Aunt Carmen's Book of Practical Saints

Rating:
Summary: Beautiful, Funny and Poignant Prayers
Review: A couple of years ago, I had the remarkable luck to have one of my poems edited by Pat Mora for the children's poetry anthology, Love to Mama (Lee & Low Books, 2001). The grace, care and loving attention she gave to my simple lines -- communicated through several e-mails -- confirmed in my heart what my mind already knew: Ms. Mora is one of our literary treasures. "Aunt Carmen's Book of Practical Saints" puts her joy of language on perfect display. In poems that resonate regardless of your religious beliefs, she shows how one can communicate joy, sorrow and hopes through prayer to various "santos/as" who are shown here in beautiful photographs of statues and paintings. This is a handsomely-produced volume of heart-felt, finely-crafted poetry from one of our finest poets. I also enjoyed Ms. Mora's "code switching" -- i.e., mixing Spanish with English -- which gives the poems a wonderful flavor. It is a joy to read.