CANTO FAMILIAR by: Gary Soto (Hispanic/Latino(a) Literature)

Bibliography: Soto, Gary. 1995. CANTO FAMILIAR. Ill. Nelson, Annika. Orlando, FL: Harcourt ISBN 0152000674

Summary

CANTO FAMILIAR is a collection of twenty-five poems by Gary Soto celebrating memories of his childhood, familiar things that bring memories of school, home and friends to all of us. Many of the poems are interlingual using the Spanish language to add color and authenticity to the poetry relating more specifically to the Mexican culture.

Critical Analysis

Gary Soto is an award winner author who shares his Mexican American heritage with his readers. As an “insider” some of the poems in this collection are interlingual with the carefully placed Spanish words interspersed throughout to give the reader an accurate account of his youthful adventures in the barrio where he was raised in California most bring back childhood memories of a child of any color or culture. They are everyday experiences of children at play, with family and friends. As a “white” American I particularly enjoyed the poem “Tortillas like Africa”. The poem so vividly represents the feelings I have had when I have attempted the homemade tortilla. Mine also come out in various shapes; it is definitely a task that takes much guidance to make the round tortilla. In this poem one line says “And laughed when we threw them on the comal”. Although I have very limited knowledge of the language, it is apparent that the comal is the pan that the tortillas are cooked in. It is words such as this that adds to the authenticity of the memories of Gary Soto. Another poem that deals with a Mexican American favorite food is the first poem in the collection “Papi’s Menudo” with “tripas wagging like tongues on the bottom when you take a spoon and taste”. Menudo is a favorite Mexican American food of my husband and son, but a taste I have never acquired. Dr. Vardell mentions in her notes that he has two cats and it is apparent that these are part of the family as he includes a couple of poems about cats in his collection. One he has titled “Pleitos” and it begins with “Pleitos, my gatto with all nine lives”. Even one with no knowledge of the Spanish word gatto would realize with the context clue of all nine lives that this was the cat. It is also apparent in the blending of English/Spanish in the poem “Que hora es? that the man and woman are asking “What time is it?”. Nelson’s illustrations take a rectangular shape with a bold black outline and vibrant colors. The illustration that accompanies “Nopales” characterizes the different skin tones within the Mexican American group. The dominant dark brown eyes are apparent in each illustration. Only one illustration truly brings to mind the Mexican American clothing, which would be the poem “Sarape” when the boys are holding the sarape and the baby is bouncing on it. The illustrations address the storyline of the poems quite well.

With this class in mind, I shared some of the poetry in this book with my fifth graders at the end of the school year. They enjoyed reading it with me and helping me with the unfamiliar Spanish words. They particularly enjoyed the poem “Spanish” with my slaughtering of Spanish words with the rolling rrr.

Reviews:

Horn Book Guide: In this companion volume to the widely acclaimed Neighborhood Odes, Soto continues his reveries in poems that illuminate the minutiae of everyday childhood experience. Some refer specifically to his own Mexican-American boyhood, while most describe moments that will spark recognition in any child. Accompanied by colorful illustrations, the poems are marked by short, point-blank phrasing and unrhymed vernacular.

Kirkus Reviews: This humorous, tender collection of 25 poems and full-color linocuts about the daily life of Mexican-American children is a companion book to Soto's Neighborhood Odes (1992). Invoking ordinary domestic and community incidents, it's a fine introduction not only to poetry but to Chicano culture. In ``Papi's Menudo,'' a father enjoys a favorite dish; the narrator of ``Music for Fun and Profit'' gets paid not to play an instrument; and ``My Teacher in the Market'' explores the amazement of a child upon seeing a teacher outside of class. The poems are generally descriptive rather than abstract, more concerned with communicating feelings than with literary style, and most are free verse, without regular cadence or rhyme scheme. Nelson debuts with scenes--homey, comfortable, bright--that make the book even more accessible.

Connections

The poem “Music for Fun and Profit” could be used to introduce musical instruments or could be used in either science or music when teaching the concept of sound.

A companion book to CANTO FAMILIAR - NEIGHBORHOOD ODES by Gary Soto ISBN 0152568794