Bilingual poetry helps children learn a second language and encourages their imagination, says Francisco Alarcón, poet, educator and director of the Teaching of Spanish to Native Speakers Program at the University of California, Davis.

"It's not necessary for children to wait until they attend school to be exposed to literature when they can to do it through poetry," explains Alarcón, author of four bilingual poetry books for children.

Poetry is an effective tool in teaching a language to children because with very few words it conveys a great deal of meaning. Alarcón says poetry is direct, easy to understand and open to multiple interpretations, which makes children active participants. Through his own teaching at children's poetry workshops, Alarcón says he sees youngsters feel comfortable in interpreting poetry and expressing feelings that the poetry provokes.

Moreover, bilingual poetry introduces a second language, allowing the easy transfer of what is learned in one language to the other.

Alarcón say his children's poetry relates the Hispanic American experience from a child's perspective. "Bilingual poetry expresses a very positive message by acknowledging the Latino culture and the advantage of being bilingual."

Alarcón is author of "Laughing Tomatoes and Other Spring Poems /Jitomates risueños y otros poemas de primavera," for which he received the 1997 Pura Belpré Honor Award by the American Library Association and the National Parenting Publications Gold Medal. He has received two more Pura Belpré Honor Awards for his later poetry books.