I love that this is a bilingual book! This book makes it easy for children to see that many different cultures in many different house holds do many of the same things, like singing and cooking. This makes children understand that although many people appear different on the outside, they are not really so different because we do many of the same things and want many of the same things. Children need to be aware of culture and diversity in order to be able to understand it and accept it. One way to do this is by reading them this book, "Sol A Sol." ( )

These are poems written in both Spanish and English. Have the students write their own poems.

The title is a shortened version of the phrase "de sol a sol," which means from sun-up to sundown. The poems from a variety of poets including Carlson are assembled to reflect life during the course of a day. It begins with a poem to Mama who smells of milk, honey, bread and mint like a crisp clean morning. As the day passes a cat crosses our paths. The delightful poem "Gato" celebrates a gray, soft cat who even does a somersault. The day comes to an end as we gaze at a starlit sky. The simple, colorful illustrations have plenty of kid appeal. A pleasant collection and recommended for those seeking bilingual (Spanish/English) materials. 1998, Holt, $15.95. Ages 4 to 7.

CCBC (Cooperative Children's Book Center Choices, 1998)
There are 14 poems in this sparkling, lighthearted bilingual (Spanish/English) collection--eight by compiler Lori Carlson and one each by six Latino writers. Some of the poems were written originally in Spanish and others in English. Their presentation in both languages is arranged so that the version of the language of origin appears first on the two-page spread devoted to each poem. Almost all of the poems have specific Latino cultural content while their subjects and renderings infuse them with broad child appeal that is evident from the titles alone: "I Like to Ride My Bike," "The Wind Bragging," "Peeling Potatoes with Papi," "The Smell of Night." Playful, flavorful language and imaginative ideas further enrich a collection that is unified by the whimsical, vibrant acrylic paintings of Emily Lisker. CCBC categories: Poetry. 1998, Henry Holt, 32 pages, $15.95. Ages 4-8.