Junior Library Guild Selection, Junior Library Guild

A bilingual collection of poetry by the late Francisco X. Alarcon, acclaimed Chicano poet, celebrating the days of the week and everyday childhood experiences.

the first day el primer dia

of the week is de la semana fue

dedicated to the Sun- dedicado al Sol-

with family around con familia alrededor

it’s always sunny siempre hace sol

on Sunday el domingo

So begins this bilingual collection of poems that takes us through the week day by day. Children spend Sunday visiting their grandparents, play with school friends on Monday, daydream on Tuesday, eat popcorn at the local market on Wednesday, and more, until we arrive at Saturday, when they get to play nonstop all day. Along the way, we also learn how the names of the seven days came to be.

Partly based on the real life experiences of Alarcon’s own family, this festive, celebratory collection of poems highlights the daily life of children while also honoring the experiences of the poet’s Latino family in the United States. With her vibrant illustrations, illustrator Maya Christina Gonzalez has created a loving tribute to childhood, to family, and to Francisco Alarcon, who passed away in January 2016.