Review: Poetry by Kids

Title: Things I Have to Tell You: Poems and Writing by Teenage Girls

Editor: Betsy Franco

Photographer: Nina Nickles

ISBN: 0-7636-0905-6 Citation: Franco, Betsy. Things I Have to Tell You: Poems and Writing by Teenage Girls. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press, 2001.

Review: In Things I Have to Tell You Betsy Franco compiles a collection of poems written by teenage girls aged fourteen to nineteen. Dealing with intensely heavy and serious subject matter including body image, sexuality, and drugs, the poems in this collection represent the real-life issues that face today's teenagers from their unique perspective. Readers will be amazed at the literary quality of the poems written by these young women; there is no shortage of figurative language, varying formats, and especially voice. The accompanying photographs by Nina Nickles show realistic images of teenagers, not the glamorous, touched-up Hollywood versions, which serves to enhance the poetry and reinforce the realistic perspective of the book. Though fraught with controversial topics and swear words, teenage girls will especially relate to these poems that validate their every day struggles.

Potential Use: Things I Have to Tell You would be a great way to encourage students, especially teenage girls, to try their hand at writing poetry or to begin a poetry journal. The emotions expressed through poetry can provide an escape for teenagers and serve as an outlet for expressing feelings in a proactive manner. By reading poetry written by girls their own age, this book will show teenagers that they are not alone in their circumstances. See the selection below for an example from the Things I Have to Tell You.

Finding Joy by Marissa Korbel, age 16

I found myself a place

to be, to play

a day went by or maybe two

no thoughts of you to crowd my empty mind

I find my body is to me

as lovely as

a budding tree

a cat with grace

and emerald eyes

so unconcerned with shapely thighs

just me

Invisibly

a girl

inside this shape

a woman's hips and breasts

so much wider, softer than the rest

I found myself a crystal blue

like nymphs or faeries do

I never thought of you

or what you'd think of me

I found my body was

a mass of ground

the earth inside of me

behind my vinyl walls of

picture perfection

I was the earth, the sky

it made me want to cry

to shout the softness

I have never dared let out

my curves, my hair

a part of who I was

a blonde in a clear glass pond

myself a flow of nature

alone

finding joy

Review: Janeczko Collection

Title: A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms

Author: Paul B. Janeczko

Illustrator: Chris Raschka

ISBN: 978-0-7636-4132-0

Citation: Janeczko, Paul B. A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2009.

Review: Both informative and entertaining, Paul B. Janeczo has compiled an interesting and versatile collection of poems that give examples of twenty-nine different poetic forms. A Kick in the Head provides brief, simple explanations of each poetic form and gives readers the opportunity to compare actual examples with the rules of the format. Spanning the realm of poetic forms from acrostics to limericks to elegies, the variety of formats provides something for all ages and ability levels. Chris Raschka's innovative watercolor, ink, and torn paper
illustrations perfectly pair with each selection. Students who believe poetry to be "hard" or "boring" will likely relate to the poetic forms like never before through Janeczko's intriguing selections and easy-to-understand explanations.
Whether read aloud or read independently, readers will enjoy the variety of selections and abstract illustrations.

Potential Use: A Kick in the Head is an excellent way to introduce the various poetic forms to students of all ages. The author note at the beginning, the silliness of some of the selections, and the explanation that poetry does not always have to follow the rules encourages students to try some of the forms on their own and inspires creativity. See the examples below for a simple couplet featured in the book, which could be used with even the youngest students, to a more complex elegy, which could be used with the more advanced.

The Mule by Ogden Nash

In the word of mules

There are no rules.

Little Elegy (for a child who skipped rope) by X.J. Kennedy

Here lies resting, out of breath,

Out of turns, Elizabeth

Whose quicksilver toes not quite

Cleared the whirring edge of night.

Earth, whose circles round us skim

Till they catch the lightest limb, Shelter now Elizabeth

And, for her sake, trip up death.

Review: Poetry & Fiction

Title: More Spice Than Sugar: Poems about Feisty Females

Compiled By: Lillian Morrison

Illustrator: Ann Boyajian

ISBN: 0-618-06892-9

Citation: Morrison, Lillian. More Spice Than Sugar: Poems about Feisty Females. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001.

Review: Lillian Morrison celebrates the role of the feisty female in the aptly titled poetry collection More Spice Than Sugar. Real women, some widely known such as Georgia O'Keefe and some unknown are depicted through a variety of poetic formats. This carefully selected anthology contains works from many well-known poets including Emily Dickinson, Nikki Giovanni, and J. Patrick Lewis as well as many lesser-known. The different voices of the poets shine as they honor the independent women they admire with rhythmic verse and engaging vocabulary. Ann Boyajian's sketch-like illustrations accompany each poem and bring a face to each woman depicted. Readers, especially females, will be inspired by the strong women represented in More Spice Than Sugar.

Potential Use: More Spice Than Sugar would pair well with the 2011 Pura Belpré Award Honor Book The Firefly Letters: A Suffragette's Journey to Cuba by Margarita Engle. This novel details the lives of three feisty females: Frederika, a Swedish traveler; Cecilia, a young slave; and Elena, daughter of the Cuban gentry. These three young women are brought together in a fight against society's expectations, similar to many of the women portrayed in Morrison's collection. Because Cecilia and Frederika are based on real women, More Spice Than Sugar would serve as an excellent extension for readers to peek into the lives of other real-life independent women who went against the norm to follow their dreams. See the poem below for an excerpt from More Spice Than Sugar.

[The Poet Emily] by Emily Dickinson
They shut me up in Prose –
As when a little Girl
They put me in the Closet –
Because they liked me "still" –

Still! Could themselves have peeped –
And seen my Brain – go round –
They might as wise have lodged a Bird
For Treason – in the Pound –

Review: Sidman Poetry

Title: Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors

Author: Joyce Sidman

Illustrator: Pamela Zagarenski

ISBN: 978-0-547-01494-4

Citation: Sidman, Joyce. Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2009.

Awards: 2010 Caldecott Honor Award, A Junior Library Guild Selection, Claudia Lewis Poetry Award

Review: In Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors, Joyce Sidman expertly manipulates language to explore the unique colors of each of the four seasons. The figurative language in each poem is engaging and begs to be read aloud. Using imagery, metaphor, and a variety of other techniques, Sidman effectively captures the spirit of each season. Pamela Zagarenski's Caldecott-honored illustrations are captivating and perfectly paired with each poem. The vocabulary throughout the book is complex enough to maintain the interest of older readers, but not so complicated as to alienate the younger. Readers of all ages will fall in love with the rhythmic poems and beautiful illustrations in Red Sings from Treetops.

Potential Use: Red Sings from Treetops offers the opportunity to integrate poetry in the art curriculum at a variety of age and ability levels. For younger students, the poems and paintings in the book could be used to inspire their own artwork featuring a specific color. Older students can use the illustrations and poems in the book to inspire more advanced artwork, and then they could write their own poems to pair with their paintings. See below for examples of the colorful poems in Sidman's story, which would be ideal for integrating the language arts and art curriculums.

SPRING (p. 2)

In SPRING,

Red sings

from treetops:

cheer-cheer-cheer,

each note dropping

like a cherry

into my ear.

Red turns

the maples feathery,

sprouts in rhubarb spears;

Red squirms on the road

after rain.

FALL (p. 20)

Orange ripens in

full, heavy moons,

thick with pulp and seed.

Orange flickers,

all smoke and candles.

Orange eyes.

Orange cheeks.

Orange teeth.

Review: Hopkins Award Poetry

Title: Diamond Willow

Author: Helen Frost

ISBN: 978-0-374-31776-8

Citation: Frost, Helen. Diamond Willow. New York: Francis Foster Books, 2008.

Awards: 2009 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, The Lion and the Unicorn Award for Excellence in North American Poetry: 2009 Honor Book

Review: Set in an isolated Alaskan town where residents are transported by dogsleds and snowmachines, Diamond Willow is the story of a twelve-year-old girl trying to show her parents that she is growing up. Willow, a deep-thinking loner, tries to blend in with her classmates and peers, but desperately wants to make friends. Her deepest connections are with the family dogs used for mushing, especially Roxy. Helen Frost brilliantly tells the tale of Willow's attempts to break out of her childhood shell through this novel written in verse. Most of the story is told in diamond-shaped poems (a nod to the character's name, Diamond Willow), and each poem has a hidden message printed in darker ink. The poems are steadily rhythmic and full of figurative language and underlying meaning. Interspersed between the poems are prose sections devoted to the various animals Willow encounters on her journey, all of whom have had previous lives as humans and are connected to the characters in story in some way. A unique take on the reincarnation beliefs of the Athabascan people with a modern twist, Diamond Willow is a coming of age tale full of heartfelt emotion that will appeal to readers of all ages.

Potential Use: Middle school students will relate to the same-aged protagonist in Diamond Willow. This book would be of excellent use with middle-school aged students to introduce novels in verse in a relevant manner. Along with the coming of age tale at the heart of the story are glimpses into the unique beliefs of reincarnation, as told through the eyes of those who have been reincarnated as animals. See the following excerpt for an example of the poetry in Diamond Willow.

I

want

to mush

the dogs out

to Grandma and

Grandpa's. By myself.

I know the way. I've been

There about a hundred times

with Dad and Mom, and once

with Marty when he lived at home.

Their cabin is close to the main trail.

I know I'm not going to get lost, and I

won't see a baby moose or any bears this

time of year. Even if I did, I'd know enough

to get out of the way, fast. But Mom and

Dad don't seem to see it this way. What

do they think will happen? Dad at least

thinks about it: She's twelve years old;

it's twelve miles. Maybe we could

let her try. Mom doesn't

even pause for half a

second before

she says,

No

!

Review: Performance Poetry

Title: You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Scary Tales to Read Together

Author: Mary Ann Hoberman

Illustrator: Michael Emberley

ISBN: 978-0-316-01733-6

Citation: Hoberman, Mary Ann. You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Scary Tales to Read Together. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2007.

Review: Mary Ann Hoberman takes on scary tales in her fourth installment of the You Read to Me, I'll Read to You series. Very Short Scary Tales consists of poems set up as brief reader's theaters; each voice has its own color, which makes this book ideal for paired or choral readings. Targeted towards new readers, the poems in Very Short Scary Tales use poetic elements such as alliteration, rhyme, and repetition to reinforce reading techniques. The poems, which are more humorous than scary, cover topics from mummies to skeletons to zombies and will pique the interest and funny bones of young readers, especially those in the first through fourth grades. Michael Emberley's clever watercolor illustrations accompany each poem and will captivate readers' attention. Even though the poems lack depth and the rhyme and rhythm often seems forced Hoberman successfully creates choral readings for her target audience.

Potential Use: It can be difficult for educators to locate poems that are pre-designated for paired or choral readings; the You Read to Me, I'll Read to You series does the hard work ahead of time by clearly color-coding the two voices in each poem. Very Short Scary Tales would be ideal to use for group readings, especially around the Halloween holiday. Each poem is spooky enough to fit the Scary Tale theme, but not scary enough to frighten even young children. A fun activity for this book would be to divide the poems amongst the students in a class and to have a Halloween performance for parents or peers. An example of the color-coded poetry compiling in this book can be found below.

The Mummy

Let's explore inside this tomb.

I'm afraid we'll meet our doom.

Nothing's here to be afraid of.

Here's a package! What's it made of?

Wow! I think it is a mummy!

Butterflies are in my tummy.

It can't hurt you. Don't be scared.

I would touch it if I dared.

Maybe we can both unwrap it.

First I think we'd better tap it.

What if someone's still inside?

Maybe it was someone's father.

Someone's dad? Don't be a dummy!

Maybe it was someone's mummy!

It's an awful lot of cloth.

Eek! Let's go! I saw a moth!

Come on, help me to unwind.

I'm afraid of what we'll find.

We'll be finished in a minute.

Leaping lizards! Nothing's in it!

All that trouble to unroll it.

Then to find out someone stole it.

Robbed its tomb. It makes me sick!

Someone played a dirty trick!

I would like to know who did it

And to find out where they hid it.

I think we should search some more.

Maybe there's a secret door.

We might find another space.

We might find its hiding place.

Wouldn't it be really yummy

If at last we found the mummy?

Maybe this book has a clue.

You read to me, I'll read to you.

Review: Biographical Poetry

Title: The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano

Author: Margarita Engle

Illustrator: Sean Qualls

ISBN: 0-8050-7706-5

Citation: Engle, Margarita. The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano. New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2006.

Awards: A Junior Library Guild Selection

Review: In The Poet Slave of Cuba, Margarita Engle honors the life of Cuban poet Juan Francisco through a biography written in verse. Born into slavery, Manzano's tragic life is presented from a variety of perspectives including that of himself, his parents, his multiple owners, and even the overseer of the unspeakable punishment Manzano is forced to endure. Documenting the countless injustices suffered by Manzano throughout his life, Engle's haunting tone sets an appropriately grim mood that will leave readers disturbed, yet inspired. The rhythm and cadence in each poem allow the story to be told with fluidity. Complementing the overall solemnity of the biography is the art of Sean Qualls that adds a visual element that only enhances the already sensory-rich language. Additional information provided at the end of the biography gives readers a historical background to Juan Francisco Manzano's life as well as samples of his poetry. Though heavy and emotionally wrenching, Manzano's faith in the midst of his tragic circumstances will inspire and bring hope to readers.

Potential Use: The Poet Slave of Cuba gives readers the unique opportunity to experience the anguish of slavery from a slave's perspective. For older students, this biography can be paired with a study on Cuban history, or even the history of slavery in the United States in order to add a human element to this tragic period in our past. The poems throughout the biography, especially those from Juan's perspective such as the one that follows, will create an emotional connection for students that won't soon be forgotten.

Juan (p. 74)

Fireflies, music, angels,

birds, wings,

God,

why?

These are just a few

of the words I find

for songs to sing

and rhymes to rhyme

while my mother and I

try stay alive

waiting for mercy

or death

whichever comes first –

or are they

the same?

Review: Social Studies Poetry

Title: Lady Liberty: A Biography

Author: Doreen Rappaport

Illustrator: Matt Tavares

ISBN: 978-0-7636-2530-6

Citation: Rappaport, Doreen. Lady Liberty: A Biography. Cambridge, MA: Candlewick Press, 2008.

Review: Lady Liberty documents the process by which the Statue of Liberty was conceived, built, and bestowed as a gift from France to the United States. Writing in verse, Doreen Rappaport presents this series of events from the perspectives of those who lived it; from Auguste Bartholdi, the sculptor, to Joseph Pulitzer, who helped raise funds through his newspaper. The detailed artwork of Matt Tavares complements each step of the twenty-year process through which Lady Liberty was erected. Rappaport's innovative style makes Lady Liberty a fascinating, heart-warming tale of unity, friendship, and admiration between two countries. By unfolding the events that led to this symbol of freedom through the eyes of those who lived it, readers are able to experience the passion behind the statue. Rappaport's narrative flows nicely between two countries and a variety of people involved in Lady Liberty's creation. Readers will appreciate the accounts of the well-known contributors, such as Auguste Bartholdi, Gustave Eiffel, and Joseph Pulitzer; but also the stories of so-called "everyday people" such as Florence de Foreest, a young girl who sends two roosters to raise money for the cause, and Charles P. Stone, a construction worker in New York City physically laboring to erect the statue. Evoking a plethora of sensory images, Rappaport's abundant use of figurative language adds color and complexity to the verse. Matt Tavares's beautiful watercolor and ink paintings bring the story to life leaving readers emotionally moved and with a new appreciation of the ideals for which Lady Liberty stands.

Potential Use: The poem, Marie Simon, offers the unique opportunity to pair poetry with mathematics. Discussing the scale of the Statue of Liberty and the need to multiply the scale of the model several times to plan for the actual size, provides students with an example of a real life application of a mathematical concept. Read the poem in conjunction with a unit on scale to make cross-curricular connections between language arts, history, and mathematics.

Marie Simon

After months of work,

we have finished the right arm and torch.

Now we start on the left hand.

We go back to Bartholdi's four-foot clay model.

The pointers measure her forearm, wrist,

fingers, nails, and tablet.

They multiply each part by two

to build a model twice as big.

Again, they measure and multiply,

this time by four.

Slowly. Carefully. Section by section,

the workers build a bigger model.

Bartholdi moves about like a prowling tiger,

reminding everyone to be precise.

Again, measure and multiply by four.

This third model pleases Bartholdi.

The workers divide it into twenty-one parts.

Each part will be enlarged another four times.

Now the carpenters begin.

Day in, day out, buzzing and sawing.

Wood chips and sawdust litter on the floor.

Narrow wooden strips are bent and

nailed together to form the giant molds.

Some wood is carved to make softer lines.

White dust clings to the workers

as they pour plaster over the wood

until the shapes are just right.

Bartholdi waits impatiently

for the plaster to harden.

Review: Science Poetry

Title: Insectlopedia

Written and Illustrated By: Douglas Florian

ISBN: 0-15-201306-7

Citation: Florian, Douglas. Insecolopedia. San Diego, CA: Harcourt, Inc, 1998.

Awards: ALA Notable Children's Book, Child Magazine Best Book of the Year, Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year

Review: In Insectlopedia Douglas Florian combines humor and wit to teach about the world of insects. Intricate paintings accompany poems on twenty-one different insects. Adults and children alike will enjoy the informative, yet charming verse that begs to be read aloud. Ranging in poetic styles from shape poems, as in The Inchworm presented in the shape of an inchworm crawling across the page, to couplets to free verse, Florian includes a variety that keeps readers engaged. Through alliteration, rhythm, and the unique placement of words on the page, Florian uses the perfect combination of poetic elements to create an entertaining yet informative look into the natural world.

Potential Use: Insectlopedia would act as the perfect supplement to any elementary or middle school study on insects. Providing factual information in an entertaining manner, Florian's poems stir up interest in insects of all shapes and sizes. Use the poems individually or as a collection to enhance any science curriculum. See the examples below for a taste of Insectlopedia.

The Monarch Butterfly

He is a monarch.

He is a king.

He flies great migrations.

Past nations he wings.

He is a monarch.

He is a prince.

When blackbirds attack him,

From poison they wince.

He is a monarch.

He is a duke.

Swallows that swallow him

Frequently puke.

The Praying Mantis

Upon a twig

I sit and pray

For something big

To wend my way:

A caterpillar,

Moth,

Or Bee –

I swallow them

Religiously.

Review: 2011 Poetry Book

Title: Roots and Blues: A Celebration

Author: Arnold Adoff

Illustrator: R. Gregory Christie

ISBN: 978-0-547-23554-7

Citation: Adoff, Arnold. Roots and Blues: A Celebration. New York: Clarion Books, 2011.

Awards: A Junior Library Guild Selection

Review: In Roots and Blues: A Celebration, Arnold Adoff explores the evolution of blues music in African American culture as well as its impact on singers and listeners. Beginning with the songs of those being transported from Africa across the ocean during the slave trade and ending with blues music in modern times, Adoff uses lyrical poetry to engulf readers with the pure emotion of this genre of music. Adding visual beauty to Adoff's words are R. Gregory Christie's enchanting acrylic paintings. The rhythm and flow of the poems in Roots and Blues allows for a smooth reading while evoking sensory images through the use of rich vocabulary. Perhaps the most interesting element of this book is the unique layout in which special attention was paid to spacing, line breaks, and the placement of the poems on the page. Readers will enjoy this historically rich exploration of how blues music came to be.

Potential Use: Due to its complex vocabulary and, at times, abstract nature Roots and Blues: A Celebration would be best suited for use with high school aged students and beyond. Though one usually associates use of poetry with Language Arts curriculum, Roots and Blues would make for an excellent teaching tool in any music or music history class. This book represents the history of blues music in a historically accurate, yet emotionally riveting manner. Roots and Blues could provide an engaging alternative to reading a traditional textbook about the same topic. To explore the use of blues music in African American culture during various points in history, educators can select poems that represent each time frame being studied (see the following selections).

Pre-Slavery in Africa (taken from p. 7)

Each word a hammer hit. Each word the solid tip

of finger hitting squarely on to the center of the ivory

yellow piano key. Each hammer to each steel wire hit

makes tone makes sound and resonates: rings like rocks

hitting calm water. Circles of sounds reach out

like circles of words: flow stories out from the shore.

I look into the water and see my usual face bending out

and under the ripples: bending as blue notes extend

from finger tip to steel wire hit to air to ear to memory.

Slave Trade (taken from p. 10)

Chained

in rags in blood in dark death of daylight.

To survive the passage across the ocean from

life to living hell to life in hell means

silent

singing

of old

songs.

Behind the eyes
the fingers strum
homeland strings and memory of my history
remains as strong as steel.

Always: this melody of words is journey home.

Review: Verse Novel

Title: Witness

Author: Karen Hesse

ISBN: 0-439-45230-9

Citation: Hesse, Karen. Witness. New York: Scholastic, Inc., 2001.

Awards: Winner of the 2002 ABC Children's Booksellers Choices Award for Young Adult Readers, the 2002 Christopher Award for Young Adults, and the 2002 White Ravens Award

Review: Karen Hesse recounts historical events through the eyes of eleven characters living in a small town in Vermont in the 1924 in this novel written in verse. The story presents different perspectives on the major themes of prohibition, the Ku Klux Klan, racism, and other major issues of the time period. Using brilliantly developed characters to help the audience re-live the events of 1924 Karen Hesse brings this time period to life. The characters represent all angles of the issues presented in the novel, from a persecuted African American girl to a racist pastor involved in the Klan to a young Jewish girl seemingly oblivious to the hatred surrounding her to a female alcohol smuggler and many more. The voices of the characters come alive through the varying poetic rhythms found throughout the novel; each character has his or her own unique poetic style that conveys the differing personalities, ages, cultural backgrounds, and outlooks on life. The presentation of historical events through the eyes of the people who lived them allows readers to become emotionally involved in the story and leave with a sense of connection that is often difficult to achieve in learning about historical events. Readers will appreciate the factual information described through a fictional story, which provides an alternative to simply reading a textbook. Readers are taken through historical events in an innovative, eye-opening manner that is sure to stay with them long after they have finished the novel.

Potential Use: Witness can be effectively used as a snapshot of the culture of America in the 1920s. Historical issues including the rise of the Ku Klux Klan, prohibition, women's suffrage, the first woman governor, and the trial of Leopold and Loeb are presented from a variety of viewpoints, which provide a well-rounded look at the time period. To show the differing points of view on these important social and political issues, teachers can share excerpts from the novel in which multiple characters speak on the same issue. For example, the case of Leopold and Loeb is described from the following three perspectives:

Leanora Sutter

there was a rich boy in Chicago, a rich boy.

he was kidnapped.

the kidnappers wanted $10,000

from the boy's daddy

to bring the boy back alive.

only he was already dead.

even before the ransom note came,

the boy was already dead,

naked in a ditch, miles away from his house.

that boy was fourteen.

and now he's dead.

and he was rich.

and he was white.

Percelle Johnson

the chicago police did it.

they solved the case of that murder

of fourteen-year-old bobby franks.

it was the spectacles that

led detectives to the slayers.

nathan leopold, jr.,

son of a millionaire manufacturer,

and richard loeb,

his companion,

were taken into custody

for kidnapping and killing their neighbor.

the reports say both leopold and loeb are smart,

students at the university in Chicago.

they made full confessions to the charges,

said they'd been planning the job

since november.

if leopold had not dropped his spectacles,

if the spectacles had not been so uncommon,

they would have gotten away with it.

they would have gotten away

with murder.

Merlin Van Tornhout

it took two of them

my age

to kill one skinny jew boy.

two of them.

planning every detail.

they rented an automobile, killed the kid,

dumped the body, buried the boots and belt buckle

in different places.

they planned for weeks to kidnap,

to kill.

to see how it felt.

to prove they could.

it didn't matter about jail,

or being haunted by a ghost,

didn't even matter about going to hell.

if i wanted to, i could kill someone all by myself.

wouldn't need anyone's help,

and i'd make damn sure i got some money for my trouble.

but they were rich jew kids.

what do you expect?

After sharing these different perspectives of the same historical event, educators can lead a discussion on how the differing viewpoints were representative of the varying groups of people of that day and age.

Review: Poetic Form

Title: Dogku

Author: Andrew Clements

Illustrator: Tim Bowers

ISBN: 978-0-689-85823-9

Citation: Clements, Andrew. Dogku. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2007.

Awards: Named one of the Bank Street Best Books of the Year in 2007, listed as a KIND Children's Book Award Honor Book, and winner of the Kentucky Bluegrass Award

Review: Andrew Clements takes a departure from his well-known novels in writing Dogku. This tale of a stray dog trying to find a home with a loving family is written through a series of haiku poems. The reader follows the plot as the dog begins on a doorstep, "There on the back steps,/the eyes of a hungry dog./Will she shut the door?", the family decides what should be done, "Family meeting./There are words and words and words./Did someone say "pound"?", and finally decide to keep him, "A new doggy bed!/Food, a bowl, a squeaky toy!/Mooch has found his home." Cleverly written and accompanied by the vivid oil paintings of Tim Bowers, children will fall in love with Mooch and may not even realize they are reading poetry. Andrew Clements goes as far as writing the author's note, synopsis, and even including a haiku from the illustrator in this unique picture book. Readers of all ages will reevaluate their views of haiku after reading Dogku and may even find themselves experimenting with some haiku of their own.

Potential Use: Dogku provides educators and parents with the opportunity to introduce the often-feared haiku poetic form through an accessible, enjoyable story. This book could be used to introduce the 17 syllable haiku format to young students, perhaps as early as first or second grade. Educators could read the story aloud all the way through first, then go back and help students count the syllables on each page to reinforce the 5/7/5 haiku format. Students will likely be intrigued that even the synopsis, author note, and illustrator note are written in haiku; be sure to share these with the students as well.

Synopsis (in front cover)

A tale in haiku

of one adorable dog.

Let's find him a home.

Author Note (in back cover)

An idea knocks.

I open, think, write, and smile.

And then it's your turn.

Illustrator Note (in back cover)

I love to draw dogs.

I had fun reading Dogku—

And hope you do too!

Following these activities, encourage students to write some haikus of their own. After they practice, have the entire class write and illustrate a haiku based on a theme (e.g. Catku, Treeku, Familyku). Use these themed haikus to create a class book.

Review: Florian Poetry

Title: Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars

Written and Illustrated by: Douglas Florian

Citation: Florian, Douglas. Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars. Orlando, FL: Harcourt, Inc., 2007.

ISBN: 978-0-15-205372-7

Awards: Nominated for the 2008 Texas Bluebonnet Award, Nominated for the 2009 Beehive Children's Poetry Book Award, Nominated for the 2009 Rhode Island Children's Book Award, Nominated for the 2009 Young Hoosier Book Award, Nominated for the 2010 Garden State Children's Book Award

Review: Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars is a collection of themed poetry written and illustrated by Douglas Florian. Creatively written with attention to scientific detail as well to the lyrical nature of poetry, Florian creates a high quality collection that would be an important addition to any science teacher's collection. With beautifully inspired illustrations done with gouache, collage, and rubber stamps on primed brown paper bags, readers will enjoy examining the paintings just as much as reading the poems. Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars covers all aspects of the solar system, with poems describing each of the planets as well as other elements such as the universe, black holes, constellations, and the sun. An excellent educational tool, Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars will please adult and children alike.

Potential Use: Any unit on the solar system will be greatly enhanced by Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars. Learning about the planets can often be confusing for young students; the poems in this book offer a brief, accurate description of each planet that would help enhance students' understanding of the specific characteristics of each. Short and easy to memorize, students could learn each poem to have an understanding of the unique qualities of the different planets. For example, the poem Venus not only describes the physical characteristics of the planet, but also how it received its name:

Venus

Scalding-hot surface,

Nine hundred degrees.

Nothing can live there,

No creatures,

No trees.

Poisonous clouds

Of acid above.

Why was it named for the goddess of love?

Review: Multicultural Poetry

Title: Love to Mamá: A Tribute to Mothers

Edited By: Pat Mora

Illustrator: Paula S. Barragán M.

Citation: Mora, Pat. Love to Mamá: A Tribute to Mothers. New York: Lee & Low Books Inc., 2001.

ISBN: 1-58430-019-1

Awards: ALA Notable Children's Book, Children's Books of the Year for Outstanding Merit by Bank Street College Children's Book Committee, "Starred Review" by School Library Journal

Review: Love to Mamá: A Tribute to Mothers celebrates the bond between mothers, grandmothers, and children. A collection of poetry from a variety of well- and lesser-known Latino poets, this book represents a variety of perspectives and writing styles. Each poem is filled with beautiful figurative language that begs to be read aloud. The heavy Spanish-language influence throughout the book provides a flowing rhythm that is pleasing to the ear of native English and Spanish speakers alike. The large, colorful illustrations covering each page add life to the vibrant words; readers will enjoy examining the uniquely created pictures as much as reading the poems. In Love to Mamá: A Tribute to Mothers, Pat Mora has created an excellent compilation of poems that show just how important maternal figures are in the Latino culture.

Potential Use: Love to Mamá: A Tribute to Mothers would be an excellent tool in teaching elementary-aged students beginning Spanish. Many elementary schools are incorporating Spanish language lessons into the general curriculum; this book would complement this instruction perfectly. Many of the poems allow students to discover the meaning of Spanish words through the use of context clues, just as they decode unfamiliar English vocabulary in the same manner. The poem My Tongue is Like a Map by Rane Arroyo lends itself well to this type of lesson. Give students a printed copy of the poem or have it posted in the room where it can be seen. Ask students to listen carefully to the English and Spanish words in the poem, then share it aloud:

My Tongue is Like a Map

Mami said yes, Abuelita sang sí.

They said, Two languages make you a rich man,

But words never paid for my penny candy.

Agua, water. Arroz, rice. Niño, me!

Arroz con leche, sang Abuelita

As my mami said, A is for Apple.

My ears were like a radio, so many stations.

Sometimes I would dream in English and Spanish.

I was a millionaire each time I said yes and sí.

After reading the poem several times, highlight all the Spanish words on the printed copy of the poem. Allow students to volunteer guesses about what each word means using the context clues in the poem as a base for their guesses. Once all words have been identified, re-read the poem. As an extension, discuss what it would be like to live in a bilingual home. Allow any bilingual students to share their experiences.

Review: NCTE Award Poetry

Title: Scien-Trickery: Riddles in Science

Author: J. Patrick Lewis

Illustrator: Frank Remkiewicz

Citation: Lewis, J. Patrick. Scien-Trickery: Riddles in Science. Orlando, FL: Harcourt, Inc., 2004.

ISBN: 0-15-216681-5

Review: Scien-Trickery: Riddles in Science is a collection of scientific riddles written by NCTE Award-winning poet J. Patrick Lewis. With topics ranging from germs to laser beams to humidity, this collection covers a broad spectrum of scientific concepts. Each poem contains clues to the topic either in the words or in the watercolor and colored pencil illustrations created by Frank Remkiewicz, followed by the answer to the riddle written upside down beneath the poem. Though accurate in detail and chock full of scientific vocabulary, Scien-Trickery lacks a unifying theme as well as creative use of figurative language. With patterns that often seems forced and little sense imagery, the poems in this collection lack emotional impact.

Potential Use: Educators could pick and choose poems from Scien-Trickery: Riddles in Science to introduce topics of study in the science curriculum. Many of these poems lend them self to warm-up introductory activities. For example, if the topic of study for the day was gravity, an educator might introduce the subject with the following poem:

Gee!

It keeps you from flying

Off into space.

It's what makes you fall

Flat on your face.

And if it could talk

Like you and I do,

I think it would say,

"I'm pulling for you."

Answer: Gravity

As a follow-up activity, students could also try to create their own riddles based upon the day's science topic. Using the poems in Scien-Trickery for inspiration, students could write their own riddles and exchange them with classmates to solve.

Review: African American Poetry

Title: In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall: African Americans Celebrating Fathers

Illustrator: Javaka Steptoe

Citation: Steptoe, Javaka. In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall: African Americans Celebrating Fathers. New York: Lee & Low Books Inc., 1997.

ISBN: 1-880000-31-8

Awards: ALA Notable Children's Book, Coretta Scott King Author Award Honor, Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award, NAACP Image Award Winner Outstanding Literary Achievement, Texas Bluebonnet Masterlist

Review: In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall celebrates the impact fathers (and grandfathers) have on their children's lives. A compilation of poems from a variety of different African American writers, each poem provides readers with a different style, tone, and cadence that keeps the book fresh and interesting. Ranging in tone from somber in Black Father Man by Lenard D. Moore, "We all bleed his blood/summer-hot and thick/summer hot-and thick/as unstrained milk./Black Father Man,/the word-music messenger," to silly in Tickle Tickle by Dakari Hru, "me papa tickle me feet/he call it "finger treat"/me scream and run each time he come/me papa tickle me feet," this collection offers something for everyone. The quality of writing is high, bringing together poetry by both new and established writers that contains a variety of tongue-pleasing figurative language. Accompanied by vivid illustrations utilizing a variety of media, In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall effectively lends tribute to the importance of fathers of in the African American culture.

Potential Use: In Daddy's Arms I Am Tall's variety of poems lends itself to use by many different age groups, from Kindergarten through middle school. For the youngest readers, the poem Promises by David A. Anderson will likely be relevant to their lives. This poem could be introduced by setting up a situation all children can relate to, "Have you ever done something your parents asked you not to do? What was it? What were the consequences?" After discussing, share the poem.

Promises

Dear Daddy,

I'm sorry I did not do what you told me to do.

If I do better

Can I still be your little boy?

Dear Son,

You will be

My little boy

For all of your little-boy days.

And when

You are no longer a little boy

I will still be your daddy.

Following the poem, allow students to discuss what it means to them. Lead the discussion to talk about how parents have unconditional love for their children and that no matter what they do or how old they get, they will always be their parents' children. This activity could be done with Pre-Kindergarten through First Grade students in conjunction with a study on families.

Review: Hopkins Collection

Title: Amazing Faces

Poems Selected By: Lee Bennett Hopkins

Illustrator: Chris Soentpiet

Citation: Hopkins, Lee Bennett. Amazing Faces. New York: Lee & Low Books Inc., 2010.

ISBN: 978-1-60060-334-1

Awards: Texas Bluebonnet Masterlist, "Starred Review" Publishers Weekly

Review: Amazing Faces is a compilation of poetry put together by Lee Bennett Hopkins and featuring a variety of poems from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Acclaimed authors in this collection include Joseph Bruchac, Pat Mora, Carole Boston Weatherford, Jane Yolen, and Langston Hughes. Focusing on children experiencing life from different cultural perspectives, each poem provides insight into the multicultural world in which we live. Asians, Hispanics, Caucasians, African Americans, and Native Americans are all well-represented in Amazing Faces not only in the words of the poems, but in the vibrant illustrations of Chris Soentpiet. Children of all ages and cultural backgrounds will appreciate and relate to this collection of poetry that ranges in tone and emotion and represents many aspects of growing up including making friends, first love, sports, and role models.

Potential Use: For elementary-aged English Language Learners (ELL), poetry can often be an abstract and confusing literary form. The poems in Amazing Faces can successfully help ELL students acknowledge their feelings and struggles in terms of the social aspect of their situation while at the same time introducing poetry in an accessible, relevant manner. To introduce an activity using the translated poems Me x 2/Yo x 2 by Jane Medina, ask the following: "What are some hard things about being an ELL student? Do you think native English speakers understand what you have to deal with being bilingual?" After discussing this, share the poems.

Me x 2

I read times two./I write times two./I think, I dream,/I cry times two.

I laugh times two./I'm right times two./I sing, I ask,/I try times two.

I do twice as much/As most people do./'Cause most speak one,/But I speak two!

Yo x 2

Leo por dos./Escribo por dos./Pienso y sueño/Y lloro por dos.

Yo río por dos./Grito por dos./Canto, pregunto,/Intento por dos.

Hago mucho más/Que hacen todos ellos,/Porque yo hablo dos:/Lo doble que aquellos.

Following the poems, allow students to discuss them. Ask if they agree or disagree with the author's portrayal of being bilingual. If students feel comfortable, invite students to share the poems with their homeroom class and lead a discussion about the positives and negatives of being bilingual.

Review: School Poetry

Title: Swimming Upstream: Middle School Poems

Author: Kristine O'Connell George

Illustrator: Debbie Tilley

Citation: George, Kristine O'Connell. Swimming Upstream: Middle School Poems. New York: Clarion Books, 2002.

ISBN: 0-618-15250-4

Awards: IRA-CBC Children's Choice Award 2003, Rose Diaz Pinan Reading Aloud Collection, World Book Encyclopedia – Outstanding Poetry Collection 2002

Review: Swimming Upstream takes a humorous look at the daily lives of middle school students. Featuring a variety of poetic forms including haiku, free verse, and acrostic, Kristine O'Connell George tells the tale of a sixth-grade girl making her way through the dreaded first year of middle school. Touching on everything from locker trouble, making friends, the first school dance, changing in the locker room, and homework, George takes a light-hearted tone in each of her short poems as she reminisces about circumstances every middle school student (past and present) can relate to. This easy read will appeal to upper elementary-aged students as they anticipate the changes to come as well as to middle school students who live out the antics presented in Swimming Upstream on a daily basis. A comical, yet well-written themed collection, Swimming Upstream is a quality addition to any adolescent's reading list.

Potential Use: Sixth-grade students will especially relate to the same-aged protagonist in Swimming Upstream. This collection of poems would lend itself to fun activities both during the first and last week of a student's sixth-grade year. During the first week of school, educators can read some of the first half of Swimming Upstream aloud to students and have them discuss the challenges of being new to middle school. One poem all students are likely to relate to is the haiku entitle Locker:

Locker
I've got your numbers.
Twelve…eleven…twenty-one.
Why won't you open?

After sharing this poem and others, have students write a haiku about their first week of middle school experience. Creating a haiku is a short activity that is both fun for the writer and the audience and allows students to realize they are not alone in their worries, fears, and struggles about middle school. Collect these haikus and save them until the end of the year, when students can reflect on how far they've come.

During the last week of school, educators can read either the entire collection or some of the second half of Swimming Upstream aloud to students. After doing so, pass out the students' haikus from the beginning of the year and discuss how they've matured and changed in the months that have passed. Have students write a poem in a format of their choice reflecting on their sixth-grade year.