Review: YUM! MMMM! ¡QUE RICO! by Pat Mora

Mora, Pat. 2007. Yum! MmMm! ¡Qué rico! America’s sproutings. Ill. By Raphael López. New York: Lee & Low Books. ISBN 9781584302711.

PLOT SUMMARY:
Pat Mora uses haiku to describe foods native to America. Each haiku is accompanied by vibrant illustrations and a short description of each food.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
This book seems to have a perfect balance of information, charm, and fun. Although this form of poetry usually brings back unpleasant memories of 7th grade English class, in this instance, I found Mora’s haiku to be both amusing and beautiful. The imagery of the haiku is skillfully matched by López’s acrylic illustrations. The lively paintings exactly match the sights, sounds, and smells described in the haiku. I was amazed at how López was able to depict the simple joy of a rich piece of chocolate (“Fudge, cake, pie, cookies. Brown magic melts on your tongue. Happy, your eyes dance.”)

Most, although not all, of the foods depicted were originally found in South or Central America. Mora emphasized Latino culture by incorporating some Spanish words in a few poems, as well as in the title. The translations of these few words are provided on the t.p. verso page. The illustrations represent the variety of physical characteristics of Latinos. Some are fair, some are dark. A variety of settings is also shown, depending on the origins of the food being described.

REVIEWS:
Student Library Journal: “The sense of whimsy is further underscored in López's colorful acrylic on wood-panel illustrations. Artful compositions and brilliant complementary colors bear out the book's multicultural themes.”

CONNECTIONS:

Pair this book with other “food” themed books for storytime. Some book options are The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, I Will Never Not Ever Eat a Tomato by Lauren Child, and Chato’s Kitchen by Gary Soto.