Red Hot Salsa

What a beautiful collection of poems!!  I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book.  The poems are beautifully written and poignant.

I especially enjoyed the variety of poetry.  There were some poems that made me laugh (Taco Bell is NOT Mexican food) and others that deeply touched my heart (Invisible Boundaries).  Each poem held a depth of meaning beyond the words of poetry and touched an inner part of me.  Though the collection is geared toward young Latinos, the themes are universal - a desperate need for love, acceptance, freedom, freedom to be yourself, searching for your own unique identity, the fear of being invisible and insignificant.  These themes can be understood and related to regardless of the reader's background or ethnicity.  

I also really enjoyed reading the Spanish translations.  This gives the book an extra dimension, especially in light of the proposed audience.  The Spanish language is such a beautiful and romantic language and it was a wonderful experience to read the two side-by-side.

I can see this book being used in multiple ways in the classroom - everything from being used as part of learning poetry to discussions on culture and use of language.  Overall, this was a wonderful book and I thoroughly enjoyed it.