Luján’s nine-line poem, ably rendered into English by Amado, is a hymn to the coming and going of the day. Imagistically vivid, the poem features the rooster who calls the sun, the sun whose hand brings the day, and the night with its cape full of stars. Luján’s original Spanish is featured in large print with the English translation beneath it, but as powerful as the poem is, its brevity makes the artwork the real star of this gorgeous offering. Monroy’s rich blues and simple shapes especially make this very short work a real treat to hold and to look at again and again. Perhaps loveliest of all is the rooster “evolving” into a constellation as another day begins. The sharp, evocative language should stir children’s imaginations as well as pleasing the adults who may be reading to them and who will almost certainly feel that Luján’s poem for children is more delightful than many so-called “adult” poems. (Picture book/poetry. 2-4)
