February's Book of the Month: A Movie in My Pillow

A Movie in My Pillow/
Una película en mi almohada

Poems by Jorge Argueta

Illustrations by Elizabeth Gómez

The LBBC’s recommendation for February’s Libro del Mes, is Jorge Argueta’s A Movie in My Pillow/Una película en mi almohada.

Written by Ecuadorian poet, Jorge Argueta, A Movie in My Pillow is a story about a newly arrived immigrant boy. With 20 vividly written poems, Argueta presents the experience of this young boy as he leaves his homeland of Ecuador and begins his new life in San Francisco. Forced to leave his home in the country because of a civil war, Jorgito discovers a very different world in a foreign city.

Argueta’s book is a reflection of his own memories and experiences when he first came to America as a child. There is an obvious longing for his homeland, which young readers should be able to understand. But there is also a happy blending of the two cultures by the end of the book.

Mi bicicleta

es un caballo pinto

veloz como el viento

Mi bicicleta

es un dragón

que baila

cumbias

desde aquí hasta

El Salvador

The language that Argueta uses is imaginative and lively, echoing his close connection to nature and indigenous culture. He also dedicates several poems to his relationship with his grandmother, who also spoke Nahuatl, as seen in this excerpt from his poem, “Lengua de pájaros.”

Antes sólo podía

hablar español

Ahora también

puedo hablar inglés

Y en sueños

hablo en náhuatl

la lengua

que mi abuelita dice

su gente

- los pipiles -

aprendieron

de los pájaros

A Movie in My Pillow has bright, colorful illustrations by painter, Elizabeth Gómez. It comes with full text in both Spanish and English. There is no glossary in the back, and as such is best as a book for more advanced Spanish speakers. However, the poems are displayed on the same page or across from each other so unfamiliar words can easily be figured out.

This book would be a wonderful supplement to the following topics/themes: poetry, immigration, family, differences in living in the city versus living in the country, indigenous cultures, family relationships, grandparents, and nature. It is a good read for children ages 4 and up.

If you would like to buy your own copy of A Movie in My Pillow, please click here. Or you can follow the link in our sidebar to the LBBC’s on-line store. We have both new and gently used copies available.