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Iguanas in the Snow and Other Winter Poems / Iguanas en la nieve y otros poemas de invierno

By Francisco X. Alarcón
Illustrated by Maya Gonzalez

Paperback: $11.95

Hardcover: out of stock

Ebook

In their final collection of seasonal poetry, poet Francisco X. Alarcón and artist Maya Gonzalez invite us to celebrate winter—by the seashore, in the magic city of San Francisco, and in the ancient redwood forests of the Sierras.

We see a city where people are bridges to each other and children sing poetry in two languages. A family frolic in the snow reminds the poet of the iguanas playing by his grandmother's house in Mexico. We are dazzled by the promise of seedling redwoods—like all children—destined to be the ancestors of tomorrow.

Artist Maya Gonzalez has once again created a spirited family of children and adults who swing their way through colorful pages. Collages of old maps of Mexico and California provide intriguing backgrounds, and fun-loving iguanas peek out at us from the most surprising places.

Audio Podcast with Francisco Alarcon and Maya Gonzalez

Watch Francisco Alarcon's interview with Reading Rockets

For educator resources and ideas on how to teach Iguanas in the Snow in the classroom, click here.

About the Creators

Thumb_thumb Francisco X. Alarcón - Author

was a renowned poet and educator, and a three-time winner of the Pura Belpré Author Award Honor for his bilingual Magical Cycle of the Seasons series of poetry for children. His many other honors include the American Book Award, the PEN Oakland Josephine Miles Award, the Chicano Literary Prize, and finalist for state poet laureate of California. Alarcón was also the author of several poetry collections for adults and textbooks for teaching Spanish. In addition, he directed the Spanish for Native Speakers Program at the University of California. Alarcón passed away in early 2016.

Thumb_maya-portrait-11-2017-high-res Maya Gonzalez

is an award-winning children’s book artist, author, activist and progressive educator. Maya's work addresses systemic inequity in relation to race/ethnicity, sexism, and cissexism using children’s books as radical agents of change and healing, both personally and culturally. Maya co-founded Reflection Press, a POC, queer and trans owned independent publishing house that uses holistic, nature-based, and anti-oppression frameworks in their books and materials for kids and grown-ups. Maya is also the creator of the Gender Wheel, a tool to express the dynamic, infinite and inclusive reality of gender, and provides lectures and workshops to educators, parents and caregivers. Visit Maya online at mayagonzalez.com.