Guacamole: Un poema para cocinar / A Cooking Poem

by Jorge Argueta, Margarita Sada (Illustrations), Elisa Amado (Translation)

Following on the success of Sopa de frijoles / Bean Soup and Arroz con leche / Rice Pudding is Jorge Argueta’s third book in our bilingual cooking poem series — Guacamole — with very cute, imaginative illustrations by Margarita Sada.

Guacamole originated in Mexico with the Aztecs and has long been popular in North America, especially in recent years due to the many health benefits of avocados. This version of the recipe is easy to make, calling for just avocados, limes, cilantro and salt. A little girl chef dons her apron, singing and dancing around the kitchen as she shows us what to do. Argueta’s gift in seeing beauty, magic and fun in everything around him makes this book a treasure — avocados are like green precious stones, salt falls like rain, cilantro looks like a little tree and the spoon that scoops the avocado from its skin is like an excavating tractor.

As in the previous cooking poems, Guacamole conveys the fun and pleasure of making something delicious and healthy to eat for people you really love. A great book for families to enjoy together.

Genres: Poetry, Picture Books, Food, Childrens, Cultural, Cooking, Spanish Literature

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 27, 2012

About the author

Jorge Argueta is a celebrated award-winning poet and author of many highly acclaimed bilingual children's books and short stories, covering themes related to Latino culture and traditions, nature, and the immigrant experience.
A native Salvadoran and Pipil Nahua Indian, Jorge spent much of his childhood in rural El Salvador. He immigrated to the United States in the 1980s during the Salvadoran Civil War.
Jorge lives in San Francisco, California.

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

So while there is nothing overly profound or (and this also thankfully) earth-shattering with regard to Jorge Argueta's Spanish/English dual language picture book Guacamole, to and for me, his lyrical and joyful recipe poem for a traditional and completely plant based, read entirely vegan Latin American based (from Mexico to Central America) traditional guacamole avocado dip has most certainly hit my proverbial sweet reading spot in every way (showing and demonstrating with both the author's, with Jorge Argueta's delicately simple but nevertheless also spiritual and delightfully joyful poetic words and Margarita Sada's colourful and yes at times even a trifle silly and humorous accompanying artwork an exuberant young girl, patiently, lyrically and with very much happiness and unbridled enthusiasm explaining how one prepares, how one makes a delicious and healthy, comforting guacamole, a both body and soul nourishing dipping sauce and spread which goes perfectly with tortillas, beans etc. and is indeed also totally and simply made from the very basic ingredients of avocados, cilantro leaves, limes, salt, and yes, for a traditional guacamole, that is in fact all that goes into a guacamole, and that traditionally, no onion is included).

Now the Spanish text of Guacamole, it does perhaps feel and read somewhat more descriptively and colourfully metaphorically than Elisa Amado’s English language translation, but still and nevertheless, I do find it majorly cheering and delightful that both author and translator have definitely tried very hard and in my opinion also successfully to make both the Spanish and English versions of Argueta’s guacamole recipe poem appear as mirrors of one another (and although personally, I did and do tend to find the presented similes and metaphors a bit more immediate and more intensely emotional in Spanish, they do indeed and definitely appear as well enough and descriptively enough rendered into English, and are therefore, at least in my humble opinion, also neither pale and lifeless reflections nor are they just simply adaptations either).

A very much fun and engaging way to introduce basic Latin American comfort food cookery, as well as practice of the Spanish language (and of course in particular cooking terms and also poetic, metaphorical language), with illustrations that are from a colour scheme point of view spot on and sweetly aesthetically pleasant (and as such also a perfect compliment to the lyrical verses of Jorge Argueta's featured text, although I do tend to find that Margarita Sada having the little girl and her family live in a house shaped and coloured like an avocado a bit visually strange), and yes, most definitely a high four star ranking for Guacamole. And finally, and furthermore, I also very much do appreciate that from a linguistic comparison and contrast point of view, in Guacamole, the English text appears directly underneath the Spanish version, as that certainly has made at least to and for my eyes and my personal manner of reading, checking the English translation and comparing it to the Spanish original much easier and less potentially confusing than if the English text were located as is usually and generally the case with dual language books, immediately across from the Spanish words (and indeed, I was and remain also and most pleasantly surprised at just how many of the Spanish words of Guacamole I actually either knew or was quickly able to remember from my university level Spanish courses of the 1980s, which really and truly does make me totally smile).

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Food is indeed better when made fresh, simple, with love & joy. I liked the favorite bowl, and the planting of pit and peel afterwards, and the last lines of this bilingual picture-book:

Guacamole, qué rico guacamole,
verde tan verde
y tan pruro como el amor.

[Rebecca Engel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much, because not only is it a poem book, it includes many metaphors that make reading it so exciting. The book is also written in Spanish and English which allows for an exciting read of the steps and processes of making guacamole, a favorite of many!

[Raven Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

This delightful book length poem is a tribute to the avocado and the guacamole the young narrator loves to make. It is funny, sweet and informative. This version also is bilingual therefore, allowing you to read in both English and Spanish. Fun, simple illustrations brightly move you along the pages to the end where you can finally indulge in the treat (so to speak!)  There are asterisks every so often. These are areas that an adult will be needed to help. This is told at the very beginning, but did get lost in the version I had, leaving me wishing for a more obvious place for it. I would have also enjoyed an actual recipe at the end. Still, it is a fun book to read one-on-one or to a group. All ages

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

If this poetic tribute to the culinary delights of guacamole doesn't inspire you to try the dish, nothing will. The poem appears first in Spanish, and then beneath it, in English, and right next to the verses appear oil and digitally modified illustrations that show the avocado in its entirety, and then the steps that should be followed in preparing guacamole. As the boy and girl in the illustrations prepare the delicious food, they are mindful of saving the avocado pit, its skin, and the lime seeds left from the addition of lime juice to the recipe, all of which adds a message of sustainability to the book. The author chooses delicious words such as "the sour river of lime" (unpaginated), "spatters of white drizzle" (unpaginated), "little pearls that look like eyes" (unpaginated), and "greeny green" (unpaginated) to describe the ingredients that go into this delicious concoction. I love how he describes the cilantro as looking "like a little tree" (unpaginated). This celebration of the joys of cooking will prompt many to head for the local Mexican restaurant or try out the recipe described in the book. This is a YUMMY book by the author of Sopa de frijoles/Bean Soup.

[Sheila Ortega · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Argueta's "cooking poems." I love the comparisons in this one. Avacados are "like green precious stones." The pits are "round as a small world." The spoon is like a tractor when it scrapes. Even though some of the Spanish play on words are lost in the English, the English poetry is fun, too ("Sal, salito de mi salero" = "salt, salty salt from my saltshaker"). The illustrations by Margarita Sada are great. Miniature round-faced children slide on an avocado half and sled in the scooped-out skin. The big blocks of color balance nicely with the detail in the cilantro leaves and the flowers on the bowl.

[RLL22018_Jorge Ortiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

This Book was adorable. It has a little girl making guacamole and comparing it to things she likes or finds pleasing/interesting. It really shows her appreciation for what she is doing and expressing to the reader how happy it makes her feel. I love that it is written in both English and Spanish, reflecting her heritage. I feel this book would be a good ice breaker for a classroom to have its students listen to he character's hobby an possibly have them write a poem expressing theirs with pictures. The pictures in this book are captivating and colorful. I would say it would be a book for the primary grades.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The poem was in English and in Spanish. This is not how I would make Guacamole, it is a simplified recipe. The pictures were really great, and the emphasis on singing and dancing while cooking and cooking for others makes this a great story. Not all of the translation was parallel, but that wasn't a problem.

[Camille · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jorge Argueta poems are great for me because they help me build my Spanish vocabulary and practice exaggerated reading in another language. Super fun!
I think the English version of this poem is very well done, too. It shows readers how the simple, everyday objects can be fun and magical sometimes... you also get a basic guacamole recipe!

[Alexandrea Howard]

This is a really cute Poetry book.
I would definitely have it in my classroom library for those children that like to cook.
It is in Spanish and English. It teaches the reader how to make guacamole and if you are a child even has a little asterisk where you need adult help or supervision. I really enjoyed this book and thought it was really well written!

[Liz Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bilingual recipe for guacamole told in a poetic tone that brings the process to life. The illustrations are full of life and told through the eyes of three siblings. Pure joy!

[Molly Falk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

[Maria Hernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is filled with amazing illustrations and has a great story about creating the most delicious guacamole. I recommend this book for any grade level.

[Kerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bilingual children's book about making guacamole in poetry form. I wish it came with a recording because some of the Spanish rhymes in particular are really cute. The English ones made me laugh.

I heartily agree with the sentiment "Sing and dance because food tastes better when you sing and dance."

Cute illustrations to boot.

[Jo Oehrlein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Epic length poem about making guacamole.
Includes saving the skins/peels and seeds of the avocado and limes and planting them to grow more.

Reminds you to singa nd dance while cooking because it makes everything taste better.

[SamSamSam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have literally never read a better poem. Amazing.

[Amelia Halgren · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fun and lively but not quite as poetic or satisfying as Arroz con leche/Rice Pudding: Un poema para cocinar/A Cooking Poem.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Delightful poetry on how to make delicious guacamole. The prose writing in English is matched with Spanish on very page. A great way to incorporate healthy eating, Spanish, and prose writing in the classroom.

[Mercy · Rating 4 out of 5]

bilingual

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another in Jorge Argueta’s bilingual cooking poem series — Guacamole. Cute illustrations. Maybe I will try guacamole this way! (But I would have to add a little jalapeño!)

[Maryam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of all Arguetas "cooking poem" books, this is my favorite. I actually made this guacamole and loved it. The illustrations are delightful!

[Michelle Cortez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really do get Into these books. they make you want to try cooking there way, a childs way.

[Yadira Cabrera]

Second Poetry Book.

A young girl makes guacamole for her family. She goes step by step using only four ingredients as she sings and dances making a guacamole the whole family would enjoy. The illustrations are colorful and allow readers to vividly go through the process of making guacamole. The illustrator makes the characters small as they imagine their interaction with the ingredients and have fun through out the process.
This book would be appropriate for Pre-K to 3rd grade as it is simple and repetitive and the illustrations help readers follow the recipe. It is in Spanish and English, which would be ideal for a bilingual or dual language classroom. There is a lot of descriptive language, which can be use in a mini lesson for adjectives, similes and even metaphors. It can also be a good book to show sequencing since it follows step-by-step process of making guacamole. This book can be use with other of Jorge Argueta cooking poems such as “Salsa: A Cooking Poem”, “Sopa de frijoles” and “Arroz con leche: A Cooking Poem”.