POETRY TAG TIME by Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong

Bibliography

Vardell, Sylvia and Janet Wong. 2011. Peotry Tag Time. Princeton: Poetry Tag Time.

Critical Analysis

I really enjoyed how this collection of poems felt like a conversation. As a reader, I felt invited into an informal gathering of friends who just enjoyed sharing whatever came to mind as their neighbor spoke. The full circle that the poems create also give a satisfying feeling of completeness when finishing the collection.

This collection of poems includes a wide variety of poetic styles from concrete poems to acrostics and cinquains. This collection was obviously created for young readers and listeners in mind, but is something that every reader can enjoy. The size of the collection makes it perfect for sharing one poem a day for a whole month. 

Example

Since we are currently working on different poetry formats in my classroom, I decided to highlight the acrostic poem in this collection. This would be a great example of the fun you can have with acrostic poetry and how it doesn't have to just be one word on each line. I'm hoping to use this poem with my students to help open the door of possibilities for what an acrostic poem can look like.

After the Storm by Laura Purdie Salas

Ribbons of color
Arch
In a
Neverending
Backbend
Over the
World

FALLING HARD: 100 LOVE POEMS BY TEENAGERS by Betsy Franco

Bibliography

Franco, Betsy. 2008. Falling Hard: 100 Love Poems by Teenagers. Cambridge: Candlewick Press. ISBN 9780763634377

Critical Analysis

The poetry in this collection covers a wide spectrum of styles and rhythms. Some poems are just a few lines, some cover a few pages. Most are free verse. There are a few poems that rhyme or have a noticeable pattern and structure. Being a collection of poetry written by teenagers, it is easy to tell the difference in maturity and life experience from poem to poem, but that in no way takes away from the level of poetry contained in the collection. Each author has a clear voice and different interpretation of what falling in love is like.

I will say that some of the poems in this collection were very surprising. This is definitely a collection for older children. 

Example

While the poem is short, it is rich with imagery and emotion. The author does a great job of capturing the differing emotions love can bring out in just a few well chosen words. What I enjoyed about the collection as a whole is how different poems will resonate with different readers depending on where they are personally and what speaks to me may even be different from reading to reading.

Love is Like

the sweetness of honey
falling from a bee hive.

You have to be careful
not to get stung.

~Hector Jasso

FIREFLY JULY by Paul Janeczko

Bibliography

Janeczko, Paul B. 2014. Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems. Ill. by Melissa Sweet. Somerville: Candlewick Press. ISBN 9780763648428

Critical Analysis

The first think that struck me about this book was the organization. The table of contents clearly separates the poems by the seasons of the year, beginning with spring. However, once you delve into the book, the poems just fade into each other and the separation of seasons is not quite so apparent. The first time I read through the book, I missed the names of the seasons because they were such a part of the illustrations that they did not stand out. They create a subtle shift just as each season quietly fades into the next.

The poems is this book come from a variety of authors, therefore the style of each is different. The commonality among them all is that, as the subtitle foretells, each poem is very short. Some poems use rhyme while others are set apart by the way the words are placed on the page. I noticed the use of the cinquain format in several of the poems. The illustrations area a great compliment to the poems. They reflect the meaning and emotion of each poem without closing the door on the imagination and further exploration of the poetry. Each poem helps to bring the seasons to life.

Example

This would be a collection to use at a variety of levels. I think it could be taught and enjoyed in a kindergarten classroom as easily as in a high school class. The language is clear enough for a young child to understand and explore, but the deeper messages and imagery could be fun to study for older students. This would be a great book to use in a science classroom to illustrate the changing of the seasons, moon phases and a variety of other concepts about the natural world.
Emily Dickinson's poem The Moon was but a Chin of Gold would be great to study the moon and its phases. It could also lead into a great lesson about what the moon looks like in its different phases.

The Moon was but a Chin of Gold
A Night or two ago -
And now she turns Her perfect Face
Upon the World below - 

WATER SINGS BLUE by Kate Coombs

Bibliography

Coombs, Kate. 2012. Water Sings Blue. Ill. Meilo So. San Francisco: Chronicle Books.

Critical Analysis

Coombs uses a variety of poetic forms in her poems about the ocean. While all of them have some kind of rhyming pattern to them, they each have their own rhythm. She even includes a haiku. While I wouldn't consider any of the poems to be a concrete poem, Coombs definitely uses the layout of her poetry to help convey the message of the poem. The poem "What the Waves Say" uses punctuation and line breaks to create a rhythm that mimics the pulsating nature of waves that help the reader to not only see the waves being described, but to feel them.

So's illustrations add an almost ethereal quality to the poems that help add to the poetry without overtaking the poems. The use of pen, ink and watercolors reflect the watery setting of this book.

Example

This book is full of poems that are fun to read. I would use this in my classroom when we are studying about different habitats to showcase ocean life and the way even the non-living objects in the ocean seem to come to life because of the movement of the water. These poems would also be great to use to show the variety of life found in the ocean. The poem "Tide Pool Shopping" is a great example of how many different forms of life can be found under water.

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 lobstery beast.

Today I'm shopping at the tide pool.
Maybe I'll see you there, too,
with your kittiwake pals
and the oystercatcher gals -
I'll save some limpets for you!

DARK EMPEROR & OTHER POEMS OF THE NIGHT by Joyce Sidman

Bibliography

Sidman, Joyce. 2010. Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night. Ill. Rick Allen. New York: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.

Critical Analysis

Sidman uses a variety of forms, rhythms, and rhyming patterns for each poem in this book. Some have a very strict rhythm and rhyme to them, while others encapsulate the true meaning of what free verse it. Each combination of form, rhythm, and rhyme reflects the subject matter and the mood that is being created within that poem. Some poems are organized into couplets or quatrains. The title poem is a form poem that takes the shape of the "Dark Emperor" and his prey.

While this book of poems would be perfect to use with just the poems, Sidman also includes a non-fiction element that would be great to integrate into a science lesson about nocturnal animals.

Allen's illustrations are detailed in a way that clearly shows what these creatures and their surroundings look like, but also includes a bit of whimsy and fantasy that leaves some room for the reader's own knowledge and imagination.

Example

The book would integrate well into any science classroom that discusses animal characteristics and relationships, but could stand up as a poetry book in any language arts class as well. I love the introduction poem because it invites the reader to prepare all of her senses before diving into the rest of the book. The language used is powerful and makes the subject matter come to life right before the reader.

Welcome to the Night

To all of you who crawl and creep,
who buzz and chirp and hoot and peep,
who wake at dusk and throw off sleep:
Welcome to the night.

To you who make the forest sing,
who dip and dodge on silent wing,
who flutter, hover, clasp, and cling:
Welcome to the night!

Come feel the cool and shadowed breeze,
come smell your way among the trees,
come touch rough bark and leathered leaves:
Welcome to the night.

The night's a sea of dappled dark,
the night's a feast of sound and spark,
the night's a wild, enchanted park.
Welcome to the night!

YOU READ TO ME, I'LL READ TO YOU: VERY SHORT STORIES TO READ TOGETHER by Mary Ann Hoberman

Bibliography

Hoberman, Mary Ann. 2001. You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together. Ill. Michael Emberley. New York: Little, Brown and Company.

Critical Analysis

Hoberman's poems in this collection are a great way to have fun with poetry. The poems are silly and playful. They have a simple rhythm that is easy to keep going. This is especially important when two readers are working together to make a piece sound cohesive. Because these poems were written to be ready by two people, they have a conversational feel. This makes the poems feel very relaxed and easy to understand. They subject matter ranges from animals to friends to talking on the phone - ordinary subject matters that children can relate to.

The illustrations are well done and keep with the playful mood set by the tone of the poems. They tend to highlight some of the more far-fetched ideas in the poems.

Example

This book of poems is perfect for early readers, but could be used with any age depending on the purpose. With older students, it would make a great example for a different type of poetry that they could then work on to create their own. For the younger readers, I think this is a great way to incorporate buddy reading in the classroom. Pairing students with one being a stronger reader and the other who struggles gives a simple and effective way to have the stronger reader help and guide the straggler.

The poem that I picked to share would be a great way to partner up students to read and share their poem, but then add their own section by talking about what they like that is different and finding something they have in common. It would be a great activity to use at the beginning of the year.

I Like

I like soda.

                I like milk.

I like satin.

                I like silk.

I like puppies.

                I like kittens.

I like gloves.

                And I like mittens.

I like apples.

                I like pears.

I like tigers.

                I like bears.

I like to slide.

                I like to swing.

        We don't agree

        On anything!

I like butter.

                I like jam.

I like turkey.

                I like ham.

I like rivers.

                I like lakes.

I like cookies.

                And I like cakes.

I like yellow.

                I like blue.

I like pizza.

                I like stew.

I like summer.

                I like spring.

        We don't agree

        On anything!

There's something else

I like a lot.

But if I like it,

You will not.

                There's something else

                That I like, too.

                But you won't like it

                If I do.

Tell me yours

And I'll tell mine.

                I like reading.

                Reading's fine!

You like reading?

                Yes, I do.

Why, reading was

What I picked, too!

        Well, then, at last

        We both agree!

        I'll read to you!

        You'll read to me!

OUT OF THE DUST by Karen Hesse

Bibliography

Hesse, Karen. 1997. Out of the Dust. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 9780590371254

Critical Analysis

Out of the Dust brings to life the story of a family suffering through the worst drought in our country’s history. Hesse uses free form poetry to tell the story of a young teenage girl going through the process of forgiving her father and herself for an accident that ended up taking her mother’s life. The poems vary in structure, some being short and straight to the point, others longer and more descriptive, both matching the mood and emotions of Billie Jo, the narrator. Hesse mixes together simple, clear language with figurative language to add to the emotional shifts in the story. Hesse uses to the variance in structure and language to help the reader connect Billie Jo as she struggles to make sense of the grief and guilt she is feeling as well as the frustration and despair all of those who live in the Oklahoma panhandle felt during the Dust Bowl.

Example

This verse novel would be an excellent way to show how hard the Dust Bowl was on families and put it in a perspective students could relate to. This would be good novel choice for middle school children who are studying American history at this time. While Hesse does explain the reasons for the Dust Bowl as her main character Billie Jo is learning about its cause, she is able to capture the emotional impact that it had on families who suffered through it. There are several poem throughout the novel that describe what it was like to have a blizzard of dust come blowing through, not only the towns, but the houses and buildings as well. Her descriptions of how the dust was everywhere, including in the food they had to eat, would help bring this era to life for students who might struggle to understand how bad it was.

Here is a portion of a poem titled “Dust Storm” (p. 143).

Brown earth rained down
from sky.
I could not catch my breath
the way the dust pressed on my chest
and wouldn’t stop.
The dirt blew down so thick
it scratched my eyes
and stung my tender skin,
it plugged my nose and filled inside my mouth.
No matter how I pressed my lips together,
the dust made muddy tracks
across my tongue.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BOOK OF ANIMAL POETRY by J. Patrick Lewis

Bibliography

Lewis, J. Patrick. 2012. National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic. ISBN 9781426310096

Critical Analysis

Lewis’ anthology is a must have for any science teacher’s collection. From a science perspective, it covers the whole range of animals and pairs incredible photographs of some animals that would most likely never be seen by many students. From a poetic standpoint, this book contains a multitude of poetic forms from simple rhymes to free verse with haiku and concrete form poems thrown in the mixture. The variety keeps the book interesting when looking at it as a whole. Animals are an enjoyable thing to study for most children and since this anthology contains such a wide variety of species, everyone can find something they enjoy.

The poems are not only well written from a poetic standpoint, but they are very informative. Some are very direct in their description, others will use figurative language such as metaphors to help the reader better understand and aspect of a certain animal. There are also a few animals that have multiple poems written about them, therefore multiple perspectives on the same topic that would lead to a great comparison.

The organization of the book is also interesting and unique. Instead of organizing it what I would think of as a more typical structure of animal type (such as mammal, fish, bird, etc…) Lewis grouped and organized the animals by more descriptive elements over scientific ones. He begins the books with poems about the beginning of animals’ lives and goes on to include animals grouped by size, loudness and strangeness, ending with poems more general in nature. I think students would have fun seeing which students he paired and discussing why he may have grouped them this way.

Example

This is a great book to use whenever animals are being talked about. It would make a great introduction to a unit about animals. It would make a great resource just to have available even when not using specific poems from it at the time. There are several poems that could also be paired with other stories or children’s books such as using the poem from this collection The City Mouse and the Garden Mouse and pairing it with a version of the story Town Mouse, Country Mouse.

I liked the poem Dressing Like a Snake by Georgia Heard. I would use this poem to introduce the concept of how different animals grow and change. Living in Texas and where snakes can be readily found, it would also be neat to bring in an actual snake skin to make a more direct connection.

Dressing Like a Snake

A snake changes its clothes
only twice a year. Beginning with its nose, peeling down to its toes: new clothes suddenly appear. Wouldn’t it be nice to dress only twice instead of each day of the year?

RUTHERFORD B. WHO WAS HE? by Marilyn Singer

Bibliography

Singer, Marilyn. 2013. Rutherford B. Who was He?: Poems about our Presidents. New York: Hyperion Books. ISBN 9781423171003

Critical Analysis

Singer’s poetic, but informational text about all forty-three presidents is a great resource for any teacher who has to teach about our government, whether they discuss one president in particular or all of them. As an look into the most important or memorable tidbits about our presidents, it is a great overview when looking at American history and the ups and downs our nation has seen, along with the leaders of the country who may or may not have had as significant an impact. Each poem is titled with the president’s name and the subtitle includes the political party under which each was elected as well as the dates of their presidency.

Singer uses creative rhymes and a similar rhythm throughout each poem which creates a cohesive feel to the book as a whole. Singer doesn’t use as much figurative language unless necessary to hold to the rhythm, but instead provides the reader with a factual and easily understood informative text. She does use language that helps the reader to easily understand the overall feeling the nation had for each president, including humor and shame when necessary.

The illustrations that John Hendrix adds to the poems help to reflect the emotions Singer was trying to convey. His illustrations also add a depth to the information being provided that helps to extend the learning one can get from each poem. 

Example

George Washington and Abraham Lincoln are the two most well remembered and discussed presidents. The poem about each of these men would provide a great introduction when this topic is being studied. For younger students, it would provide a great overview of each man’s life and accomplishments while providing a great opportunity to activate the schema of older students who have already studied these presidents but may need a refresher.

The one about Lincoln is a great overview of why we remember him, but would lead into a great discussion or research of what exactly were his “addresses of great note,” or what did he “proclaim emancipation” from. It gives just enough to get the reader to either remember the details of his presidency or to spark interest to dig even further.

Abraham Lincoln

(Whig, Republican, 1861-1865)

By stovepipe hat, beard, large size,
          he’s the one we recognize,

By addresses of great note,
          he’s the one we often quote.

By leading through war – wrenching, bloody -
          he’s the one we always study.

By exercising his high station
          to proclaim emancipation,
then meeting such a tragic fate,
          he’s the one we rank as great.

RHYME SCHEMER by K.A. Holt

Bibliography

Holt, K. A. 2014. Rhyme Schemer. Sand Francisco: Chronicle Books. ISBN 9781452127002

Critical Analysis

This is an incredibly powerful book. This verse novel touches on many subjects that every pre-teen can relate to - feeling out of place and lost in a crowd, bullying (both being the bully and the target), family dynamics. I think this book would best fit into a middle school classroom, but I could also see it being used in upper elementary. Since the main character is a boy, I think that it will really connect with other boys who may be a little wary of tackling poetry. However, I think girls would also enjoy the story.

The book is written in free verse, using the freedom of the structure to highlight certain words without being constrained by a form. The imagery used throughout the book, especially that of the stone and how that stone changes throughout the story, is a great way to show how easily metaphors can be used without having to rip apart the whole book and shred the story line by line to analyze it. It is also written like a journal, with each poem written for a different day throughout Kevin's seventh grade year. The personal level, the insight into a youth's mind makes this a very powerful story.

Example

I could see this book being used in a classroom, but I could also see it being used by a counselor for a small group of students. I truly believe that all students can relate to this novel in some way, but there are certain poems that could be pulled and stand alone that speak to different situations and the emotions involved. The poem I chose to highlight here could be used with an individual student who is having problems at home, or with a whole class and lead into a journal response about how the students can relate to Kevin at this moment.

Weekend (p. 16)

When I'm old
enough
I'll leave
this place.

Will Mom cry?
Will Dad miss me?

I can see them now
laughing together
about one less mouth to feed.

Will they worry?
Will they care?

Mom can use my room
for email and bookshelves.
She will like that.

ONE LEAF RIDES THE WIND by Celeste Davidson Mannis

Bibliography

Mannis, Celeste Davidson. 2002. One Leaf Rides the Wind. Ill. Susan Kathleen Hartung. New York: Viking. ISBN 9780142401958

Critical Analysis

In One Leaf Rides the Wind, Mannis uses haiku to describe a Japanese garden in the form of a counting book. While written so that even the youngest who are just learning their numbers can understand the book on one level, older readers can appreciate the beauty of the poetry itself. Each poem strictly adheres to the 5-7-5 rule of traditional haiku, as well as the description of nature that traditional Japanese haiku would be written about. This makes is a wonderful book to look at for studying the more traditional aspects since this form of poetry has transformed over the years as it is used in different languages.

While haiku has been known to be one of the least favorite types of poetry, this book is a simple and elegant introduction to such a structured form. Each poem adheres to the structure, but flows easily and creates a vivid mental picture of each item being described. Hartung's illustrations enhance the beauty of each poem, bringing a traditional Japanese garden to life.

The book contains eleven poems about the numbers 1-10 with the first poem repeating at the end to bring the whole book together.

Example

I could using this book for a multitude of reasons. For the youngest, it is a beautiful counting book with clear illustrations to match the numbers. For older readers, it could be used to study the form of haiku itself. I would also use this book when studying Japanese culture, specifically that of a Japanese garden. Along with each poem on a page, there is a small description that goes into more detail about the specific aspect of a traditional Japanese garden being described in the poem. Between the poem, description and illustrations, this book could make for a wonderful cultural study. The following poem describes the art of Bonsai:

3

Suddenly I'm tall!

A miniature forest -

three pots on a wall.

ODE TO A COMMODE by Brian P. Cleary

Bibliography

Cleary, Brian P. 2015. Ode to a Commode: Concrete Poems. Ill. Andy Rowland. Minneapolis: Millbrook Press. ISBN 9781467744546

Critical Analysis

Cleary writes about simple everyday objects and activities, but breathes new life into them through the use of concrete poetry. While concrete poems are more about the structure and physical appearance of the poem, Cleary also writes in a way that the poems could be understood and appreciated even if the form could not be seen. Each poem brings to light unique and sometimes surprising elements about mundane subjects. Who knew a fork could provide such inspiration for a poem.
The silly, yet complex nature of these poems make them enjoyable for people of all ages. Younger readers will enjoy the sillier aspect while older elementary readers could really dive into the descriptive aspect.
Cleary maintains his poetic style, using rhythm and rhyme to drive each poem forward, while Rowland shapes the poems through the use of color and form in his understated illustrations where the poem is clearly the centerpiece of each page.

Example

I would introduce this book to kids simply for the hilarity of the poems at first. While I enjoyed reading the poems in this book all the way through, I think that reading just one poem at a time and giving time to digest the form and content would lend itself better for use on a level beyond enjoyment. I think using this book to introduce the concept of concrete poetry would be perfect, because Cleary describes concrete poetry and almost issues a challenge to the reader to write his or her own poem in the introduction. Along with the form, I would highlight the descriptive nature of each poem and teach that as well.

*Because the illustration and physical layout of the poem is so important, it will be difficult to recreate that here with the use of simple text. I will increase spacing between some words in my attempt to create the shape.

What About Me?

Fans

will  clap

for  kickers  as

I'm sailing through

the  post.  And  when

I'm    caught,    receivers

get to be the ones who boast.

And     when     I'm    carried

past   the   goal,   just   look

around and see - the cheers

are   for   the   running

back,   but   why

aren't   they

for me?

THE SUPERHEROES EMPLOYMENT AGENCY by Marilyn Singer

Bibliography

Singer, Marilyn. 2012. The Superheroes Employment Agency. Ill. Noah Z. Jones. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 9780547435596

Critical Analysis

Marilyn Singer’s collection of poems about unsung superheroes and their many talents in a creative example of just how fun poetry can be. While each poem can stand alone, it does go together to create a story about an agency for superheroes. Singer, along with the brilliant illustrations of Noah Z. Jones has put the book together with an almost comic or graphic novel feel. Some of the poems have a more traditional layout while others are illustrated as part of a comic book scene. This adds to the feel that these are real superheroes. All of the poems have a similar rhythm and rhyming pattern which creates a feeling of cohesion throughout the book. 

Example

I love that this book could easily be read and enjoyed by students from elementary to high school. I also think that the activity I would choose to pair with this book could work at many different levels, depending on the experience the students have with writing poetry. I would have the students come up with their own crazy superhero and write a poem about they could help in a dire situation. I would use the final poem to launch the activity. This could be done in small groups or as individuals. I would also have them illustrate the poem in a creative way. It could be inn graphic novel form similar to the book or even a diorama for a 3D representation.

Goodbye From Our C.E.O.

Now that you have met our crew,

it’s clear that we’re incredible.

You didn’t know us yesterday - 

today, we’re unforgettable!

We’re not in graphic novels.

We’re not in comic books.

But we stop villains in their tracks.

We catch thugs and crooks.

We help good folks everywhere,

on land, in air, at sea.

(Hire us eleven times - 

the twelfth job’s always free!)

For endurance, smarts, and speed

(and a sense of fashion, too),

S.E.A.’s got what you need - 

we’re always here for you!

CONFETTI: POEMS FOR CHILDREN by Pat Mora

Bibliography

Mora, Pat. 1996. Confetti: Poems for Children. Ill. Enrique O Sanchez. New York: Lee and Low Books. ISBN 9781880000854

Critical Analysis

Pat Mora has put together a collection of her poems that children will be able to easily relate to. While the subjects are imaginative, the language and imagery is very rich and not watered down. Written primarily in English, with a few Spanish words included, Mora’s poetry is a great multicultural example for any classroom. She provides a pronunciation guide/glossary at the end, so even those with no Spanish language background will be able to enjoy and understand the poems. Each poem stands alone, but the themes are all connected through the culture shared between them. While the style, rhythm and rhyming patterns are different for each poem, it doesn’t confuse or interrupt the flow of each individual poem.

Example

I think that Mora’s book would best be shared one poem at a time. While there is a cohesive element of theme culture, there is nothing added by reading each poem back to back compared to reading them individually. I have chosen to spotlight the poem Cloud Dragons. This is a poem that I think many children could relate to. In first grade, we discuss the wind and the changing clouds. I would enjoy using this poem along with that unit and then going outside to watch the clouds change. I would have the students draw and write about what they saw in the clouds. I would pair this poem with the book It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles Shaw (ISBN 9780064431590).

Cloud Dragons

What do you see
in the clouds so high?
What do you see in the sky?

Oh, I see dragons
that curl their tails
as they go slithering by.

What do you see
in the clouds so high?
What do you see? Tell me, do.

Oh, I see caballitos
that race the wind
high in the shimmering blue.

MAMMALABILIA by Douglas Florian

Bibliography

Florian, Douglas. 2000. Mammalabilia. Orlando, FL: Harcourt. ISBN 9780152050245

Critical Analysis

Florian has compiled a variety of short, but descriptive poems about a variety of mammals in this book. Most of the poems are 4-6 short lines about a variety of mammals, but each one is full of rich language. In several of the poems, Florian uses the freedom of poetry in the layout and in the spelling of some words to add a different element to those poems. For example, his poem on camels curves as if it was written along the edge of a camel’s humps or his poem about porcupines is written with each line moving vertically as if it were the spines on a porcupine. All of the poems rhyme and have similar rhyming patterns that tie the book together beyond just the subject matter. Florian provides a table of contents so that we can find a particular animal poem in the book. As the author and illustrator, Florian was able to mimic some of the movement in the poems with the illustrations themselves, adding yet another dimension to the book.

Example

There could be a wide variety of uses for this book. It could be used in an animal unit and the students could create their own poems about the animal of their choice. I would use it to show how the form of the poetry can add just as much to the poem as the word choice does. His poem about zebras is an example that I can copy here to show you how the layout of Florian’s poem mimic the animal or the illustration he painted. He uses the words to create the stripes of the zebra and his illustration gives the reader a sense of how zebras can blend together in the wild because of their stripes.

Zebras

How many zebras

Do you see?

               I see two zebras.

I see three.

               I see three, too.

I see four.

               I see four, too.

WORDS WITH WINGS by Nikki Grimes

Bibliography

Grimes, Nikki. 2013. Words with Wings. Honesdale, Pennsylvania: WordSong. ISBN 9781590789858

Critical Analysis

Grimes’ novel in verse is a testament to the power of dreams and words. It is also a demonstration of how teachers and parents can make or break their children. This is a novel that should be read by children and adults. Words with Wings tells the story of a young girl, Gabby, a daydreamer extraordinaire. It tells of her parents’ separation and how Gabby’s daydreams affect her relationship with her mom, teacher and peers. It also shows us how her daydreams help her cope with the difficult situations she finds herself in. The poems in this book are very short, reminiscent of Gabby’s attention span. There is a balance between poems that tell Gabby’s story and poems that give us a peek into Gabby’s mind as she daydreams and how one word can send her mind soaring into a memory or story in her mind. Being a novel written in verse, rhyme is not used much, but there is a distinct rhythm and flow that makes this a quick and easy read. Grimes also uses very descriptive language to paint a scene rather than just give it away. For example, when Gabby’s dad leaves, he doesn't cry – “Something we was in his eye. . .” This book can be easily related to by both children and adults. While not all children have the exact same experiences as Gabby, they can relate to and learn from her ability to cope with difficult situations. Adults and children can relate to this story and different poems in it that describe the relationship and actions toward someone who thinks differently than you.

Example

While the book really does need to be read as a whole, the title poem “Words with Wings” has a great significance to the story and could easily be studied on its own. This is the turning point in the story where we begin to better understand Gabby and what triggers her daydreams. In relationship to the novel as a whole, I would pull this poem out and look at what Gabby means by “other words have wings.” I would give each student a word and just see where those words take them. It would make a great writing lesson to teach them the stream of consciousness writing and how one word can connect to another that remind them of a story or a memory. It would be great to emulate Mr. Spicer and allow the students to daydream and then let their words paint the pictures they dreamed.

Words with Wings

Some words
sit still on the page
holding a story steady.
Those words
never get me into trouble.
But other words have wings
that wake my daydreams.
They fly in,
silent as sunrise,
tickle my imagination,
and carry my thoughts away.
I can’t help
but buckle up
for the ride!

THE GOOF WHO INVENTED HOMEWORK by Kalli Dakos

Bibliography

Dakos, Kalli. 1996. The Goof Who Invented Homework. Ill. Denise Brunkus. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9780803719279

Critical Analysis

Dakos’ book of poems The Goof Who Invented Homework is filled with poems that use a variety of styles. Many of her poems rhyme and they all have their own rhythm, which appeals to school age students that would relate to the subject matter of this collection. Some of them read like a play and have a cast of characters. In these poems, the voice of each character can be heard through the language she uses. Most of her poems in this collection contain very short lines and makes them look similar on the page. This is occasionally broken up by a poem that will have staggered lines, or poems that contain just one word on each line. While many of the poems in this book are silly, there are a few poems that create a different mood that students relate to – such as a friend who has died as in “Back Away! Back Away!” or the guilt over not taking care of the class pet as in “Murder in the Fourth Grade.” This is a collection of poems that students and teachers can relate to because it highlights the funny, serious and frustrating aspects of what happens during a school year.

Example

One poem that stuck out to me was “Sunbeams for a Student.” In this poem, the day outside is described as being really dreary while inside there is sunshine. This is a poem I would introduce to students right after a really hard test where many of them did well. This is a poem that they could immediately connect to, but the teacher could also show them that teachers feel the same way when the students do well. The poem uses a lot of imagery that could lead to a discussion on why feelings like sadness or dread are compared to rainy overcast days and happiness is compared to bright sunny days. I think this would be a great poem to read especially around STAAR time when students can really begin to feel the pressure.

Sunbeams for a Student

The sky is dark as midnight,

Rain is streaming down out there.

But here inside my classroom,

Sunbeams shimmer everywhere.

A winter storm is brewing

As the rain turns into sleet,

But I can smell the roses,

And I feel the summer’s heat.

Leaves cling for life on branches

As winds howl from the west,

But the sun shines all around me,

For I passed my spelling test!