Jose-Luis OrozcoCritiques

Bursting with color and spirit, this collection of Latin-American songs is a tribute to Latino culture. From traditional tunes to rhymes and hand games, it has songs for all occasions and moods. Each is accompanied by a simple musical arrangement, with lyrics in both English and Spanish. This book is also very full of color. I really like this book because it allows the reader to learn about allot of different traditions and celebrations in Spanish culture. I believe the big idea of this book is to educate the reader about different songs related to traditions and celebrations.

I really like this collection of poetry for two reasons. The first reason I like this book is due to the vibrant and detailed illustrations that accompany each poem. The whole book is filled with a traditional Spanish color palate and images of authentic Hispanic people in everyday life. These illustrations help readers understand the Hispanic culture better and compare and contrast their own cultures to the ones they are reading about. I also really love the organization of the book. Each poem has a translated version next to the original. Also, many poems, for example, “Vamos a Cantar” or “Let’s Sing” have the written music at the top of the page. The reader then has the option to simply read the poem, or then apply music to the poem. The main purpose of this book is to celebrate Hispanic culture and heritage.½

This is the story of a child who wants his parents to sing to him. They sing the alphabet, counting songs, and other educational songs in both English and Spanish. I would read this students middle aged and below. It makes learning fun.

Genre: Folktale
Review: This is a good example of folktale and songs in spanish because they are popular songs in the hispanic culture that have been passed down through generations.
Media: Watercolor, Color pencil½

This cd contains 23 songs of from countries across Latin America. Some, like Mama yo quiero, are songs that one would expect to hear at a celebration, while others, like Los meses del ano, are purely educational. There are other songs that tell of cultural practices or traditions, like Arroz con leche. Orozco has a clear voice, and enunciates well, making these songs great for language learning. Many of the celebration songs are lively and would encourage kids to move around to the music. The only thing that could make this cd better would be a lyrics to the songs.

De Colores and Other Latin-American Folk Song for Children. Bright with colors and with music, here is a joyous, festive celebration of children's songs from all over Latin America.