Bookjoy Wordjoy

Whether we are collecting words, reading favorite books in the library, celebrating holidays, writing poems, sharing secrets, or singing a jazzy duet, words and books can take us on wonderful adventures and bring us joy. Poet Pat Mora has brought together a collection of her poems that celebrates engaging with words and books in all these ways and more. Vivid illustrations by Raúl Colón bring the poems to life and interpret the magic of the language with captivating images in a style influenced by Mexican muralists. Together the poems and illustrations are sure to inspire creative wordplay in readers of all ages.

PAT MORA is the celebrated Latina author of forty award-winning children’s poetry and prose picture books. A lifelong literacy advocate, she founded Children’s Day, Book Day (El día de los niños, el día de los libros) to celebrate children and motivate them to become readers with daily support from families, teachers, and librarians and annual festivities on April 30. Mora lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Raúl Colón is a popular children’s book illustrator whose work has also appeared in many national publications. He has illustrated more than thirty award-winning picture books, including those by Dr. Jill Biden and Frank McCourt. Colón is known for his unique mixed-media illustration technique, which creates artwork rich in texture and deep colors. He lived in Puerto Rico as a young boy and now resides in New City, New York, with his family.

* Two stellar vets come together to celebrate wordplay... A marvelous collection of poems that extol the fun, adventure, and emotion that come with using one's words... A joyous invitation to put pen (or paintbrush) to paper. -- Booklist, starred review

[Mora's] openhearted enthusiasm and sense of wonder is always evident and inviting, and there's plenty of you go, young poet encouragement woven throughout the verses. The fanciful, poster-like images by Colón, inspired by the radiant color work of Rufino Tamayo, match the verses' earnestness and joy. -- Publisher's Weekly

The virtues of reading and playing with words collide in Mora and Colón's latest collaboration... Overall, the superb pictures feature a racially diverse cast--often with elongated, lively bodies--and landscapes full of curves and curls in bright, earthy colors. [T]he author peppers Spanish phrases here and there to add some new layers to a gratifying collection. Joy indeed. -- Kirkus Reviews

Young bibliophiles, logophiles, and poetry lovers will cherish this collected volume of Mora's verse, beautifully illustrated by Colón... Best of all, after reading, children may share Tomás's sentiment in Library Magic: ¡Vámos! Let's all go to the library/Join the fun, a treasure house that's free. ... Perfectly suited to libraries, a top addition to poetry collections -- School Library Journal