Poetry Paws--Module Two

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lewis, J. Patrick. 2005. Please Bury Me in the Library. Ill. by Kyle M. Stone. Florida: Gulliver Books Harcourt, Inc. ISBN-13: 978-0152163877.

SUMMARY
This book of poetry is a homage to reading, literacy, libraries, and many things associated. Sixteen poems in all are listed within this book. The intended audience is children between the ages of six to nine. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
After reading this book, I could see the goal of the poet was to inspire and encourage readers to utilize libraries as well as foster the love of reading. The poems were well constructed and intelligently written. When read aloud by an animated adult or teacher, the humor within may appeal to some children. The illustrations supported the poems with bold and colorful expressions of acrylic paint. Lewis' phrasing and word choice is creatively constructed and lends well to sparking the reader's imagination. Many of the poems cleverly promote books of old and illuminates the characteristics of a good or bad book. Case in point,  see the poem What If Books Had Different Names? listed below.

What If Books Had Different Names?
(excerpt)
What if books had different names
Like Alice in...Underland?
Furious George,
Goodnight Noon,
Babar the Beaver

Introduction: this book would be great to introduce at the elementary level to promote library use and begin the child's reading journey. It can be read prior to visiting the library at the beginning of the semester.

Extension: Children can be asked to name one or two of their favorites book of poems or books that they are reminded of when they hear this book. A day can be designated to allow the children to bring their favorite book from home.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Mora, Pat. 2007. Yum! MmMm! Que rico! Americas' Sproutings. Ill. by Rafael Lopez. New York: Lee and Low Books Inc. ISBN-13: 978-1584302711.

SUMMARY
This is a great book of poetry that celebrates the different foods that are grown in the Americas. Written in haiku style and packed full of food and fun facts for each one.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This is a colorfully illustrated, culturally-enriched book of haiku style poetry. This books seems to be intended for the Hispanic American culture to promote the love of food and its origins. For exploring Hispanic American heritage, this book will appeal to any reader with that particular interest or curiosity of another culture. Parents, children, and teachers alike can enjoy this book for the whimsical illustrations, the haiku itself, and the informative backstory of each food highlighted within. This is a excellent book to familiarize students to the haiku...with a multicultural twist. Mora uses simple traditionally known foods as her subject matter and artistically introduces the reader to edible world around us...all the while, celebrating family heritage, togetherness, and the seasonal environment.

Pecan

We crack hard, brown shells,

family munching, story time,

crunchy taste of fall.

Introduction: this book would be great to introduce at the elementary level to promote agriculture and healthy eating. The haiku can be read aloud by individual students while the teacher reads the individual foods background information and facts.


Extension: Children can be asked to bring in a favorite naturally grown food that is listed within the book. The food brought in can be placed on a food pyramid display. The teacher or instructor can explore the United States Department of Agriculture with the children and allow time for computer playtime for interaction on the MyPyramid Blastoff computer game--which can be found on MyPyramid.gov website.      


BIBLIOGRAPHY
Florian, Douglas. 2006. Handsprings. Ill. by Douglas Florian. China: Greenwillow Books. ISBN-13: 978-0060092801.

SUMMARY
This book of poetry celebrates the seasonal change from Winter to Spring. From food, to games, spring-cleaning chores, and weather...all things that one can imagine that relates to Spring is written into multiple

inventive poetry formats.  

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This book has great quality and appeal for all lovers of Spring (like myself). Its sing-song rhythm and rhyme sounds wonderful read-aloud. The reader can envision the activities of spring through these poems. Florian expressed some of his poetry outstandingly through pattern and through his own watercolor paintings. One in particular was especially creative and delightful. The pattern mimicked the subject matter of the poem...rain.

Rain Reign (excerpt)
E    E      W     F
a     a       e      a
c     c               s
h     h        h      t
                 u
t      t         r      i
i      i          r     n
m    m        y,    d
e     e                o
                  s     o
i      i          c      r
t      t          u     s.
                  r
r      p         r
a      o         y
i       u
n       r
s       s

Introduction: this book would be great to introduce at the elementary level at the end of winter and for the approaching Spring season. It can be read aloud as a group or several students can read one aloud individually.


Extension: Children can be asked to name one or two of their favorites things that they enjoy about Spring. A collage of materials from nature (e.g., flowers), pictures, magazine clippings can be constructed into a book per child. In addition, each child can write a poem to explain their feelings about Spring and their collage.

This is a poetry evaluation for LS 5663 Poetry For Children and Young Adults--a class at Texas Woman's University (TWU).

Poetry Paws

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hopkins, Lee Bennett. 2005. Oh, No! Where Are My Pants? and Other Disasters: Poems. Ill. by Wolf Erlbruch. New York: HarperCollins Children's Books. ISBN-13: 978-0-688-17860-4

SUMMARY
This anthology of poetry edited by Hopkins is a well organized compilation of quirky poetry about childhood fears, mishaps, and disasters in life. The poetry listed within this book ranges from first-day-of-school issues to biting the worm in an apple.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Right away I could see the appeal of this anthology. Many of the poems within relate to familiar childhood experiences. The language of the poetry is very easily understood and invokes images that pulls at the reader's imagination of hypothetical situations. The first poem in the anthology stands out that illustrates both aforementioned appeals--which is cleverly named First Day written by Susan Hart Lindquist. It is a great example of a familiar childhood experience. Short and sweet and to the point...with a little rhyming thrown in.

FIRST DAY

This isn't the way

it was supposed to be-

                                                                You

                                                                           in

                                                                                    Room Two.

                                                                  Me

                                                                            in
                                                                                     Room Three.


The quality of the poem is evident by the way few words are used but it speaks volumes of a classic childhood situation--being moved from your best friend...the following school year. Any child can relate to the horrid surprise and spoiled plan of being in the same classroom/homeroom of your most closet pal. The separation and the alignment of the words You and Me mirrors the situation at hand. The illustration of two little girls separated, yet in adjacent rooms, further supports the poem. I immediately smiled in agreement after reading this poem because it brought back memories of my childhood as well...it struck the Oh No! chord of emotion.
This poem can be introduced appropriately on the first day of school. A great way to start the year and offset the anxiety of losing a friend to another classroom. Teachers can further plan an extension that can involve the students by having them write poems dedicated to their lost friends either lost to a class or to another school altogether.



BIBLIOGRAPHY
Prelutsky, Jack. 2006. What A Day It Was At School! Ill. by Doug Cushman. New York: Green Willow Books. ISBN-13: 978-0-06-082335-1

SUMMARY
This book of poetry is filled with laugh-out-loud humorous poetry. The main character of the book is a young school-age cat who has written a journal of sorts of about his day at school.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The author and illustrator cleverly begin the book of poems with a journal table of contents--listing all of the poems to follow by page number. The quality and appeal of this book are expressed in multiple ways. Every poem written reflects an event that has happened and will happen to a child in school. For example, the experience of not studying well for a test, to carrying an extremely heavy backpack, or the occasional trip to the library. The quality and craftiness was especially noted in the following poem. Prelutsky uses misspelled words within the poem to entertain the reader and promote the need to study for tests instead of doing everything but study. Any kid or adult (like myself) would get a kick out of seeing the horribly misspelled words...which many of us can attest to committing.

I WISH I'D STUDIED HARRDER 

(excerpt)

I wish I'd studied harrder

For our spellink test today.

I'm sorrie that I didn't,

Now I'm feeling some dismaye.

I'd like to get a passing graid,

But don't beleeve I will--

I think I got Whyoming wrong,

And Chyna, and Brazill.

This book can be used throughout the year to promote poetry reading. Students can experience an extension by picking out their favorite poem of the book and matching it with an actual event in their lives. Each student can read their favorite poem aloud or a choral reading can be an alternative depending on the confidence of the students.