Laughing Out Loud, I Fly: Poems in English and Spanish

From U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera, one of the most prominent Chicano poets writing today, here are poems like sweet music

Awarded the Pura Belpré Honor for this book, Herrera writes in both Spanish and English about the joy and laughter and sometimes the confusion of growing up in an upside-down, jumbled-up world—between two cultures, two homes.

With a crazy maraca beat, Herrera creates poetry as rich and vibrant as mole de olé and pineapple tamales...an aroma of papaya...a clear soup with strong garlic, so you will grow, not disappear. Herrera's words show us what it means to laugh out loud until it feels like flying.

Juan Felipe Herrera's vibrant poems dance across these pages in a dazzling explosion of two languages, English and Spanish. Skillfully crafted, beautiful, joyful, fun, the poems are paired with whimsical black-and-white drawings by Karen Barbour. The resulting collage fills the soul and celebrates a life lived between two cultures.

Laughing out loud, I fly, toward the good things, to catch Mamá Lucha on the sidewalk, afterschool, waiting for the green-striped bus, on the side of the neighborhood store, next to almonds, José's tiny wooden mule, the wise boy from San Diego, teeth split apart, like mine in the coppery afternoon . . .

It is a celebration of the joy, music, and flavors of a bicultural life.

• Bilingual Poetry: Experience every poem in both English and Spanish, printed side-by-side to capture the full music of two languages.
• Chicano Poetry: Crafted by U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera, these poems are a cornerstone of the Chicano literary tradition, brimming with life and authenticity.
• Bicultural Identity: Explore what it means to grow up between two cultures, with verses rich in the aroma of pineapple tamales and the sounds of the barrio.
• Pura Belpré Honor Winner: An award-winning book celebrated for its lyrical text and paired with the whimsical black-and-white illustrations of Karen Barbour.