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.

Poetry For Children - Midterm Video Project

This video was created as a Master's course assignment for Texas Woman's University.

This is a Poem Movie created as a midterm project for my Poetry For Children course at TWU 

with Dr. Sylvia Vardell. The poet is Leslie Bulion and the poem title is "Water Round." Enjoy!

Rutherford B. Who Was He? - Book Review

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

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Singer, Marilyn. 2013. RUTHERFORD B. WHO WAS HE? Illustrated by John Hendrix. New York, NY: Hyperion Books. ISBN 9781423171003.

2. BOOK SUMMARY

Marilyn Singer's book about each United States president, and the things that made him unique, is a classic and unforgettable collection of poems. Each poem provides insight into the mind of each president, and gives the reader a lovely, rhyming, personalized scope of the span of American history. Brief biographies at the end add even more interesting background information to supplement the presidential poems.

Singer's rhymes give the poems a polished air, all the while adding bits of quirks and humor. Our first president, GEORGE WASHINGTON, "...agreed to father a newborn nation- and never took a real vacation." On several occasions, Singer uses a conversation snippet between multiple presidents to convey an idea of their values and political goals. In ANDREW JACKSON/MARTIN VAN BUREN, we learn about the "Indian Removal Act," though not explicitly stated, through the "dialogue" between these two presidents: "It's our splendid mission/to extend our area of freedom./The Indians must move farther west.(Jackson) (Van Buren): But what if they refuse?/What if they protest?" 

We see all sorts of quirks, prideful moments, promises made, and promises fulfilled. We see, in bright vivid details, the most-loved, most-hated, most-trusted, and most-useless of the presidents. The longest terms, the repeat terms, the ones who died, and the ones we loved; all of the presidents come to life in a memorable, personable way. THEODORE ROOSEVELT seems like a walking contradiction, but one that we remember because: "A president should speak quite softly,/but always carry a very large stick." 

This book is a wonderful example as a supplemental resource for social studies and history classes. In DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER, we see why: "They liked Ike... He said the U.S. should wage peace,/while flaunting nuclear power./He took no credit, took no heat-/Dwight D. Eisenhower." The rhymes contain bits of policy, preferences, and power struggles, but in an accessible, and not overwhelming, way. RICHARD M. NIXON's poem is a "reverso" poem (Singer's specialty), written first one way, and then in the reverse order, adding even more gravitas to his "tricky" situation. 

Illustrations by John Hendrix bring the poems into colorful, vibrant portraits full of humor. Built like humorous political cartoons, Hendrix adds layers to each outstanding poem. For example, nestled in the burning fireplace of the poem JOHN ADAMS/THOMAS JEFFERSON lies a quote that accentuates the conversation between the two men: "The most valuable of all talents is that of never using TWO WORDS when ONE will do." For ABRAHAM LINCOLN, we see the back of the president's famous stovepipe hat, with this quote: "I am a slow walker, but I never walk back." The details in the illustrations help to cement the images in the poetry.

3. POEM HIGHLIGHT

The poem I choose to highlight is JOHN F. KENNEDY. His presidency was fraught with big issues, but he remained an admirable leader for many in this country. This poem would be a perfect introduction to a history or social studies unit for a more in-depth study of this time period. As an educational follow-up, I would lead the students in a search for more information about space travel: where we've been, where we are now, and where we're headed in the future. Also, we would design and cut out the best, most aerodynamic shapes for spacecraft, former and future.

JOHN F. KENNEDY

(Democrat, 1961 - 1963)

Vision and television made him a star.

He told us we would travel far

     in the Peace Corps, to outer space.

But there were perils we would face:

     Soviet missiles at our back door,

     the alarming threat of nuclear war,

     the growing strife in Vietnam.

His was not a time of calm.

Yet he gave us hope. He gave us the Moon.

He gave us a presidency that ended too soon.

By Marilyn Singer

National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry - Book Review

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

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lewis, J. Patrick (Edited by). 2012. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BOOK OF ANIMAL POETRY: 200 POEMS WITH PHOTOGRAPHS THAT SQUEAK, SOAR, AND ROAR.Washington, DC: National Geographic Society. ISBN 9781426310096.

2. BOOK SUMMARY
This fabulous anthology of animal poetry, edited by J. Patrick Lewis, covers all sorts of creatures from the animal kingdom: large or small, hairy or slick, dangerous or harmless. Lewis recommends to read the book in pieces, in whatever order strikes your fancy, as opposed to straight through. He also recommends to read the poems out loud to add to the enjoyment. Some of the poems appear in free form, others as "shape poems," some have rhyming, and others have great rhythm. Many of the entries are from well-known poets, from the classic writers to present-day favorites.

This book is divided into seven sections, based on fun categorizations of the type of animal: the big ones, the little ones, the winged ones, the water ones, the strange ones, the noisy ones, the quiet ones. There are also a few opening poems at the beginning, as well as a few closing ones at the end. This is a book that would appeal to all ages of children and would be a wonderful addition to any children's collection.

Each section of animals offers a unique portrait of the members in that group. The accompanying photography is astounding, as expected from the National Geographic archives (and Shutterstock photography). The "big ones" feature predominantly large-sized animals, like buffaloes, cows, rhinoceros, giraffes, horses, etc. Valerie Worth's words describe the imposing presence of a large animal in COW (pg. 20): "Moves/Like a Mountain/Towards us." One of my all-time favorite poems, "Eletelephony" by Laura E. Richards (pg. 26) appears in this collection, to my delight.  And in "The White Horse" (pg. 35) by D.H. Lawrence, we feel the true nature of a glorious horse: "They are so silent, they are in another world."

The "little ones" feature a number of creepy crawlies, including the cockroach, scorpion, lizard, and fly, as well the cute critters: the chipmunk, squirrel, mice, and hamster. The charming flying critters are included too, from the bee to a delicate dragonfly, eloquently captured by Georgia Heard (pg.42): "Wings flicker and still:/stained-glass windows/with sun shining through."  The "winged ones" and "water ones" feature some guaranteed favorites, especially "The Walrus" (pg. 90) by Jack Prelutsky: "The thundery, blundery walrus/has a rubbery, blubbery hide./He puffs up his neck when it's bedtime/and floats fast asleep on the tide." And representing the crustacean world, "The Crab" (pg. 93), by Conrad Aiken, introduces a big dose of humor: "(Perhaps it's mean/to mention a tureen.)"

Rounding out the collection, the "strange ones," "noisy ones," and "quite ones" add more fun in a variety of interesting animal shapes. "A Flamingo Is" (pg. 118) by J. Patrick Lewis, actually assumes the shape of a flamingo, and "The Octopus" (pg. 108) by Ogden Nash poses an interesting question: "Is those things arms,/or is they legs?/I marvel at thee,/Octopus;/If I were thou,
I'd call me Us." Of course, the well-loved dogs, wolves, cats, and turtles make an appearance towards the end, although the "favorite animal" argument could be made for each creature that appears in this wonderful collection.

3. POEM HIGHLIGHT
Out of eight potential favorite poems to highlight from this book, this one poem, MAKE THE EARTH YOUR COMPANION (pg. 169, by J. Patrick Lewis), sums up the collection well, and finishes the book on a nice, warm tone. As an educational follow-up activity, I would choose to read the different sections of this book, one week at a time, and upon finishing, take the students on a field trip to the zoo, of course.

MAKE THE EARTH YOUR COMPANION

Make the Earth your companion.
     Walk lightly on it, as other creatures do.
Let the Sky paint her beauty-she is always
     watching over you.
Learn from the Sea how to face harsh forces.
Let the River remind you that everything will pass.
Let the Lake instruct you in stillness.
Let the Mountain teach you grandeur.
Make the Woodland your house of peace.
Make the Rainforest your house of hope.
Meet the Wetland on twilight ground.
Same some small piece of Grassland for a red kite
     on a windy day.
Watch the Icecaps glisten with crystal majesty.
Hear the Desert whisper hush to eternity.
Let the Town weave a small basket of togetherness.
Make the Earth your companion.
     Walk lightly on it, as other creatures do.

By J. Patrick Lewis
 

Wicked Girls - Book Review

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

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Hemphill, Stephanie. 2010. WICKED GIRLS. New York, NY: Balzer & Bray, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 9780061853289.

2. BOOK SUMMARY

This fictional account of young girls involved with the Salem witch trials of 1692 is based on the real women that lived in Salem during that time. The story is written in verse, with each poem switching between the perspectives of the main girls: Ann, Margaret, Mercy. This characters are fiction, but the trials that happened in Salem were very real, and this book serves as a haunting reminder of the strange happenings, the accusations, and the deaths that occurred during the witch trials.

We meet Ann and her cousin Margaret, young women of stature who are among main group of young women who "see" the witches and their work. Mercy, the house servant for Ann's home, is also highly involved in the disturbances and the finger pointing. The language used in the book is speckled with words from the time: "thee," "ye," and "I be..." The girls play at "fortune telling" with egg whites, and the hysteria begins slowly, grinding, gathering momentum as the accusations start, and bringing the witch hunt to full throttle.

The descriptions of being "pricked" by a witch leave the reader wondering, at first, if the tormenting is possibly real. Ann says: "Someone makes my legs/whip about like sheets in the wind" (p.58). Meanwhile, Margaret is in hot pursuit (and is pursued, herself) with Isaac, her emotions wildly rising as she sneaks away to meet with him: "His eyes catch on me/like he be holding lightly/my face with his hand" (p.26). Margaret, and most other girls in town, becomes extremely jealous of the blonde beauty, Mercy, who works as a servant, but seems to have higher expectations of her place in society.

Betty, Abigail, Elizabeth, and Susannah also play roles in the rising hysteria, acting out their spasms, screaming, and writhing on the floor with the rest of the girls. Mercy sees that Ann is not entirely consumed by something outside of herself: "But [Ann's] eyes blaze/They bid me,/Come into the madness, Mercy" (pg. 75).  The first mention of AFFLICTION (pg.89) affirms the seriousness of the girls' actions, especially when the society elders and leaders listen quite seriously and closely to their words, taking them at face value. Playing with their new power, the hunt marches terribly on, until the girls, one by one, begin to realize what they have truly done.

The author's details, especially sounds and smells, are pungent and memorable: "While whirling high above us/the wind screams/wild lashings/across the leaves" (pg. 131). The free verse poems move quickly over the pages, from one girl's mind to the next, carrying the dialogue. The author's note at the end of the book explains her motivation for writing this novel, and gives historical background about the true young women involved and the outcome of the witch trials in Salem.

3. POEM HIGHLIGHT

The poem I would like to highlight, SHADOWS IN THE SUN (pg. 224), from this hair-raising collection, falls almost in the center of the story, and gives a good indication of the emotional temperature of Salem. As an educational follow-up activity, I would gather other scary stories about witches and ghosts, and have the students share their favorites aloud. We would conclude with a brief writing exercise about what they think really happened during the Salem witch trials, and how the students themselves would have reacted, had they been alive at that time.

SHADOWS IN THE SUN

July 1692

Hot, stuffed in skirts

and screaming "Witch!"

some of us girls point fingers

from positions of sunlight,

others of us hide

under a parasol of leaves.

Sisters all, we choir a cacophony

of caws together.

None in the Village dare step

on the shadows we forge,

lest their name

be next proclaimed.

For as evening approaches

and heat subsides

our elders shrivel and shrink,

and we girls

grow spine tall.

By Stephanie Hemphill