Bibliography for Poetry Breaks and Book Reviews

Poetry Book Reviews:

Bryan, Ashley. 1992. Sing to the sun. U.S.A: Harper Collins Publishers.

Florian, Douglas. 1994. Beast feast. New York: Harcourt Brace & Company.

Hopkins, Lee Bennett. 1976. Good morning to you, Valentine. Ill. by Tomie de Paola. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

Janeczko, P. B. 2001. A poke in the I. Ill. by Chris Raschka. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press.

Prelutsky, Jack. 2007. Good sports: Rhymes about running, jumping, throwing, and more. Ill. by Chris Raschka. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

Sones, Sonya. 2004. one of those hideous books where the mother dies. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Poetry Breaks:

Ciardi, John. 1981. Sylvester in The man who sang the sillies, 21. Ill. by Edward Gorey. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott Company.

Clifton, Lucille. 1974. September in Prelutsky, Jack. 1999. The 20^th century children’s poetry treasury, 68. Ill. by Meilo So. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.

Florian, Douglas. 1998. The caterpillar in Florian, Douglas. 1998. Insectlopedia, 6. New York: Scholastic Inc.

Grimes, Nikki. 2006. Dear author in Thanks a Million, 16. Ill. by Cozbi Cabrera. United States: Greenwillow Books.

Hobermann, Mary Ann. 2005. Jack, be nimble in Hobermann, Mary Ann. 2005. You read to me, I’ll read to you: Very short Mother Goose tales to read together, 8-9. Ill. by Michael Emberley. New York: Little, Brown and Company.

Prelutsky, Jack. 1984. I was walking in a circle in Prelutsky, Jack. 1999. The 20^th century children’s poetry treasury, 42. Ill. by Meilo So. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.

Poetry Book Review #6

Janeczko, P. B. 2001. A poke in the I. Ill. by Chris Raschka. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press.

Paul Janeczko displays a unique conglomeration of concrete poetry in his book, A Poke in the I. For this imaginative and entertaining collection, Janeczko chose poems that don’t follow any particular pattern, only the unique feature of being concrete ties them together. The shapes, forms and language of the poetry make it fun for readers to figure out, read and share with others.

Caldecott Award-winning illustrator, Chris Raschka brilliantly adds his distinctive illustrations to the text shapes. The pictures and words are subtly intertwined and work so well together that it would be difficult to read the poetry without the illustrations and the illustrations would mean nothing without the text forms.

Paul Janeczko and Chris Raschka’s collaboration on the concrete poetry extravaganza known as A Poke in the I envelops and engages readers in a wonderful poetry experience.

Here is one of my many favorites from this collection:

A Seeing Poem by Robert Froman (p.2)

Poetry Break #6

Introduction: Sometimes people write poetry to express how they are feeling inside. Other people read books and relate their experiences with the story. This is a poem written by Nikki Grimes. It's in the form of a letter to an author and is called Dear Author. The writer of the letter expresses how the author has affected his/her life.

Dear Author

When my father died last year,

Somebody threw a switch and turned me off.

I couldn’t breathe. Or cry.

My family wondered why.

Months passed, and they figured

I must be okay. But they were wrong.

I leaked sadness everywhere I went.

No one seemed to notice or understand.

Until Lotus, the girl in your last book.

She was also drowning deep inside.

Some nights, I’d crawl between the pages

of that novel and hide for hours.

The two of you made all the difference.

I just thought you’d want to know.

Sincerely,

Grateful

(p. 16)

Extension: Have students discuss or write about how they would deal or have dealt with a difficult situation. Would they read books or write poetry? Would they do something different? These can be shared on a voluntary basis. Students could also write a poem-letter to an author who has influenced them.

Grimes, Nikki. 2006. Dear author in Thanks a Million, 16. Ill. by Cozbi Cabrera. United States: Greenwillow Books.

Poetry Book Review #5

Prelutsky, Jack. 2007. Good sports: Rhymes about running, jumping, throwing, and more. Ill. by Chris Raschka. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.

In his newest book of original poetry, Jack Prelutsky peers into the world of sports in an unusual and creative way. The poetry in Good Sports: Rhymes about Running, Jumping, Throwing, and More reveals Prelutsky’s perspective on this universal hobby. He shows that sports are fun and exciting no matter if you win or lose, or if you have great talent or not.

Prelutsky makes his unique voice resonate through sports poems that range in topic from Frisbee and karate to football and soccer. This Poet Laureate displays his personality in the untitled poems included in his newest poetry book. Jack Prelutsky has a unique way of describing these sports experiences that captures the feelings associated with the particular event or circumstance. He uses language and sports vocabulary creatively in his book:

I concentrate, then let it go…

I know it’s good- I know, I know.

It makes an arc, I make a wish,

Then hear the soft, sweet sound of SWISH!

(no page number)

Sports are precious and intriguing to most males; however, Prelutsky includes sports like softball and gymnastics which appeal to girls too. The poems are universal and would be a great accessory to a unit on the Olympics or to begin a physical education class. Girls and boys, along with readers of all ages will be able to enjoy the humorous, playful and rhyming poetry describing experiences in the arena of sports.

Caldecott Medal winner Chris Raschka incorporates his one-of-a-kind illustrations to accompany Prelutsky’s text. The illustrations compliment the words in such a way that the reader is given a visual image to go along with their own mental picture of the poetry. The text and illustration placement enhance the design, feel and experience of Prelutsky’s poems.

Readers will find it hard to choose just one favorite out of this collection of Jack Prelutsky’s poems. Here is one of my many favorites:

My friend and I play Frisbee

In the summer in the park.

I flip the Frisbee to her,

It describes a graceful arc.

She runs and tries to catch it,

And I watch her miss and fall-

We both like playing Frisbee,

Though we aren’t good at all.

(no page number)

Poetry Break #5

Introduction: Read or review the classic Mother Goose rhyme, Jack, Be Nimble. Then introduce the book, You Read to Me, I’ll Read to You: Very Short Mother Goose Tales to Read Together. Before you read through the poem “Jack, Be Nimble,” tell the children that after the first reading they will be able to take turns acting out the parts.

Jack, Be Nimble

I will not jump, Jane!

Jack, why not?

That candlestick
Might be quite hot.

But Jack, the candle
Is not lit.

I still will not
Jump over it.

It isn’t even
Very high
But you won’t jump it.
Tell me why?

I’ll jump a wall,
I’ll jump a box,
Across a stream
Or over rocks.
But since it is
A silly trick,
I will not jump
A candlestick.

Just take one jump.
I wish you would.
A single jump,
I think you should.

If you’re so sure
What I should do,
Go jump yourself!
I dare you to!

The candlestick
Might be quite hot.

It isn’t lit.
Have you forgot?

I think it looks
A little high.

It’s very short.
Now will you try?

All right, I will.
I’ll jump it now.
But only if
You show me how.

It isn’t hard
As you can see.
Just start to run
And follow me.

Oh, Jack, you jumped it!
You were good!
You jumped so high!
I knew you could!

You tricked me, Jane!
I should have known.
But now go do it
On your own.

Well, here I go.
I’ll start way back.
I’ll run! I’ll jump!
I made it, Jack!

Jack, be nimble!
Jane be quick!
They both jumped over
The candlestick!

Extension: After reading the poem, allow the students to break into groups to recite and act out the poem. This can lead to whole group performances and even to ‘traveling’ classroom performances (other classrooms and grade levels). Students can be encouraged to rewrite their favorite Mother Goose rhymes for multiple voices and perform them. The possibilities are endless!

Hobermann, Mary Ann. 2005. Jack, be nimble in Hobermann, Mary Ann. 2005. You read to me, I’ll read to you: Very short Mother Goose tales to read together, 8-9. Ill. by Michael Emberley. New York: Little, Brown and Company.

Poetry Book Review #4

Florian, Douglas. 1994. Beast feast. New York: Harcourt Brace & Company.

Douglas Florian’s poetry book, Beast Feast, was the winner of the 1995 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award. His poems incorporate information about and characteristics of animals in fun and catchy ways. Through shape poems, rhyming lyrics and funny language, Florian captures readers’ imaginations. The poetry in this collection is humorous and through the use of inventive and creative language the words stay with the reader long after they have been read or heard.

Douglas Florian accompanies each poem with original paintings done in watercolor. Along with imaginative wording and unique structure, the illustrations reinforce and establish his authentic and strong voice.

The poems that comprise Beast Feast are universal and timeless- they can be read to go along with a science lesson or unit. It can be read aloud to younger children who are studying mammals or high school-aged students studying biology or zoology. The variety of animals portrayed in this anthology allow for the poems to be read individually, to be read as they fit into a category, such as sea creatures or insects, or to be read collectively. One of my favorites is titled, 'The Chameleon.'

The Chameleon

Although it may seem very strange,

The colors on a chameleon change

From mousy browns to leafy greens

And several colors in between.

Its very long and sticky tongue

On unsuspecting bugs is sprung.

It lashes out at rapid rates

On unaware invertebrates,

Then just as quickly will retract

With flabbergasted fly intact.

So bugs beware this risky reptilian-

The clever everchanging chameleon.

(p. 17)

This particular poem depicts the wonderfully clever vocabulary that Douglas Florian uses in his poetry. There are endless ways to share this with all ages of children. It would be a great way to model and practice using different strategies to figure out the meaning of new words. Also, educators can read this poem at the beginning and end of a unit on insects and/or reptiles and have students reflect on how their perception of the poem has changed since learning about and studying that particular topic.

I am fairly new to the poetry of Douglas Florian; however, the poems and books of his that I have read have left a lasting impression on my view of poetry and how it can be integrated into content area subjects in fun and creative ways.

Poetry Break #4

Introduction: It’s spring!! New life is all around us in the form of plants, tree blossoms, birds and insects. The butterfly is a symbol of new life and is a popular figure of spring. The Caterpillar by Douglas Florian can be read to celebrate that exciting feeling of spring fever:

THE CATERPILLAR

She eats eight leaves at least

To fill her,

Which leaves her like a

Fatterpillar,

Then rents a room inside

A pupa,

And checks out: Madame Butterfly-

How super!

Extension: Florian’s poem could be used to extend a science study on the life cycle of a butterfly. It is a great way to incorporate poetry into the content areas. Following this insect as she transforms from a larva into a pupa and finally into her adult form, the butterfly, students will enjoy listening to and reading this poem and the others in Douglas Florian’s Insectlopedia. The students, after hearing and reading it, could write their own poetry describing the transformation. Younger students could illustrate a picture that coincides with the poem. Insectlopedia would a great poetry book to read with a science unit on bugs.

Florian, Douglas. 1998. The caterpillar in Florian, Douglas. 1998. Insectlopedia, 6. New York: Scholastic Inc.