Love to Mama: A Tribute to Mothers, Edited by Pat Mora

 

-from Pat Mora's website

A. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Mora, Pat. (Ed.). 2001. LOVE TO MAMA: A TRIBUTE TO MOTHERS. Ill. by Paula S. Barragan M. New York: LEE & LOW BOOKS Inc. ISBN 978-1-58430-019-9.

B. PLOT SUMMARY
This beautiful collection of poems honors mothers and grandmothers alike.  They are all unique in their gifts and talents, but the love they give creates a special kind of magic for their family.  These poems will make you want to call or hug your own mom. 

C. CRITICAL ANALYSIS (INCLUDING CULTURAL MARKERS)

These thirteen poems all have unique qualities, but they share a common theme: mothers and grandmothers. Some of the poems recall the kindness and strength of a grandmother.  Some of them are about the closeness and care of a mother. 

Food is a strong cultural marker throughout several of the poems.  Mother and grandmothers make beloved dishes like arroz con pollo, special treats like cookies and empanadas, and even healing drinks like té de canela. Cooking for their families is as much about love as sustenance. 

In almost every poem, there is an unveiling of the magnificence of the mother figure. They are personal declarations that there is more to the woman “than meets the eye.” She may seem to be a mother or grandmother, but she is also a wonder, a hidden beauty, and even a caballera. 

Music is another theme that appears.  In one, it is a well-known song, “La cucaracha.”  In another, it is her laughter that is “a green song.” In “Las abuelitas” by Suarez, she talks about “the beat of salsa music” that is reminiscent of childhoods in Cuba. Music is a way for culture to be passed down from one generation to another. 

D. AWARDS & REVIEW EXCERPTS
Booklist, May 2001: “Lots of food, hugs, kisses, and endearments, in Spanish and English, fill the 13 poems in this anthology that celebrates Latina mothers and grandmothers. The poets write about their Puerto Rican, Cuban, Mexican, and Venezuelan backgrounds and about their families in the U.S. Some of the poems are sentimental and vague, but the best of them catch the specifics of character and feeling from the child's viewpoint. “ 

Kirkus Reviews starred, March 2001: “The warmth of family life, especially that of mothers, aunts, and grandmothers, pervades this delightful collection of poems by Latino writers from various national backgrounds.”

School Library Journal starred, April 2001: “In a beautiful tribute to mothers, grandmothers, and care-giving women, 13 poets write with joy, humor, and love about the maternal bond. Representing a wide spectrum of Latino voices, the poets range from award-winning authors (Francisco X. Alarc-n, Mora) to a 15-year-old newcomer (Cristina Mu-iz Mutchler).”

E. CONNECTIONS
Love to Mama is a wonderful collection of Hispanic poetry written for elementary to middle grade students. Similar books that could be added to a cultural unit with it are Neighborhood Odes by Gary Soto, Poems to Dream Together = Poemas para sonar juntos, by Francisco X Alarcon, and My Mexico= Mexico Mio by Tony Johnston.