Talking with Mother Earth: Hablando con Madre Tierra

Raw, honest and powerful, these moving bilingual poems by noted Salvadoran poet Jorge Argueta explore a young native boy's connection to Mother Earth and how he is healed from the terrible wounds of racism he has endured. Tetl has learned from his grandmother about the spirituality of his ancestors, about how they viewed the earth as alive with sacred meaning. This helps him move from doubt and fear, created by the taunts of other children, to self-acceptance and a discovery of his love for nature.

Mountains, wind, corn and stones all speak to Tetl, almost seeming to vibrate with life. He feels deep roots in them and, through them, he learns to speak and sing. They reveal his Nahuatl self and he realizes that he is special, beautiful and sacred.These gripping poems have something to teach us all, perhaps especially those who have been either intentionally or casually cruel or racist, as well as those who have been the victims of racism.

Jorge Argueta is an award-winning author of picture books and poetry for young children. He has won the International Latino Book Award, the Américas Book Award, the NAPPA Gold Award and the Independent Publisher Book Award for Multicultural Fiction for Juveniles. His books have also been named to the Américas Award Commended List, the USBBY Outstanding International Books Honor List, Kirkus Reviews Best Children’s Books and the Cooperative Children’s Book Center Choices. A native Salvadoran and Pipil Nahua Indian, Jorge spent much of his life in rural El Salvador. He now lives in San Francisco, California.

Lucia Angela Perez: A Texas native and daughter of late artist Gloria Osuna Perez, Lucia Angela Perez is a visual artist with a degree in fine arts from the University of Texas at Arlington. She has illustrated several children's books including Little Gold Star by Joe Hayes, Every Child by Tish Hinojosa, and Talking with Mother Earth.

• Finalist: International Latino Book Awards - Best Children's Picture Book - Bilingual, 2007

• Commended Lion and the Unicorn Award for Excellence in North American Poetry (Honor Book), 2007

• Commended Bank Street College Children's Library Best Children's Books of the Year, 2007

• Americas Book Award for Children and Young Adult Literature:  Commended List, 2007