date: April 2005
• Publisher: Henry Holt & Company
• Length: 140 Pages
• Weight: 0.59 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.8" x 8.6"
• Age Range: 12 to 17 years
• Grade Range: Grades 7 to 12

Customer Reviews

Great selection of Spanish Themed Poems

I teach 6-7 graders who are mostly Latino. I always looking for books that they can get excited about. This is one of the books that the students seem to enjoy. We use this book to work with tutors to improve writing and reading comprehension.

Red hot choice.

Poetry. Young elementary through teens. No illustrations. Latino writers tell who they are and what they dream through poems written in English and Spanish.

STRAIGHT TO THE HEART

There are dozens of poignant poems, each written in Spanish and English. I used these in my writing program, and even with parents on back to school night. Parents and 7th grade Latino students responded and the activity spawned a deeply thoughtful dialogue. Highly recommended.

Great book!

As a latina born and raised in Mexico with a gringo father and now in the U.S. I found many of the poems to be an accurate reflection of being bicultural and the many directions it pulls you in. I found the book (along with discussion questions and activities for classroom use) at: http://www.colorincolorado.org/inclass/books_month_oct05.php