Yum! Mmm! Que Rico! America's Sprouting by Pat Mora
Mora, P. (2007). Yum! ¡mmmm! ¡Qué Rico!: Americas’ Sproutings. Lee & Low Books Inc. (R. Lopez, Illustrator) ISBN 9781584302711
In Yum! Mmmm! Que Rico! America's Sproutlngs, readers learn about 14 foods native to the Americas. Each food is led by an info blurb, followed by a haiku written by Pat Mora. Each page also has a corresponding illustration by Rafael Lopez.
Yum! Mmmm! Que Rico! America's Sproutings was an interesting take on educating the reader about new foods and their origins. The introduction to each food began with a paragraph describing its possible origins and other facts, such as the food's uses, which was unexpected for a reader who goes in blind. While the descriptions were good, the longer texts of pure information may lose some of the younger (or older readers) who may get distracted by the beautiful imagery. After reading each paragraph full of facts, I did enjoy reading the haiku's Pat Mora constructed as I was invested in seeing how each food played a role in the narrator's life. The illustrations were vivid and eye-catching, and Rafael Lopez did a fantastic job creating captivating scenes that corresponded with each food. Each page was full of bright colors and detail, which helped add to the haikus. As a reader, I was much more interested in the images and the haikus than the paragraphs of information, though those were still appreciated as there were many facts that I had not known that I learned through reading this title.
Throughout the title, there were various words or phrases in Spanish as a nod toward the Hispanic culture. Additionally, very bright colors and sometimes dramatic images are common in Mexico. To see art in similar styles/with the same bright and vivid colors, you can visit the National Museum of Mexican Art's website here to see different works of art in various styles, and you will see that many of these pieces (that range in age and location) feature bright colors and unique images just like the ones you see in the title.
What do readers think of Yum! Mmmm! Que Rico! America's Sprouting? Kirkus Reviews states it is "more interesting as social science than as poetry, but visually gorgeous." Booklist Reviews states it is an "inventive stew of food haikus [that] celebrates the indigenous foods of the Americas." Yum! Mmmm! Que Rico! America's Sproutings would be a good book to read during a social studies unit or a poetry unit in class. After reading the title, encourage your students to consider their favorite food. Once the favorite food has been decided, have them research it to create a short one, a slide presentation, and a haiku corresponding with a favorite food. After the project is created, have them present their slide to the class and have them elaborate on their favorite food. If you enjoyed this title, you will also enjoy reading Salsa by Lilian Colon-Vila.
Honors and Awards for Yum! Mmmm! Que Rico! America's Sproutings
- 2008 Amerias Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature Commended Title
- 2008-2009 Texas Bluebonnet Award (TBA) Master List
- 2008 ALA Notable Children's Books
- 2008 Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best Books
- 2008 Bank Street Best Children's Books of the Year
- 2007 Lasting Connections, Book Lins
- 2008-2009 Great Lakes Great Books Award Master List
- 2014 AudioFile Earphones Award (audio edition)
Art. National Museum of Mexican Art, Pilsen, Chicago. (n.d.). https://nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org/artworks
Booklist Online. (n.d.). Yum! ¡mmmm! ¡Qué rico! Americas’ sproutings. Yum! ¡Mmmm! ¡Qué rico! Americas’ Sproutings. https://www.booklistonline.com/Yum-Mmmm-Qu-rico-Americas-Sproutings-Haiku-by-Pat-Mora-Gabriella-Cavallero/pid=6587342
Yum! mmmm! ¡Qué rico!. Kirkus Reviews. (2007, October 1). https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/pat-mora/yum-mmmm-que-rico/
Yum! ¡Mmm! ¡Qué Rico! America’s Sproutings. Pat Mora. (n.d.). https://www.patmora.com/books/yum-mmm-que-rico/
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