In this bilingual poetry book, Francisco X. Alarcón invites young readers to experience fall in Los Angeles — the City of the Angels — where dreams can come true. In the poet's whimsical imagination, mariachis play like angels, angels ride bikes, and the earth dances the cha-cha-cha. Alarcón celebrates the simple joys and trials of everyday life: a visit to the outdoor market, the arrival of the ice cream vendor, the first day of school. He honors his family and pays tribute to his mother, who taught him that with hard work and education he could realize his dreams.

Maya Christina Gonzalez's spirited images perfectly complement each poem, bringing to life the people and places in Alarcón's childhood.

Pub. Date: April 2005 Publisher: Pgw Format: Paperback, 32pp
Item: 089239198

With a poet's magical vision, Francisco X. Alarcón takes young readers back to his childhood when he traveled with his family to Mexico to visit his grandmother and other relatives. Readers ride with him in the family station wagon across the misty mountain range to the little town of Atoyac, the beloved town of his ancestors. There he listens his grandma's colorful stories, samples Auntie Reginalda's tasty breakfasts, learns about the keys to the universe, and take playful dips in the warm sea.

Maya Christina Gonzalez's lighthearted illustrations perfectly capture the spirit of a summer in Alarcón's Mexico where "colors are more colorful, tastes are tastier, and even time seems to slow down."

Pub. Date: April 2005 Publisher: Children's Book Press Format: Paperback, 32pp
Item: 089239201

Isn't it funny what little children think based purely on what they see? In Annie J. King's Granny Annie Lives at the Airport, Ava is sure she knows something her sister Sarah does not. This charming tale is a great discussion-starter that will have the whole family remembering the hilarious things they imagined when they were young. Annie J. King is a very proud grandmother who works hard to keep up with her grandchildren across the country. Annie is a professor in the UC Davis Department of Animal Science. She enjoys playing her harp and hosting gatherings in her gardens. This is an eLIVE book, meaning each printed copy contains a special code redeemable for the free download of the audio version of the book.

Pub. Date: October 2009 Publisher: Tate Publishing & Enterprises, L.L.C. Format: Paperback, 28pp
Item: 160799040

In the final installment in the series, Francisco X. Alarcón shows children a city where people are bridges to each other and children sing poetry in two languages. A family frolic in the snow reminds the poet of the iguanas playing by his grandmother's house in Mexico. Readers are dazzled by the promise of the seedling redwoods — like all children — destined to be the ancestors of tomorrow.

Maya Christina Gonzalez creates a spirited family of children and adults who swing their way through colorful pages. Collages of old maps of Mexico and California provide intriguing backgrounds, and fun-loving iguanas peek out from the most surprising places.

Pub. Date: April 2005 Publisher: Children's Book Press Format: Paperback, 32pp
Item: 089239202

Tomatoes laugh, chiles explode, and tortillas applaud the sun. With joy and tenderness, delight and sadness, Frances X. Alarcón's poems honor life and nature: welcoming the morning sun, remembering his grandmother's songs, paying tribute to children working in the fields, and dreaming of a world filled with gardens.

Artist Maya Christina Gonzalez invites readers to experience the poems with her lively cast of characters - including a spirited grandma, four vivacious children, and playful pets who tease and delight. Follow them from page to page as they bring each poem to colorful life. Laughing Tomatoes is a verbal and visual treat, giving readers eighteen opportunities to see everything for the first time.

Pub. Date: April 2005 Publisher: Children's Book Press Format: Paperback, 32pp
Item: 089239199