The Cricket Sings: Poems & Songs for Children

by Federico García Lorca

A special aspect of Federico Garcia Lorca’s personality was the ease with which he made friends with children and the delight he took in entertaining them. In addition to the little puppet shows he created for his sisters and their friends and for the children of other writers, he wrote many little poems as well as words set to folk tunes that are still read and sung by Spanish children today and which, in their rarity and charm, are just the right size for anyone of any age.

Genres: Poetry

64 pages, Paperback

Published October 17, 1980

About the author

Born in Fuente Vaqueros, Granada, Spain, June 5 1898; died near Granada, August 19 1936, García Lorca is one of Spain's most deeply appreciated and highly revered poets and dramatists. His murder by the Nationalists at the start of the Spanish civil war brought sudden international fame, accompanied by an excess of political rhetoric which led a later generation to question his merits; after the inevitable slump, his reputation has recovered (largely with a shift in interest to the less obvious works). He must now be bracketed with Machado as one of the two greatest poets Spain has produced in the 20th century, and he is certainly Spain's greatest dramatist since the Golden Age.

Reviews

[Steven R. Kraaijeveld · Rating 3 out of 5]

"They have brought me a conch shell.

Within it sings
A map sized sea.
My heart
fills up with water
and little fish
of shadow and silver.

They have brought me a conch shell."

A cute collection of poems that Lorca invented for the children in his life (his sisters, his goddaughter, the children of other writers, etc.), wonderfully illustrated by Maria Horvath.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yay - a bilingual book of Garcia Lorca's children's poetry!! (I tried reciting to myself the Spanish translations - emphasis on tried!) Horvath's black & white folky illustrations enhanced the enchanting verse.

[Paola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful poetry regardless of age, with a gentle and playful reverence for everyday beauty. Much more musical in the original Spanish, but the translation did hit fairly well sometimes. Love this brief little collection.

[Angelina Enny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really like this book, with every poem and its illustration. :)