Dark Emperor & Other Poems of the Night

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Recipient of Peach’s Picks Award

Top Ten Favorite Books

Summer 2011

Author: Joyce Sidman

Illustrator: Rick Allen

Peach’s Picks Rating:

 

Year of publication: 2010

City of publication: Boston, MA

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children

ISBN: 978-0-547-15228-8

Author website: http://www.joycesidman.com/

Illustrator website: http://www.kenspeckleletterpress.com/

Media used for illustrations: Quotation about the creative process was from retrieved from the book’s copyright page: “The prints in this book were made by the process of relief printing. A drawing or sketch is transferred onto a block of wood or, in this instance, a sheet of linoleum mounted on wood, and the drawing is then cut and carved away using a variety of tools. The areas left uncut are covered with ink and printed on paper by hand or on a press; a number of blocks can be cut and then successively printed in different colors, with the different blocks being “registered” or aligned to create a multicolored print. The prints for Dark Emperor were each printed from at least three blocks (and in some instances as many as six) and the hand-colored with a strongly pigmented watercolor called gouache.”

Annotation: A picturebook collection of twelve poems celebrating the night forests of North America. Factual information is offered for each poem complementing the poem’s subject.

Personal reaction to the book: This book is filled with lovely poems as well as interesting facts; for example, a baby porcupine is called a porcupette. Another interesting bit of information, “…a scientist named a. E. Dolbear worked out a formula to calculate outside temperature based on how fast a tree cricket trills” (page 21). That and more can be learned while enjoying the lyrical poems, informational facts, and stunning illustrations found in this book. It is a beautifully designed picturebook containing twelve poems as well as facts about night creatures including owls, crickets, and raccoons. Also, several poems discuss plants found in the forest. The setting is a forest in North America, most probably a forest in Minnesota, the home state of the author and illustrator. The twelve poems included in the book reflect different styles of poetry including a ballad (page 24, “Ballad of the Wandering Eft”), a concrete poem (page 12, “Dark Emperor”), and ubi sunt verse (page 28, “Moon’s Lament”)*. The striking book design includes an illustrator’s note explaining his creative process, a table of contents, pagination, and a glossary. Each poem is featured on a double-page spread. The poem is placed on the left opening accompanied by a complementary illustration. The main illustration is placed on the right opening which also includes a sidebar with factual information about the subject of the poem. The poems are printed against a white background that extends to the right page, framing the main illustration and providing the background for the sidebar. The illustrator accentuates the scenes by using dark lines in the prints. The earth tone palette offset by deep blue and black gives the impression of viewing the forest at night. The pictures show creatures hidden in night shadows and the darkness of the forest. The book introduces the reader to the forest night beginning with a wordless double-page spread of an owl swooping through the countryside as the sun sets. It ends with a wordless double-page spread of the same countryside with the owl sitting in a tree looking at the reader as the sun rises. The wrap-around cover shows a large owl sitting on a tree branch looking down on the reader. A moon is in the dusky blue sky behind him where bats and another owl are flying. The book reads well aloud. The illustrations are best enjoyed individually or in a small group so details can be appreciated. Use this book in conjunction with the author’s other poetry books that have nature themes.

General curricular connections:

• Poetry
• National Poetry Month
• Science / habitat study / study of North American forest animals and plants

Recommended grade levels:

School Library Journal recommends this book for use with grades 3-6

Booklist recommends this book for use with grades 3-6

Peach’s Picks recommends this book for use with grades 1-6

Awards/Recognitions:

Booklist starred review

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books starred review

Publishers Weekly starred review

Junior Library Guild Selection

Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, Honor Book, Picture Book category, 2011

Newbery Medal Honor book, 2011

ALA Notable Children’s Books, All Ages, 2011

Notable Children’s Books in the English Language Arts, 2011

Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12, Life Science, 2011

Note: This entry applies to the assignment criteria to review books published during 2010-2011. *For those unfamiliar with ubi sunt verse, a definition may be found at http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/612335/ubi-sunt

Rhythm: The poem titled “Welcome to the Night” found on page one has an iambic metre

Rhyme: The poem titled “Welcome to the Night” found on page one has an AAAB rhyme scheme

Repetition: The poem titled “Welcome to the Night” found on page one repeats the line “Welcome to the night.”

Repetition: An eft is found in the illustrations of each poem

Simile: Page 5; “Evening unfolds like a primrose”

Alliteration: Use of “s” in the poem “Snail at Moonrise” found on page 3

Personification: Page 13; in the poem “I Am a Baby Porcupette” where the line reads “we mew and coo a soft duet”

Book cover picture retrieved from http://www.juniorlibraryguild.com/books/view.dT?isbn=9780547152288

Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku

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Recipient of Peach’s Picks Award

Top Ten Favorite Books

Summer 2011

Author: Lee Wardlaw

Illustrator: Eugene Yelchin

Peach’s Picks Rating:

 

 

Year of publication: 2011

City of publication: New York

Publisher: Henry Holt and Company

ISBN: 978-0-8050-8995-0

Author website: http://www.leewardlaw.com/

Illustrator website: http://www.eugeneyelchin.com/ and http://www.eugeneyelchinbooks.com/

Media used for illustrations: Graphite and gouache on watercolor paper

Annotation: A heartwarming story told in haiku of a shelter cat that is adopted, adjusts to his new home, and is loved by a boy.

Personal reaction to the book: This lovely, heartwarming picturebook tells the story of a cat named Won Ton. It begins in an animal shelter where Won Ton awaits adoption. Several people pay attention to him, but ultimately, he is chosen by a boy who rubs his chin. Won Ton makes the journey to his new home in a car. He is not sure that he wants to leave the familiar shelter and during the trip he thinks “Letmeoutletmeoutletmeout” (page 9). Once in his new home, Won Ton gradually adapts and forms a trusting relationship with the boy. Won Ton tentatively explores the house and seeks security by hiding under a bed. After a time, he feels more comfortable and takes a trip outside, but quickly decides that inside is more secure. He watches “his boy” and finally has the opportunity to lovingly curl up on the boy’s tummy for a nap. The story is told through a series of senryu poems that create an interconnecting story. An author’s note informs readers that senryu is a type of poetry similar to haiku that focuses on “the foibles of human nature – or in this case, cat nature…expressed by a narrator in a humorous, playful, or ironic way” (copyright page). The poetry and illustrations work perfectly together catching the essence of cat. An example of this is found on page 14 when the cat decides to play with a string if it will “make you happy” (page 14). Though the cat gives in to his feline tendencies, he will not relinquish his cat pride by admitting that he actually wants to play. Readers unfamiliar with the actions of cats will be introduced to their idiosyncrasies and perhaps even fall in love with a cat. The book reads aloud well and the clear illustrations can be viewed by a large group. There are chapter-like breaks that are titled which allow the action to transition smoothly. The dual image cover is eye-catching. Won Ton, a thin gray cat with large blue eyes peers sideways from the cover’s bright yellow background on the front of the front cover. The back cover shows Won Ton with his mouth wide open in a delightfully happy cat yawn. The interior illustrations use a soft color palette of repeating blues and purples. Red is occasionally used for emphasis; for example, the red car (pages 9-10) and a red lamp (page 20). The illustrations have a Japanese-like tone that is emphasized by the title of the book and the use of senryu. In particular, the illustrations found on pages 9-10 look like a Japanese landscape painting and the illustrations found on pages 23-24 are reminiscent of Japanese cherry blossoms. Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku is a delightful book.

General curricular connections:

• Poetry
• Creative writing
• Cats
• Relationships
• National Poetry Month

Specific example of curricular connection matched to Standards:
Subject: Language Arts
Grade level: 5-6

Standards:

California State Standard:

Reading Standards for Literature K-5

10. By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, at the high end of the grades 4–5 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

Common Core Standard:

Common core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects, Appendix A: Research Supporting Key Elements of the Standards, Glossary of Key Terms

Narrative Writing

“Narrative writing conveys experience, either real or imaginary, and uses time as its deep structure. It can be used for many purposes, such as to inform, instruct, persuade, or entertain. In English language arts, students produce narratives that take the form of creative fictional stories, memoirs, anecdotes, and autobiographies. Over time, they learn to provide visual details of scenes, objects, or people; to depict specific actions (for example, movements, gestures, postures, and expressions); to use dialogue and interior monologue that that provide insight  into the narrator’s and characters’ personalities and motives; and to manipulate pace to highlight the significance of events and create tension and suspense . . . (page 23).”

“The narrative category does not include all of the possible forms of creative writing, such as many types of poetry. The Standards leave the inclusion and evaluation of other such forms to teacher discretion (page 23).”

Recommended grade levels:

School Library Journal recommends this book for use with grades 2-5

Booklist recommends this book for use with grades K-3

Peach’s Picks recommends this book for use with grades 2-6

Awards/Recognitions:

Booklist starred review

Kirkus Review starred review

Library Media Connection starred review

Publishers Weekly starred review

School Library Journal starred review

Note: This book applies to the assignment criteria - books published in 2010-2011

Repetition: “letmeoutletmeoutletmeout” pages 10, 22, and then on 26 “letmeinletmeinletmein”

Alliteration: Page 24; “Crickets crunch” and “…meat on a moth”

Alliteration: Page 27; “pesky pencil”

Onomatopoeia: Page 25; “Ssscat”

Simile: Page 30; “Your tummy, soft as warm dough.”

Book cover picture retrieved from http://www.leewardlaw.com/Won-Ton-A-Cat-Tale-Told-in-Haiku.htm

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

Author: Edited by Paul B. Janeczko

Illustrator: Chris Raschka

Peach’s Picks Rating:

 

Year of publication: 2005

City of publication: Cambridge, Massachusetts

Publisher: Candlewick Press

ISBN: 0-7636-0662-6

Author website: http://www.paulbjaneczko.com/

Illustrator website: No illustrator website. Information may be obtained from http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/contributor.jsp?id=2847 and http://nccil.org/experience/artists/raschkac/

Media used for illustrations: Watercolor, ink, and torn paper

Annotation: An illustrated compilation of twenty-nine poems; each poem represents a different poetic style by a different poet. Brief definitions are given for the styles of poetry included in the book.

Personal reaction to the book: This compilation of twenty-nine different poetic styles by various poets creates an engaging picturebook. It is excellent for use with students new to poetry, educators, and all those who enjoy poetry. The poems vary in length, but all are relatively short.  One of the shortest is a couplet found on page one. It contains two lines and nine words. One of the longest is an ode found on pages 34-35. The book does not need to be read from beginning to end. Just dip in any place and enjoy a poem. A broad range of styles is covered: a limerick (page 20); a riddle (page 33); sonnets (pages 28 and 29); a somber poem of address (page 52-53); a spiritual aubade (pages 52-53), and more. At the bottom of the page where the poem is printed there is a brief explanation of the technique used. The style of poetry is named on the upper outside corner of the page where the poem is presented. Pictures accompany the style name offering visual clues. These clues help the reader understand the poetic form. One of my favorite poems is the riddle found on page 33. The reader is advised to look closely at the illustrations where they will find the answer to riddle. The poems are well chosen to keep a reader’s attention and lure them into ever increasing difficulties of technique. The illustrations delightfully complement the poetry. For example; a thoughtful Edgar Allan Poe is shown with a fork in his hand getting ready to chew some roe when writing gruesome poetry (page 19). Overall, the book is designed very well. The pages are not cluttered. The poems and illustrations are attractively placed against white backgrounds. There is an author’s introduction, table of contents, pagination, and back matter including “Notes on the Forms” and acknowledgements. However, two indices would be helpful; one listing the authors alphabetically by last name, the other listing the poems alphabetically by first line. Use in conjunction with A Poke in the I, also edited by Paul B. Janeczko.

General curricular connections:

• Poetry
• Creative writing
• National Poetry Month 

Specific example of curricular connection matched to Standards:
Subject: Language Arts
Grade level: 5-6

Standards:

California State Standard:

Reading Standards for Literature K-5

10. By the end of the year, read and comprehend literature, including stories, dramas, and poetry, at the high end of the grades 4–5 text complexity band independently and proficiently.

Common Core Standard:

Common core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects, Appendix A: Research Supporting Key Elements of the Standards, Glossary of Key Terms

Narrative Writing

“Narrative writing conveys experience, either real or imaginary, and uses time as its deep structure. It can be used for many purposes, such as to inform, instruct, persuade, or entertain. In English language arts, students produce narratives that take the form of creative fictional stories, memoirs, anecdotes, and autobiographies. Over time, they learn to provide visual details of scenes, objects, or people; to depict specific actions (for example, movements, gestures, postures, and expressions); to use dialogue and interior monologue that that provide insight  into the narrator’s and characters’ personalities and motives; and to manipulate pace to highlight the significance of events and create tension and suspense . . . (page 23).”

“The narrative category does not include all of the possible forms of creative writing, such as many types of poetry. The Standards leave the inclusion and evaluation of other such forms to teacher discretion (page 23).”

Recommended grade levels:

School Library Journal recommends this book for use with grades 3-9

Booklist recommends this book for use with grades 4-6

Peach’s Picks recommends this book for use with grades 3 and up

Awards/Recognitions:

Booklist starred review

Horn Book starred review

School Library Journal starred review

ALA Notable Children’s Books, Middle Readers, 2006

Rhyme: Page 10-11; A rhyming couplet

Rhyme: Page 12; A rhyming tercet

Rhyme: Pages 26-27; A triolet with the rhyme scheme abaaabab

Rhythm: Page 20; the rhythm of the limerick by Edward Lear

Simile: Page 35; “He wants to dirty like his shoes”

Repetition: Page 30-32; “villain in your villanelle”

Alliteration: Page 44; “Neatly stacked in separate piles, we wait for the shape of a stencil – the press of a pencil the snip, snip, snip, of silver scissors. We wait to become lacy snowflakes, fat santas, pointy Christmas trees”

Sophisticated language: Page 28; “Sonnet Number Twelve” by William Shakespeare

Book cover picture retrieved from http://www.paulbjaneczko.com/books/kick.htm

Patrol: An American Soldier in Vietnam

Author: Walter Dean Myers

Illustrator: Ann Grifalconi

Peach’s Picks Rating: 

 

Year of publication: 2002

City of publication: New York

Publisher: Haper Collins Publishers

ISBN: 0-06-028363-7

Author website: http://www.walterdeanmyers.net/

Illustrator website: http://members.authorsguild.net/agrifalconi/ and http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com/Kids/AuthorsAndIllustrators/ContributorDetail.aspx?CId=12169

Media used for illustrations: Collage using photos and watercolors

Annotation: A young American soldier faces war in the jungles, rice paddies, and villages of Vietnam. The story takes places during one day, poignantly revealing the soldiers emotions.

Personal reaction to the book: This picturebook format poem tells the story of a young frightened American solider facing combat in Vietnam. It takes place over the course of one day. The main character is shown walking through the jungles looking over his shoulder anticipating the enemy in every shadow, startled by planes dropping bombs, and wondering if the villagers he encounters are enemies. Finally, he and an enemy meet face-to-face in tall elephant grass. They see each other at the same moment. The American soldier thinks to himself, “We are surprised to see each other….How young he is….We stare across the distance….we have learned too much about each other” (page 23). In the split second when they meet, neither soldier can bring himself to use his rifle. In another spilt second, their problem is solved when a helicopter comes for the American soldier’s squad. Throughout the book, the reader can feel the main character’s fear and emotional conflict as he struggles internally; questioning the war and the actions he is expected to carry out. At the end we experience his anguish and weariness through illustrations and text. The illustrations are superb setting an atmosphere of war that is as conflicted as the main character’s emotions. The reader sees both peaceful scenes of lush jungles with birds calling from treetops and terrifying images as bombs drop and explode near the soldiers. The endpapers are camouflage pattern, echoing the military theme of the book. This book is perfectly matched with The Enemy: A Book About Peace by Davide Cali. Using Patrol in a class studying the Vietnam War should offer many points for discussion. The book makes a strong anti-war statement.

General curricular connections:

• History / Vietnam War
• War
• Peace
• Use with Amnesty International Clubs
• Use in conjunction with The Enemy: A Book About Peace by Davide Cali
• Use in conjunction with Fallen Angels by Walter Dean Myers

Recommended grade levels:

School Library Journal recommends this book for use with grades 4 and up

Booklist recommends this book for use with grades 4-8

Peach’s Picks recommends this book for use with grades 6 and up

Awards/Recognitions:

California Young Reader Medal Nominee, Picture Books for Older Readers, 2006

Kirkus Review starred review

Publishers Weekly starred review

Note: This entry meets the assignment criteria to review books that contain single book-length poems.

Simile: Page 13; “The bombs explode, rumbling like thunder…”

Metaphor: Page 22; He is the harvest we must understand.”

Book cover picture retrieved from http://www.harpercollinschildrens.com/books/Patrol/?isbn13=9780060283643&tctid=100

Harlem: A Poem

Author: Walter Dean Myers

Illustrator: Christopher Myers

Peach’s Picks Rating:

 

Year of publication: 1997

City of publication: New York

Publisher: Scholastic Press

ISBN: 0-590-54340-7

Author website: http://www.walterdeanmyers.net/

Illustrator website: No personal website. Information about the illustrator may be obtained from

http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/contributor.jsp?id=3258

Media used for illustrations: Combination of ink, gouache, and collage

Annotation: A poetic narration that paints the story of Harlem; the people who came there seeking a better life and the landmarks they created including the Cotton Club, Smalls, and the Apollo Theater.

Personal reaction to the book: The author and illustrator take the reader in hand for a remarkable visual walk though Harlem which is accompanied by a story of people who came there hoping to improve their lives. The reader has a glimpse of history, “the third deck down from Trinidad” (page 1) refers to slave ships. The reader is also offered a window on life in Harlem as it is today, “The uptown A rattles past 110^th Street” (page 16). The text and illustrations work together celebrating this historic center of African-American society. During the walk through Harlem, the reader encounters stern looking men sitting outside talking, children playing in an open fire hydrant, storefront preachers, and a funeral procession. The author’s poetry is so strong with emotion that it is almost angry. The reader can feel the discrimination and struggles he faced growing up in Harlem. The strong words are matched by equally strong illustrations created by the author’s son. Using ink, gouache, and collage the illustrator captures the emotions of faces, both young and old, and the gritty urban neighborhood. Orange, red, and yellow colors dominate and are striking against the warmth of browns and the cool of blues. Students may need guidance to understand the significance of people and places mentioned in the text. The book should generate deep discussions of African-American life, especially in connection with the Harlem Renaissance and can be contrasted with present day Harlem. This poem deserves to read aloud. After reading this book I feel as though I exited the A Train and walked through the streets of Harlem.

General curricular connections:

• Poetry
• African-Americans
• Urban life
• New York City / Harlem

Recommended grade levels:

School Library Journal recommends this book for use with grades 6 and up

Booklist recommends this book for use with grades 6-12

Peach’s Picks recommends this book for use with grades 6 and up

Awards/Recognitions:

Booklist starred review

Kirkus Review starred review

Caldecott Honor, 1998

Coretta Scott King Award, Illustrator Honor Book, 1998

Note: This entry meets the assignment criteria to review books that contain single book-length poems.

Symbolism: The illustration showing street signs that read “W. 125 St” and “Dr. Marin Luther … Boulevard”. One street carries these two names and is considered the main street of Harlem. This illustration symbolizes that the story takes place in the heart of Harlem.

Repetition: Page 1; “A wrench of heart from Goree Island, A wrench of heart from Goree Island”.

Repetition: Page 14; “A language of darkness, Darkness known, Darkness sharpened at Mintons, Darkness lightened at the Cotton Club”

Simile: Page 6; “Calls and songs and shouts, Heavy hearted tambourine rhythms, Loosed in the hard city, Like a scream torn from the throat of an ancient clarinet”

Allusion: Page 6; “Breaking against the black sky over 1-2-5 Street.” This alludes to W. 125 Street which is considered the main street of Harlem.

Allusion: Page 25; “…a note handed down from Marcus to Malcolm to a brother too bad and too cool to give his name.” The name Marcus alludes to Marcus Garvey. The name Malcolm alludes to Malcolm X.

Personification: Page 8; “Colors loud enough to be heard”

Personification: Page 21; In Harlem the wind doesn’t blow past Smalls, it stops to listen to the sounds”.

Book cover picture retrieved from http://bookwizard.scholastic.com/tbw/viewWorkDetail.do?workId=3747&FullBreadCrumb=%3Ca+href%3D%22http%3A%2F%2Fwww2.scholastic.com%2Fbrowse%2Fsearch%2F%3FNtx%3Dmode%2Bmatchallpartial%26_N%3Dfff%26Ntk%3DSCHL30_SI%26query%3Dharlem%26N%3D0%26Ntt%3Dharlem%22+class%3D%22endecaAll%22%3EAll+Results%3C%2Fa%3E

Mary Howitt's The Spider and The Fly

Author: Mary Howitt

Illustrator: Tony DiTerlizzi

Peach’s Picks Rating:

 

Year of publication: 2002

City of publication: New York

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

ISBN: 0-689-85289-4

Author website: No personal website available. Information about the author may be obtained from Oxford Reference Online Premium, an online subscription database

Illustrator website: http://diterlizzi.com/home/books/

Media used for illustrations: "Lamp Black and Titanium White Holbein Acryla Gouache and Berol Primsmacolor Pencil on Strathmore 5-Ply, Plate Bristol board and reproduced in silver and black duotone. Ghosts were created using “graphite and then added as a transparent layer using Adobe Photoshop"(illustrator’s note).

Annotation: This familiar poem about a crafty spider preying on an innocence fly is given a fresh interpretation through Tony DiTerlizzi’s imaginative black-and-white illustrations echoing a 1920s era silent film.

Personal reaction to the book: This book is great fun to read aloud and to pour over the pictures. We all know the story of the wily spider that successfully lures the fly to his web, but here the poem comes to life through illustrations of a fly who is an innocent, naïve flapper wooed by a smarmy, nattily dressed, “gentleman” spider.  The story can be interpreted as a cautionary tale and indeed, at the end of the book, the spider has written a letter warning readers not to become trapped “in some schemer’s web” (page 29). The black-and-white drawings in this book steal the show. The expressions and body language of the characters lend to the melodramatic mood. The bug ghosts foreshadow what will become of the flapper. The spider is shown gloating as he knows she will succumb to his ways. The fly’s large eyes convey expression as do the spider’s heavily lidded, creepy eyes. The book gives the impression of a 1920s silent film. The illustrations can be seen by a large group, but are best appreciated when viewing them individually. The reader is able to discover details, for example; on pages 7-8 the bed is fashioned from a soap box with the foot of the bed made from a comb, the decorative picture is a postage stamp, and the wallpaper border is end-to-end bugs. Those who enjoy Joan Steiner’s Look-Alike books will enjoy examining the backgrounds found in this book. The book can easily be read aloud to a large group and lends itself to adding the characters’ voices. For those who like humorous and sinister picturebooks, pair this with The Nightmare Before Christmas by Tim Burton. Back matter includes biographical information about Mary Howitt, author, and Tony DiTerlizzi, illustrator.

Further discussion of artwork:

In her book Picture This: How Pictures Work author/illustrator Molly Bang says “Wide space can create tension between the divided objects” (page 89). Tony DiTerlizzi uses this technique in an illustration he created for The Spider and the Fly. Examine the full page spread showing the spider and the fly at dinner. The small fly is seated to the far left and the large spider leans toward her from the far right. Bang further explains tension created by distance saying, “When the attacker and the victim are spaced far apart, I, as the victim, have more time to be scared. There are at least two seconds now before I’ll be cornered in this picture, but there is more possibility of escape with the larger amount of space-time between victim and attacker” (page 89). The reader feels the tension in the illustration of the spider and the fly at dinner. The reader wants to warn the fly to flee. Later in the book, Bang uses space to imply time. The fly has returned to the spider. He is kissing her hand. Not only are they close, but they are touching and she is smiling coyly at the spider. Now the reader feels that there is no time left for the fly to escape. Molly Bang describes a picture created in this style saying “[the] picture feels frightening to me, but part of me also wonders whether these two figures aren’t just having a jolly old chat” (page 88).

DiTerlizzi set his rendition of Mary Howitt’s poem in a gothic-like mansion reminiscent of a silent horror movie starring a smarmy spider that looks like Vincent Price. The spider is bent on capturing the hapless, beautiful, and naïve fly that looks like Louise Brooks. To further capture the feeling of a silent movie, DiTerlizzi created artwork using black and white illustrations with silvery accents making the reader feel as they are watching a silent film flickering across the screen. In DiTerlizzi’s endnote he mentions that his artwork is influenced by the artwork of Edward Gorey, Charles Addams, and Arthur Rackham. The influence of Charles Addams is noticeable through DiTerlizzi’s use of black humor and macabre characters. While these illustrations can be viewed by a large group, they are ideally suited for individual readers who enjoy looking at artwork for detail.

Reference

Bang, M. (2000). Picture this: How picture work. New York: SeaStar Books.

  
General curricular connections:

• Poetry
• Creative writing
• Art
• Reading for pleasure

Recommended grade levels:

School Library Journal recommends this book for use with grades 1-6

Booklist recommends this book for use with grades 2-5

Peach’s Picks recommends this book for use with grades 3 and up

Awards/Recognitions:

Kirkus Review starred review

Publishers Weekly starred review

School Library Journal starred review

Caldecott Honor Award, 2003

ALA Notable Children’s Books, All ages, 2003

Note: This entry meets the assignment criteria to review books that contain single book-length poems.

Rhyme: Poetic rhyme scheme of AA, BB, CC using limbic pentameter style of poetry construction

Simile: Page 19; “Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead!”

Allusion: Page 10: The large clock in the background showing 11:30 p.m. indicates that time is running out for the fly. This alludes to the significance of the clock string midnight in the classic fairytale, Cinderella.

Allusion: The fly is depicted as a flapper, alluding to a frivolous young woman from the 1920s jazz age

Book cover picture retrieved from http://books.simonandschuster.com/Spider-and-the-Fly/Mary-Howitt/9780689852893

Ellington Was Not A Street

Author: Ntozake Shange

Illustrator: Kadir Nelson

Peach’s Picks Rating:

 



Year of publication: Text, 1983; Illustrations, 2004

City of publication: New York

Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

ISBN: 0-689-82884-5

Author website: http://www.ntozakeshange.org/home.html

Illustrator website: http://www.kadirnelson.com/

Media used for illustrations: Oil paint

Annotation: This book is based on the poem “Mood Indigo” by author Ntozake Shange which chronicles her unique childhood where she was surrounded by notable African-American artists, musicians, politicians, and historians.

Personal reaction to the book: “Mood Indigo” written by Shange was first published in a collection of her poetry titled A Daughter’s Geography (New York: St Martin’s Press, Inc.). Here the poem is presented in an eloquent picturebook format from the view point of a little girl (Shange) growing up in New York City during the mid-twentieth century. It is a lyrical tribute to the neighborhood she grew up in and her family home. This home was a gathering place for men who made important contributions to society; among them, Duke Ellington, W.E.B. DuBois, and Paul Robeson. Only a few lines of poetry are presented on each page. The large, powerful oil paintings created by Nelson bring to life this expressive poem. The illustrations show friends warmly greeting one another, visiting, and playing cards. Soon the little girl and the reader are at a party with men and women relaxing and enjoying one another in the warmth of their family home. The little girl watches all this with pleasure. The illustrator depicts the girl as especially small and demure. This technique emphasizes the significance of the adults. The girl is shown throughout the book wearing a robin’s egg blue dress. This makes her stand out from the rest of painting’s the strong earth tones. Nelson pays tribute to Shange by showing her walking on Ellington Street as an adult (pages 2 and 10). The last two-page spread looks like a family portrait with members comfortably smiling at the reader. The illustrations extend and complement the text. Shange’s beautiful poem is presented in its entirety on the back endpaper. Endnotes offer biographical information about each man mentioned in the poem. The book reads aloud well. The illustrations are large and can easily be viewed by a crowd. They should be examined individually for details that establish the time period and the character of the famous men who contributed so much to the world.

General curricular connections:

• Poetry
• Art / Illustrator study
• African-Americans

Specific example of curricular connection matched to State Standards:
Subject: History
Grade level: 11

Standards:

California State Standards

History – Social Studies Content Standards for Public Schools: Kindergarten through Grade 12

Grade 11 United States History and Geography: Continuity and Change in the Twentieth Century

11.10 Students analyze the development of federal civil rights and voting rights.

 
Recommended grade levels:

School Library Journal recommends the book for use with grades 3-8

Booklist recommends the book for use with grades 3-5

Peach’s Picks recommends the book for use with grades 3 and up

Awards/Recognitions:

Kirkus Review starred review

Publishers Weekly starred review

School Library Journal starred review

Coretta Scott King Award, Illustrator Award, 2005

ALA Notable Children’s Books Award, Middle readers, 2005

Simon Wiesenthal Center Award, 2005

Note: This book is included in Assignment 2.

Simile: “Our doors opened like our daddy’s arms”

Simile: “Politics as necessary as collards”

Rhythm:  text flows in rhythmic free verse

Sophisticated use of language: The entire poem in written in a complex spare style that will need to be examined, discussed, and clarified to students

Allusion: The title of the book reminds readers that Ellington Street in New York City is named in honor of Duke Ellington, the musician. The street’s name has background and significance. Duke Ellington music and actions helped change the world.

Book cover picture retrieved from http://www.amazon.com/Ellington-Was-Street-Ntozake-Shange/dp/0689828845/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1310607786&sr=8-1

Lemonade and Other Poems Squeezed from a Single Word

Author: Bob Raczka

Illustrator: Nancy Doniger

Peach’s Picks Rating:

 

Year of publication: 2011

City of publication: New York

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

ISBN: 978-1-59643-541-4

Author website: http://www.bobraczka.com/

Illustrator website: http://www.donigerillustration.com/

Media used for illustrations: Ink and brush with watercolor

Annotation: A playful assortment of poems created using one word. The poems relate to children’s everyday experiences. The cleverly designed poems are puzzles as well as a unique poetry form.

Personal reaction to the book: This slim collection of poems, each created using one word, is lots of fun to read. Initially, the reader might be puzzled by the style. Read the first poem and then turn the page where the poem is more directly presented. Now the reader will comprehend the clever wordplay and device. The poem is printed twice to help the reader understand this style. First, the poem is printed in a clever manner written using an old fashioned typewriter-like font. The title is at the top with the words falling down the page. The letters from a single word are arranged into an anagram-like poem, reflecting the title. The poems reminded me of the wordplay used by puzzle master, Will Shortz, on his NPR program. One of my favorites is found on page 9, “vacation”. I smiled in recognition of a family traveling in a minivan. The author provides an introduction explaining that his inspiration came from the work of Andrew Russ. The book’s design is very appealing. It has a bright red jacket with a drawing of a pitcher filled with lemonade. Sparse, child-like drawings using bold lines in red, black, and gray are shown against a white background. They are playful and do not distract from the poetry, but rather give clues to decoding the text. The book has a table of contents and is paginated for easy reference. This volume is best enjoyed with a small group where everyone will be able to see the illustrations and decode the poems. After reading this book children may be inspired to create their own poems using one word.

General curricular connections:

• Poetry
• Creative writing
• Reading for pleasure
• Study of poets
• May be used in conjunction with Technically, It’s Not My Fault: Concrete Poems by John Grandits; Blue Lipstick: Concrete Poems by John Gradits; Guyku: A Year of Haiku for Boys by Bob Raczka

Recommended grade levels:

School Library Journal recommends this book for use with grades 3-8

Booklist recommends this book for use with grades 2-5

Peach’s Pick’s recommends this book for grades 4-8

Awards/Recognitions:

Horn Book starred review

Booklist starred review

Note: This book applies to the assignment criteria - books published in 2010-2011

Repetition: The white squiggle arrow found on each red page inviting the reader to turn the page and reread the poem

Book cover picture retrieved from http://us.macmillan.com/QuickSearchResultsV2.aspx?search=lemonade&ctl00%24ctl00%24cphContent%24ucAdvSearch%24imgGo.x=0&ctl00%24ctl00%24cphContent%24ucAdvSearch%24imgGo.y=0

Ubiquitous: Celebrating Nature's Survivors

 Author: Joyce Sidman

Illustrator: Beckie Prange

Peach’s Picks Rating:

 

Year of publication: 2010

City of publication: New York

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

ISBN: 978-0-618-71719-4

Author website:  http://www.joycesidman.com/

Illustrator website: http://www.beckieprange.com/

Media used for illustrations: Linocuts, hand-colored with watercolor. Text of the book is sent in Berling, Caslon Antique, and ITC Legacy Sans.

Annotation: This blending of poetry, science, and art examines how 14 plant and animal species survived through time. The poems are beautifully illustrated with each entry providing scientific information about the poem’s subject.

Personal reaction to the book: Fourteen poems about plants and animals blend science and art to make a unique book of poetry and nonfiction. The poems, the accompanying text, and the artwork offer well-researched science facts that celebrate earth’s ubiquitous life forms including bacteria, mollusks, grasses, and humans. Facts show how these life forms have avoided extinction and continue to thrive. A glossary at the end of the book includes the definition for “ubiquitous”. The poems are written in a variety of formats including concrete style, free version, and rhymed verse. The full-color art works perfectly with the text extending and clarifying concepts. Eye-catching endpapers feature a creative timeline representing 4.6 billion years of earth’s life. Author’s notes are included offering a brief bibliography. Illustrator’s notes explain the timeline endpapers. The cover is textual, inviting readers to run their hands over it. This book reads well aloud. It can be shared by a large group or enjoyed individually. Everyone is sure to learn something from this beautiful, unique book.

General curricular connections:

• Poetry
• Science / biology

Recommended grade levels:

School Library Journal recommends the book for use with grades 1-6

Booklist recommends the book for use with grades 2-5

Peach’s Picks recommends the book for use with grades 1-6

Awards/Recognitions:

Junior Library Guild Selection

Booklist starred review

Horn Book starred review

Kirkus Review starred review

Publishers Weekly starred review

School Library Journal starred review

Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K–12, Life Science category, 2011

ALA Notable Children's Books, Older Readers, 2011

Note: This entry applies to the assignment criteria to review books published during 2010-2011.

Rhyme: Page 14; “Gecko on the Wall” is a rhyming poem with an AB rhyme scheme.

Personification: Page, 23; “Fluff Head” likens dandelion to people who have blonde hair, “They were all blondes, of course…”

Book cover picture retrieved from http://www.joycesidman.com/Bookshelf.html

The Highwayman

Author: Alfred Noyes

Illustrator: Murray Kimber

Peach's Picks Rating:



Year of publication:
Text: Alfred Noyes 1913, renewed 1941
Illustrations: Murray Kimber, 2005

City of publication: Tonawanda, NY

Publisher: Kids Can Press Ltd.

ISBN: 978-1-55337-425-1

Author website: No author site available. Information about the author can be obtained through the online version of Encyclopedia Britannica.

Illustrator website: http://www.murraykimber.com/

Media used for illustration: Charcoal, conté and acrylic on paper. The text was set using the fonts Streamline, Bodega Sans and Celeste.

Annotation: Bess, the innkeeper’s daughter, loves the highwayman. Their love ends in tragedy through betrayal by another man who is smitten with Bess. This version offers film noir style illustrations.

Personal reaction to the book: This newly illustrated version of the Highwayman poem by Alfred Noyes is still as romantic as the version I discovered in Childcraft years ago. Here, it has the dark edge of gang-land set in 1930s film noir style New York City. Bess, the innkeeper’s beautiful black-eyed daughter, is still in love with the highwayman depicted as a lone motorcycle rider. He greets her before heading off on a heist. They both desire a kiss. She leans out the window toward him. He can only reach and kiss her hair, driving the lovers’ longing even deeper into the reader’s heart. Tim, the ostler, who also loves Bess, betrays both to the FBI. They come and hold Bess hostage waiting for the highwayman to return. She is tied to the bedpost with a gun pointing to her breast. Bess waits listening for his return. As he approaches, she shoots herself in warning. The illustrations create a dark and foreboding mood. Sharp straight lines create tension in the pictures. The artist uses brown tones accented with purple wash to create a foreboding mood. Bess’ red nail polish and red blood seeping down her hands constricted by the tight ropes binding her to the bedpost foreshadow tragedy. The poem reads aloud well. It can be shared with small groups since the size of the book is too small to be seen by a large group. However, the size is very inviting for an individual reader. The design of this appealing slim volume includes a velum front paper giving the book a retro feel. Readers unfamiliar with the poem will be attracted to the cover of the book showing a gangster on a motorcycle. This newly illustrated version of the poem is sure to be enjoyed by secondary students. One slight problem with the illustrations is found on page 8. The illustration does not match the text. The text says “He tapped with his whip on the shutters, but all was locked and barred.” However, the illustration shows Bess lying in bed looking over her left shoulder out an open window with curtains blowing in the breeze.

General curricular connections:

• Poetry studies
• Alfred Noyes
• Graphic novels
• Theater classes – performance of the poem
• Pair with Romeo and Juliet (original play as well as the 1996 film version directed by Baz Luhrmann, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes) / romance / tragic love 

Recommended grade levels:
School Library Journal recommends the book for grades 6 and up
Booklist recommends the book for grades 7-10
Peach's Picks recommends the book for grades 7 and up

Awards/Recognitions:
Nominee for Governor General's Award for Children's Illustrations, 2005
One of the Globe & Mail's top dozen children's books, 2005

Note: This entry meets the assignment criteria to review books that contain single book-length poems.

Rhythm: Poetic meter – Noyes created six feet in a line, the hexameter rhythmic pattern

Rhyme: Page 2-3; Rhyming pattern of AABCCB; for example:

The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees (A)
The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas (A)
The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor (B)
And the highwayman came riding (C)
Riding, riding, (C)
The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door. (B)

Repetition: Page 5; “And he rode with a jeweled twinkle, is pistol butts a-twinkle, His rapier hilt a-twinkle…”

Onomatopoeia: Page 27; “Tlot-tlot” indicating the sound of horse-hoofs

Symbolism: Page 28; Picture of a horse on the motorcycle’s gas tank showing the motorcycle is the steed in this illustrated version of the poem

Metaphor: Page 2; “The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon the cloudy seas”

Book cover picture retrieved from http://www.kidscanpress.com/Canada/The-Highwayman-P5583.aspx