Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish & English [bilingual book] by Alma Flor Ada, illustrated by Simon Silva Ages 5-8 40 pages Rayo October 2001 Paperback     Tapping into a rich cultural history of people working the land and harvesting its bounty, Gathering the Sun is brilliantly illustrated, a delightful adventure into the world of language and art, of “simple words and sun-drenched paintings.” More than just an alphabet book, it teaches children the basics of language in the context of family and tradition. The illustrated alphabet is Spanish, text in both Spanish and English: arboles (trees), “the companions of my childhood”; duraznos (peaches), “like a gentle caress in the palm of my hand”; tomates (tomatoes), “red tomato in the kitchen, in the little tacos my godmother loves to make”; zanahoria (carrot), “The carrot hides beneath the earth. After all, she knows the sun’s fiery color by heart.” Through the text by Alma Flor Ada and wonderful art of Simon Silva, beginning readers explore orchards and fields beside those who plant and nurture the crops, the book dedicated to the living memory of Cesar Chavez: “Your example and your words sprout anew in the field rows as seedlings of quiet hope.” In a joyful celebration of tilling, toiling and the language of nature’s bounty, the text is bilingual, with particular attention to the harmony of words and the images wrought from the earth’s palette, the cycle of growth and those who labor to carry their fruits from field to kitchen, from the hands that tend the plants to those who prepare the spicy and textured foods that grace the tables of grateful families: “In the field row lies a seed, all tucked in like a baby in the crib.” Gathering the Sun is nothing less than stunning, saturated with color and the shared dignity of hard work, a reflection of the author and illustrator’s appreciation for all aspects of growth, from field to heart to spirit, acknowledging “honor and pride, family and friends, history and heritage, and… the bounty of the harvest.”   web reviews   Luan Gaines/2006 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)