The Siren and The Crown

It's been a long, fun ride with Kiera Cass onboard The Selection Series train. But somewhere between The Heir and The Crown, my loyalty is deviating. 

Reading The Siren (great cover, by the way) felt like stumbling across a teenager's private diary, with words that didn't feel or sound quite like the Kiera Cass I've come to know and love. A tiny bit of research led me to find that this book was actually her first novel that was self-published and recently re-released. Unfortunately, as a writer, I can empathize with the desire to have everything published, but as a wise (and wise ass) professor once instructed: "Sometimes you have to edit by cleaver." This book is one of those that didn't quite have enough guts to stand proudly in Cass's canon. The characters were underdeveloped, the scenes were pretty fun but a little predictable, and the outcome was decent, but there was some weird stuff along the way. 

As for The Crown, the fifth and final installment in The Selection Series, there were a lot of things missing, including the juicy plot, secret make out sessions, and political intrigue, love triangles (and quadrangles) and a general sense of excitement. Being the final book in a series of major romantic excitement, stolen kisses, complicated family dynamics, and torn heart-strings, this book didn't get there, literally, until the last 10 pages. Now, I've never thrown a book across the room, but sure was tempted after slogging through to see what happened at the end (which was pretty predictable also). At least it was a semi-satisfying end to a far too chaste and aloof story. When you go in expecting The Bachelorette-meets-The Royals, there's got to be more lust, jealousy, and fancy clothing. Sigh. I have to say it was a disappointing end to a series I've been talking up for years. 

I'm not giving up, I'm simply hoping for more well-crafted, highly-developed characters, fabulous settings, and intriguing plots in the future, with lots of secrets on the side and a fair dose of emotional and romantic turmoil. That's not too much of a tall order, right? 

This post is a personal opinion. It is not a reflection of the author or publisher.

Poetry Tag Time: 30 Poems by 30 Poets - eBook Review

This post was written as a Master's course assignment for Texas Woman's University.

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Vardell, Sylvia and Janet Wong (Compiled by). 2011. POETRY TAG TIME: 30 POEMS BY 30 POETS. Illustrated by Rich Arnold. Princeton, NJ: PoetryTagTime.com. ISBN 9781937057015.

2. BOOK SUMMARY

This delightful compilation of 30 unpublished poems by 30 poets of today is a joy to read. Based on the concept of playing "tag" as a child, the chosen poets follow a short set of rules by which to play the game: "1)share an unpublished poem within a day of being tagged; 2) make the poems accessible to children ages 0-8; 3)keep the lines "short" (for the purpose of e-book formatting); 4) write a "connection piece" explaining their poem's connection to the poem that came before it in the book." The flurry of movement and excitement created by the "tag rules" evoke memories of playing the game, and indeed, highlight the joys and pleasures of poetry.

The poets featured in this fantastic anthology are actively involved in the poetry publishing world of today. Many seem to know each other and some reference the friendship in their "tag" post. With fascinating bio notes by Sylvia Vardell, this collection is a classic that would be appropriate for inclusion in any poetry collection for children. The final poem, SCUTE by Janet Wong (who also co-compiled this collection) ties back to the beginning poem, IF THE MOON by Jack Prelutsky, bringing a completeness to the poetry tag circle. Illustrations by Rich Arnold are succinct and poignant and jump from the iPad screen. The art is absolutely perfect for this fast-paced book of tag.

Readers begin with an involving poem by Jack Prelutsky, IF THE MOON, in which the author wonders about the possibilities of the moon's composition: "We are happy to report/That the moon is just the moon" (and not a balloon, or cheese, or a sun). The tags begin, and as the reader gets the hang of the idea, the poets continue the game, injecting humor all the while. The tags themselves are almost as enjoyable as the poems. Alice Schertle's tag notes: "Here's a cinquain with some heat in it. Make that a sunquain." It is as if the poets cannot help themselves, and their creativity bubbles through in the tags. Douglas Florian gives us a nice set-up in his tag: "The opposite of crow is dove./One I hate and one I love."

The poems and tags flow quite nicely from one to the next, making the reading experience enjoyable for people of all ages. Humor, the seasons, weather, animals, and food all make at least one appearance in the collection. J. Patrick Lewis' EDGAR ALLAN POE'S APPLE PIE is a clever nod to Poe's poem, THE RAVEN, but instead of "nevermore" (Poe), we get "Never Four!" as the answer to "How many cuts/give me ten pieces?" (Lewis). 

Some of the poems feature rhymes, but not all. Joan Bransfield Graham's BUCKAROO BEES employs great rhythm, rhyme, and imagery: "stack their/pack their/saddlebag legs." And Julie Larios' SONG OF THE HOG produces great musicality and humor about none other than... a pig, the "Porcine King." Janet Wong's description of turtles' back scales in SCUTE compares the circular shapes to both "Mom's cinnamon rolls" and "Grandpa's scaly tough toenails."  POETRY TAG TIME is a book that may be enjoyed again and again, potentially in one sitting, as the reader joyfully moves back to the beginning to notice the ties to the final poem, and to find more ties among the ones in between.

3. POEM HIGHLIGHT

The poem I chose to highlight from this joyful collection is THE DOUBLENOSE HOTEL, by Calef Brown. After reading this sensational poem aloud, I would encourage the students to sniff several different fragrances and other olfactory delights, perhaps cinnamon rolls and other edible treats, and to then write short, descriptive poems to detail what their noses have sniffed, pretending that their readers have never smelled those scents before.

THE DOUBLENOSE HOTEL

Are you a savvy traveler
with a keen sense of smell?
If so, the only place to go
is the Doublenose Hotel.
From the grand ballroom
to the penthouse cafe
it's a nasal buffet-
a complex bouquet
of rare perfumes.
Free aroma service
in all the rooms.
You can order an odor
at any odd hour.
The essence of mint
or an exotic flower.
The water in the shower
is sweetly scented,
and every suite is vented
in case it gets too "fragrancy."
Arrive early, there's rarely a vacancy
at the famous inn that smells so swell-
The Doublenose Hotel.

By Calef Brown

Salting the Ocean: 100 Poems by Young Poets - Book Review

This post was written as a Master's course assignment for Texas Woman's University.

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Nye, Naomi Shihab (Selected by). 2000. SALTING THE OCEAN: 100 POEMS BY YOUNG POETS. Illustrated by Ashley Bryan. New York, NY: HarperCollins Children's Books. ISBN 9780688161934.

2. BOOK SUMMARY

Naomi Shihab Nye's extensive work with students and their writing in the classroom led to this wonderful collection of poems from the past 25 years. Nye chose 100 poems from students that she worked with, ranging from grades 1-12. In her introduction, "To the Poets," Nye gives this encouragement: "You are making a map of the days you live."

The book is divided into four fascinating sections, each with an overarching topic: THE SELF AND THE INNER WORLD; WHERE WE LIVE; ANYBODY'S FAMILY; THE WIDE IMAGINATION. The poems vary in shape and length, and very few involve rhyming.

The lovely illustrations by Ashley Bryan showcase the power of tempera paints, to the effect of creating beautiful lines that are thick and expressive. The paintings represent faces from all sorts of races and backgrounds, and though there are only a few paintings scattered among the poems, they add weight and dimension to the words and to the book, as a whole.

Though the reader is not aware of how exactly how old each poet was at the time the poems were written, it is fun to read the words and imagine the age of the mind which created it. The reader feels an array of emotions reading through the poems and can empathize with many of the feelings: sadness, loneliness, joy, awe.

In the first section, Jeffrey Trevino tells us: "I like to:... swim in the desert/write in fire" (p. 4). Sometimes one word or one line launches the poem in an entirely new direction, giving us great insight into the poet's true vision. Bonnie Gutierrez writes: "...I am a sweet girl./I am a helpful girl./...I feel like a chained-up little elephant/in a zoo" (p. 13). And as Rachel Moore tells us (p. 31): "I have a dark barn in me that is filled with talent." These young poets are tuned in, and Nye has definitely helped them get turned on to the powerful expression available through writing.

Section two brings us to thoughts about things around the home- noises, people, and borrowing things from the neighbor. In FRIEND SOUNDS, by Laurie Roy (p. 45), we get a quite personal observation of the crying sounds that different family members make in the house next door: "wa wa" and "hm hm" and "Moo Moo" by the children, as well as "screams" and "yells" by the parents.

The third section touches on the family, any and all families. With Brenda L. Burmeister (p. 59), we see the narrator recognizing the face of her grandmother in her own reflection, as probably many of us have done. And in the book's namesake poem, by Bill Collins (p. 66), we see the origin of the idea: SALTING THE OCEAN. What a fabulous image- envisioning the poet's mother salting and tasting the ocean water.

The fourth section was this reader's favorite, as it allows for wide open and wild-haired ideas and thinking. Peter Ramzy (p. 84) writes: "When I give birth to an idea, my stomach/starts to tingle in the clouds." This section allows for ruminating about all of the universe, as we see by Austin Stoker (p. 94): "What has happened/before me/before you/before us..." And the imagery by Mary Helen Gonzalez (p. 102) makes us feel like tiny pieces in the world: "Growing is like a rose sleeping in a king-size bed."

3. POEM HIGHLIGHT

The poem I chose to highlight from this collection is WHEN I WAS BORN by Homer Soto (p. 5). As a fun follow up exercise for students, I would lead them in a writing activity. The students will rewrite this poem filling in several blank portions, like a poem "Mad lib," and will customize it to match their own life and birth experience, as they remember it or can imagine it. The students would then share aloud with the other students, if they desired.

WHEN I WAS BORN

When I was born,

it was like a big ocean

with one fish.

Then it was like

I was not the only one

in the ocean.

And when I was bigger,

it was like an elephant

in a jar.

By Homer Soto

Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems - Book Review

This post was written as a Master's course assignment for Texas Woman's University.

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Janeczko, Paul B. (Selected by). 2014. FIREFLY JULY: A YEAR OF VERY SHORT POEMS. Illustrated by Melissa Sweet. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. ISBN 9780763648428.

2. BOOK SUMMARY

This wonderfully curated anthology of short poems celebrates the changing of the seasons in an extremely enjoyable and accessible way. Most of the poems are quite short, with many having only four lines or less, and none over ten lines. The book is paced beautifully and would make an excellent read before a child's bedtime. 

Several classic favorite poets are included, such as William Carlos Williams, with THE RED WHEELBARROW, Robert Frost, and Emily Dickenson. Janeczko also chose many popular poets of today in this compilation, such as April Halprin Wayland, J. Patrick Lewis, Joyce Sidman, and many more. Each seasonal segment of the book portrays the mood, colors, and activities of that time of year.

The illustrations by Melissa Sweet are outstanding. She also illustrated BALLOONS OVER BROADWAY, which appears as an earlier post in this blog. Sweet's beautiful, two-dimensional drawings/paintings bring a fabulous color palette to the book, with the colors radiating the feelings of each season.

We begin with the teals and pinks of SPRING, and progress through several poems that give a sense of promise and hope, a clinging to life. In THE ISLAND, by Lillian Morrison, we understand what it means to observe new life budding: "Wrinkled stone/like an elephant's skin/on which young birches are treading."  

In SUMMER, the colors of the illustrations burst into reds and yellows. This season brims with activity and encourages the imagination to run overtime. A HAPPY MEETING, by Joyce Sidman, paints the perfect portrait of a summer downpour: "Rain meets dust: soft, cinnamon kisses./Quick noisy courtship,/then marriage: mud." The SANDPIPERS (April Halprin Wayland) bustle around, "hemming the ocean" and we wish for the long days to last forever.

The wind gusts in with FALL, complete with crunching leaves and the mystery of fog. The illustrations settle into muted red, oranges, and browns. Cid Corman sets the mood in HEADLINE: "A leaf on/the doorstep-/don't even/have to pick/it up to/know the news." 

Then, suddenly WINTER makes a hurried appearance, a flurry of blues and whites, some serious fog, and the first snow. Robert Frost's DUST OF SNOW is included in this season, a classic favorite. The stars are bright, the nights are dark, and Anne Porter's WINTER TWILIGHT prepares us for a long winter's nap: "The crescent moon/And the round squirrels' nest/In the bare oak/Are equal planets." Cozy and comforted, the reader may find this to be the perfect time to drift off to sleep.

3. POEM HIGHLIGHT

The poem I chose to highlight from this collection is FOG, by Carl Sandburg. This poem appears in the WINTER section, a precursor for the imminent arrival of snow. After reading this poem aloud, I would lead the students in a drawing exercise to express their interpretations of the wonderful imagery in this poem, and to share later, if desired.

FOG

The fog comes

on little cat feet.

It sits looking

over harbor and city

on silent haunches 

and then moves on.

By Carl Sandburg

The Friendly Four - Book Review

This post was written as a Master's course assignment for Texas Woman's University.

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Greenfield, Eloise. 2006. THE FRIENDLY FOUR. Illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrest. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 9780060007591.

2. BOOK SUMMARY

Four friendships mold together gradually in this elegant book by Eloise Greenfield. Over the six sections of the book, the young characters are introduced one-by-one to the reader, beginning with Drum (Drummond), who watches as a new neighbor moves in. The neighbors happen to have a daughter, Dorene, who is just about his size and age, and move in just in time to save Drum from a summer of boredom. The narrators in this book vary, from one, to two, to three or more, and many of these poems would work well in a read-aloud setting, with a few designated readers. 

To the excitement of Drum and Dorene's newly forged friendship, we add a third character: Louis, who we assume is adopted. In SOMEONE (pg. 17), we see the world from his eyes: "Louis: My new mama really looks at me,/not at all like the other two,/who looked past me into nothing." With a flurry of running and storytelling and creativity, the group of three play games and laugh a lot. Their energy is infectious, and to this already excitable group, we add the fourth member: Rae. THE FRIENDLY FOUR, now complete, seem destined to have the greatest summer ever: "Drum: I was alone and life was lonely. All: But not anymore,/Drum: 'cause we're the Friendly Four!" (pg. 27).

Through their jubilant interactions, the four friends band together, becoming almost invincible, and even creating a make-believe town called "Goodsummer," built from scratch, out of paper and glue, cardboard and markers, and glitter, of course. They play pretend: AT THE MOVIES (pg. 38), AT THE BANK (pg. 39), AT SCHOOL (pg. 40), AT THE OFFICE BUILDING (pg. 41), AT THE LIBRARY (pg. 42)... The dialogue between the children is fabulous and inventive, a true slice of summer life for children with boundless energy. 

The beautiful illustrations in rich colors evoke a true sense of the creative juices that are flowing around the children. The colors vary, depending on the essence of each poem, from loud primary colors, to soft, introspective earth tones. Jan Spivey Gilchrest captures such expressive emotions in the children's faces, and the pictures create movement, merriment, and excitement.

Though we are introduced to issues that could lead to potentially disturbing emotions- Dorene living with her Grandmother, Rae coming to live for the summer away from her unstable mother, Louis's adoption story, Drum's new baby sibling- the children all bring their best attitudes to each other, and boy does it feel like a party. Imagination and Greenfield's beautifully poetic language run rampant over the neighborhood that summer, and when it's time to see goodbye, the "Friendly Four" make sure it's a "see you later."

3. POEM HIGHLIGHT

The poem I chose to highlight from this vibrant collection is one of the make-believe poems, with all of the children taking turns narrating. AT THE CONCERT HALL (pg. 44) arrives at the height of the imaginative series, where the children pretend to be doing things that grown-ups do. As a fun educational follow-up, after reading this poem aloud, the students would play dress-up, with costumes and props, and take turns telling stories about where we're going in our fancy garb.


AT THE CONCERT HALL

All:                         We look wonderful
Dorene and Rae:     in our gowns and gloves, hats,
Drum and Louis:      tuxedos,
All:                         going to the concert.
                              Now, we're there, listening to
Drum:                     the horns,
Rae:                       the strings,
Louis:                     the piano,
Dorene:                  the drums,
All:                         all playing together,
Drum:                     making music that thunders,
Rae:                       music that swings,
Louis:                     lullabies, waltzes,
Dorene:                  hymns.
All:                         And now, to the banquet hall for dinner.
                              We take the music with us,
                              tingling on our skin, playing again
                              in our heads and in our hearts.


By Eloise Greenfield.

This is Just To Say - Book Review

This post was written as a Master's course assignment for Texas Woman's University.

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sidman, Joyce. 2007. THIS IS JUST TO SAY: POEMS OF APOLOGY AND FORGIVENESS. Illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 9780618616800.

2. BOOK SUMMARY

This individual compilation of Sidman's work began with an interesting concept, which was, to write a set of poems from the point of view of several apologetic "students," and then in turn, to have a set of response poems. The first poem is a humorous nod to the book's namesake (and opening poem), THIS IS JUST TO SAY (pg. 6), by William Carlos Williams. Sidman's echo tribute to this poem is a nice reminder and sets a fabulous tone for the book, especially since it's an apology for stealing jelly donuts from the teachers' lounge. 

The author's poems utilize excellent wordplay and poem forms (such as the pantoum, in SPELLING BOMB, pg. 22) to fit the rhythm and essence of the students' natural language. The illustrations by Pamela Zagarenski are beautifully tailored to the mood of each poem. The paintings add depth of meaning to the lovely poems and are strikingly memorable, even to the most familiar of stanzas: "Roses are red,/ violets are blue" (pg. 33). In this case, the roses look eerily similar to a curlicue doodle rose that has probably lined many bound school notebooks, and yet, they have a potency all their own.

Sidman visits several topics that are familiar to school children, such as dodge ball, practical jokes, and sibling rivalries. In THE BLACK SPOT (pg. 15), we can all identify with the accidental (or not) piece of lead that gets lodged into our skin with a pencil stab. We have probably all experienced at least one remembrance of unrequited love, as seen in A WASTE OF HEART (pg. 23): "I'm sorry for loving you/because you never notice me."

And we can't help but feel sorry for the teacher's feelings in FASHION SENSE (pg.12). Even though she encourages the students with this statement: "words can help or hurt, the choice is ours," this apology letter is written as a result of Carmen's rude comment about Mrs. Murz's dress (pg. 12). In the RESPONSES section, Mrs. Merz replies with a genuinely kind poem, HAIKU FOR CARMEN: "Just these few warm words/and spring sunlight fills the room;/my dress turns to sky" (pg. 31). The reader can only imagine the terrors that teachers must live with sometimes, and is amazed at how gracious they may choose to be in return.

Sidman touches some on deep subjects, such as an absentee parent, the loss of a pet, and the dread of disappointing a parent. Through several interesting twists in the response section, we receive many comforting replies directed to the apology-writers in the first section, whether from the letter recipients, or from another caring observer in the student's life. LOSING EINSTEIN (pg. 38), is a comforting reply to Tenzin's poem about the loss of a beloved dog in the first section, and is written by Mr. Johnson (Custodian): "You were loving him, and he was loving you back."

3. POEM HIGHLIGHT

The poem I would like to highlight from this collection is BALANCE (pg. 16). This is a difficult subject to broach, and as an educational follow-up, I would ask the students to write a private letter to one of their own parents in a similar style, about a time that they had done something they were ashamed of. The students could then have the option to share with the class, or with their parents, if they desired.

BALANCE

Dad, I'm sorry for smashing
the garage window when I was a kid.
Felipe and I were messing around
and saw the cracked pane.
One had a crack,
so they should all have a crack, right?
That's what Felipe said.
We hefted some rocks.

...I remember the weight of the gritty rocks,
the shiver of tinkling glass,
the wild joy blooming in my chest, 
the fear, the running away.
For a while, it seemed like
the bravest thing I'd ever done.

*Excerpt from BALANCE, by Joyce Sidman.

Water Sings Blue - Book Review

This post was written as a Master's course assignment for Texas Woman's University.

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Coombs, Kate. 2012. WATER SINGS BLUE: OCEAN POEMS. Illustrated by Meilo So. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books, LLC. ISBN 9780811872843.

2. BOOK SUMMARY

Any time a trip to the shore is in order, but unattainable, this book is the perfect remedy. The sounds of seagulls, the scents of salt and brine, and the fabulous wildlife of the sea- all emerge when this book is opened. The tone is set immediately as Coombs invites to reader to push away from shore in SONG OF THE BOAT: "For the water sings blue and the sky does, too,/and the sea lets you fly like a gull." Now that the reader is on "Island Time," a much more relaxed way to enjoy the day, the book introduces some familiar beach characters: the seagulls, the urchins, the salty waves, the jellyfish, etc.

This collection of poems is sure to become a favorite for anyone who enjoys time at the beach. WHAT THE WAVES SAY is a beautiful study on the different moods of the ocean and the shapes that it takes: "Roll green, rise and lean~/wake and roar and strike the shore!" The internal rhyme within the lines of this poem moves the rhythm along in a wave-like cadence. 

There is a lot of humor in this collection as well, especially around the sea creatures. In JELLYFISH KITCHEN, the author relates the jellyfish to something many children are familiar with: "The prim bell jar/with ruffled rim/my grandma used/to cover cake/has learned to swim." The BLUE WHALE is larger-than-life, with the illustration taking over two full pages and encouraging the reader to turn the book sideways.

Kate Coombs has a succinct way of saying interesting, big thoughts, using few words. This is especially true in CORAL: "We are golden./We are pretty./We are coral./We are city." CORAL would be an excellent read-aloud choice for students, with its repetition and rhyme. The illustrator, Meilo So, adds so much to the texture, emotion, and personality of the poems. Alternating between vibrant and muted watercolors, the illustrations are the perfect complement to the poems.

3. POEM HIGHLIGHT

This highlighted poem, TIDE POOL SHOPPING, displays all of the treasures to be found by the seaside by a curious bird (or child, or pet). As a fun educational supplement, I would invite the students to bring favorite items that were collected from the beach or lake, and to share them in class if they like, with a history of where the items came from, and what memories they evoke for the owner.

TIDE POOL SHOPPING

I'm going shopping at the tide pool.

They carry everything there~

mussels by the bushel

and three kinds of barnacle,

starfish and gobies to spare.

My mama gave me a shopping list.

I know I can find what she likes~

blennies for pennies,

beadlet anemones,

and urchins with lavender spikes.

I'll bring it all home in a basket.

Then mama can fix us a feast~

prawns by the dozens

and octopus cousins,

plus some kind of lobster beast.

*Excerpt from TIDE POOL SHOPPING, by Kate Coombs.