My First Words in Nahuatl is soon to be published; its author, Jorge Tetl Argueta is a celebrated Salvadoran poet and writer whose bi-lingual children’s books have received numerous awards, and his poetry has appeared in anthologies and textbooks. A native Salvadoran and Pipil Nahua Indian, Jorge spent much of his childhood in rural El Salvador. He now resides in San Francisco, where he has been a long-time contributor to the culture. He returns frequently to El Salvador, where he participates in annual poetry festivals and oversees a library that he’s brought into being for young children in the capital, San Salvador. He is certain that everyone can write poems–especially young children, who are natural poets.

He won the American Book Award and other awards for his first collection of poems for children, A Movie in My Pillow. He was the Gold Medal Award winner in the 2005 National Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) for Moony Luna/Luna, Lunita Lunera. His other works for children include Xochitl and the Flowers, 2003 America’s Award Commended Title, Trees are Hanging from the Sky, Zipitio, Talking with Mother Earth, The Little Hen in the City and The Fiesta of the Tortillas.