Poems to Dream Together/Poemas para soñar juntos

Review
By School Library Journal

Alarcón has a knack for tapping into the experiences and emotions of childhood. This vibrant collection of 17 short, bilingual verses is about dreams - both the day and night variety - as well as the hopes and aspirations of individuals, families, and humanity at large. Rooted in the everyday world of children, the poems feature a family garden, a photo album, favorite fruits, going to school, and household chores. They also touch on larger life lessons, protecting the environment, and dreams for the future. With simple elegance, the verses read aloud beautifully and the poetic images are at once accessible and inspiring. The boldly colored, mixed-media artwork serves as a perfect complement. The art is varied and engaging, and the layout at times displays the Spanish text on top and the English underneath; at other times, side-by-side on the page; and still others on opposite sides of a spread. Overall, this is a dreamy choice for schools and libraries.