Lori Marie Carlson,
Red Hot Salsa: Bilingual Poems on Being Young and Latino in the United States.
Henry Holt, 2005.

 Ages 12-18

"I'm a grafted flower that didn't / take, a Mexican without being one, / an American without feeling like one" writes poet Raquel Valle Senties in "I Am Who I Am, So What," one of 37 poems in this compelling bilingual collection that looks at many aspects of Latino experience in the United States today. The poets explore themes of language, identity, community, family, struggle and triumph, and love. Most poems are presented in both English and Spanish; a few are written as an intentional blending of the two languages.

This companion volume to editor Lori Marie Carlson's outstanding anthology Cool Salsa: Bilingual Poems on Growing Up Latino in the United States (Henry Holt, 1994) offers an even broader perspective on the wide range of Latino voices and experiences in this country.

Megan Schliesman
April 2005