THE FRIENDLY FOUR by Eloise Greenfield

Greenfield, Eloise. 2006. THE FRIENDLY FOUR. Ill. by Jan Spivey Gilchrist. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 9780060007591

Review

For young Drummond, summer’s been a bummer until some new friends come into his life.  They enjoy the summer and together they create their own town in Drum’s yard.  They play at each location including a bank and the library.  Before long, summer ends and they have to say their goodbyes.

The book is written in alternating voices and lends itself to being performed.  The story line is uplifting and encouraging.  The poetry includes varying sound elements.  For example, Playground uses assonance; wet/rest.  This poem also uses alliteration, rhyme and repetition with words ending in –ing as in running/sliding/swinging/sweating. 

Poetry in Action:

Introducing the Poem:  The teacher might schedule this activity before or after a local parade.  Begin by showing students pictures of a parade, maybe even video.  Local parade pictures have even more of a connection.  Ask students to share experiences of being at a parade.  Read the poem once to the students.  Second round, appoint a Drum and Dorene and have the class read their assigned part – either a person or ALL.  The class might be interested in reading several times and mixing up the parts.

Follow up Activity:  For young students, bring a box of dress up clothes to wear over their clothing such as ties, blazers, dresses, and hats.  Allow the kids time to dress up and walk around the library or the school in a line like a parade.

IN THE TOWN OF GOODSUMMER

ALL:              We’ll get the paintings from the garage,

and stand them around the fence.

Today, we’re going to celebrate.

DRUM:        Welcome, ladies and gents!

ALL:             Thank you for coming to our parade,

and now, without a pause,

we’ll match by in our own grown-up clothes.

DORENE:     Thank you for your applause.

ALL:             We turned the music way up loud,

                   to show you that we’re happy and proud

                   of the work we did to build our town.

                   Now, watch us as we march around,

                   and around, and around, and around.

                   Mmmarch!  Mmmarch!

                   Mmmarch!  March!  MARCH!

THIS IS JUST TO SAY: POEMS OF APOLOGY AND FORGIVENESS by Joyce Sidman

Sidman, Joyce. 2007. THIS IS JUST TO SAY: POEMS OF APOLOGY AND FORGIVENESS. Ill. by Pamela Zagarenski. New York: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 9780618616800

Review

We can all use lessons in apologies and forgiveness and this is one book that will make you grin while you follow Mrs. Merz’s class through this very lesson in poems.  Her sixth grade class completes a project whereby each student writes apology letters (Part One) and then we get to read response letters (Part Two).  The poems touch on many topics which will connect with readers of this age including dysfunctional families, hurting other’s feelings, disobeying, death of a pet, steeling, friendship and sports.  Throughout the book, Sidman incorporates various poetry styles including pantoum (Spelling Bomb), concrete (Dodge Ball Crazy), haiku (Haiku for Carmen) and couplet (Brownies – Oops! and A Waste of Heart). 

Sidman uses simile to reach the readers senses and past experiences.  In What Was I Thinking?, Mai Lee compares the principal’s eyes to hot sparks and her own demeanor to that of a whipped dog.  Fashion Sense compares the silence to “a hundred crushing elephants.”  Other poems include repetition of words, dialog, and sensory language.  The reader can feel in each poem that the child’s own emotion led to the apology poem.  In It Was Quiet, Tenzin writes a note to his dog, apologizing for having to put the dog to sleep.  Tenzin writes, “But inside, something was crumbling/But inside, all my cells and nerves were screaming.”

Clever and age-appropriate poems keep the reader’s attention throughout the book but the illustrations are what called to me to read this book.  The reader, too, will enjoy the choppy and whimsical designs that connect the text to the page. 

Poetry in Action:

Introducing the Poem:  Ask students if there is something they have done before that they need to apologize to someone and ask forgiveness?  You might give examples of your own to jump start them.  Read BALANCE below to the students.

Follow up Activity:  Brainstorm with students how they can apologize.  For example, leave them a note, write them a poem, call them on the phone, send them an email, sing them a song, buy them a gift, and so on.  Then read the students, SECRET MESSAGE about a boy who leaves his apology poem in his brother’s car under the seat.  Have students write an apology poem to someone and decide how they will give it to them.  For fun, read BROWNIES-OOPS! and bring brownies for the kids to eat. =)

BALANCE, Excerpt page 16

Dad, I’m sorry for smashing

the garage  window when I was a kid.

Felipe and I were messing around

and saw the cracked pane.

One had a crack.

So they should all have a crack, right?

That what Felipe said.

We hefted some rocks.

SECRET MESSAGE, Excerpt page 21

Where would you hide a secret message?

Under a pillow?  In a pocket?

Between two slices of bread?

Where would you hide a message

that wants to be gound?

DIAMOND WILLOW by Helen Frost

Frost, Helen. 2008. DIAMOND WILLOW. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 9780374317768

Review

A

n almost teenager, Diamond Willow, lives in remote Alaska and enjoys learning to run her snow dogs with her Dad.  Wanting to show her independence, her parents allow her to take the sled and dogs on her own to her grandparent’s house.  An accident leaves their best dog, Roxy, injured and blind.  But when Willow’s parents decide to put Roxy down, Willow takes matters into her own hands.  With the help of her best friend, they make a decision which leaves them stranded overnight in the Alaskan cold.  When rescued, Willow pleads her case for Roxy and in the midst of events learns a life-changing secret; she had a twin sister who died. 

     The most out-standing element to this story is the shape of most of the poems which are in various diamond shapes.   Named after a diamond willow stick, the concrete poem shapes reflect the shape and journey she takes to form an identity.  Some poems are not in shape form and are written from the perspective of deceased relatives of Willow’s who are also Native Americans.  The poems are written as animals that the deceased have returned as and are they are watching Willow and her family. 

     DIAMOND WILLOW is a smooth and easy verse novel for young adults.  It includes topics and themes full of emotion but is not overly emotional or sentimental.  The mood varies throughout the story.  To begin, Willow reveals herself as a loner and plain, nothing special and happiness eludes her.  We read, “I’m skinny and ordinary like a stick.” We experience other emotions such as dread, sadness, desperation, courage, and happiness.  The final poem states, “I feel like I am flying with them, like my twin sister Diamond is alive inside me saying, Willow, this is happiness.  Me, these dogs, this snow, the spruce hen flying just ahead of us: This is happiness. I see.”

     One additional special touch is that author Helen Frost, has bolded a phrase in each diamond-shaped poem.  Each word in the phrase comes from a different line in the poem.  It is a neat and creative touch that allows the reader to feel or view alternate points in the story.

Poetry in Action:

Introducing the Poem:  Ask students, “Have you ever done something that was wrong and the outcome was really bad?”  Allow students to share their stories.  Share one of your own if they have trouble thinking of ideas.  Stories will not hopefully be as dramatic and that’s okay. Read DIAMOND WILLOW up until the poem listed below.

Follow up Activity:  Divide the class into small groups.  Have them predict what will happen with Roxy and Diamond.  Give them large sheets of easel paper to illustrate their predictions.  Then read the rest of the story and have them illustrate the story on the other side of the paper.  Hang these drawings for all to see.

From page 33

Dad

changes

Roxy’s bandage and

makes sure she’s comfortable

before he goes to work. After he’s gone,

I go in to see her.  She can’t see me, of course,

but she whimpers when she hears me coming, so I

kneel down beside her.  I might cry, and I don’t want her

to hear me do that.  I’ll try to be as brave as she is.  Oh, Roxy,

I’m sorry! I knew that blind curve was coming up.

I should have slowed down sooner.

Roxy licks my face,

sniffs my leg

where I’m

hurt,

too.

THE POET SLAVE OF CUBA: A BIOGRAPHY OF JUAN FRANCISCO MANZANO by Margarita Engle



Author Margarita Engle



Engle, Margarita. 2006. THE POET SLAVE OF CUBA: A BIOGRAPHY OF JUAN FRANCISCO MANZANO. Ill. by Sean Qualls. New York: Henry Holt and Company. ISBN 0805077065

Review

O

n my knees                                          Born into Cuban slavery in the 1800s,

in the mud                                 Juan Francisco Manzano contends with the

I pray                                        “strange” life of his by writing and reading

            Lord I trust                                poetry.  Manzano’s first slave owner grants

  this strange life                           him his freedom upon her death but it does

  of mine                                     not hold up.  His next slave owner has him

  to the unknown                         brutally beaten and tortured to near death.

                                                  His mother, who is comforted by his poetic

  I put on a hat                             words, eventually buys his freedom but her

  mount the horse                        money is taken and his freedom is not given.

  ride away                                  During Manzano’s difficult enslavement, his

Excerpt, page 170.               poetry includes feelings of sadness, despera-

  tion, but also hope, anticipation, and waiting. 

Manzano finally escapes on horseback, and

according to Engle’s historical background at the end of the story, he married and lived in Havana for many years.  Incorporating a slanted side of the story, Engle includes poetry from the perspective of others such as the slave owners and overseer.  Engle uses simile and metaphor to give the character life and feeling.  She compares Manzano’s mind to a brush made of feathers.  And she personifies his words saying they are “fragrant” as “succulent geranium leaves.”  The main impact of this story is emotional and is geared more towards young adult readers.  Poems incorporating sense imagery leave lasting impact on the reader.  Beginning on page 107, Engle uses words to illustrate the torment Manzano endures.  All alone / no one but the cadavers for company / dead bodies everywhere / cold and naked / can they see that I am still alive just barely?  The reader can envision the room full of bodies, feel the cold air on naked skin, hear the empty silence, and feel the pain of something terrible.  While this story is not one that typical youth will relate to, there is an interest in the difficulty and the fact that Manzano was a real person. 

Poetry in Action:

Introducing the Poem:  Ask students to remember a time when they have wanted to be somewhere else to avoid something painful.  For young adults, have them remember big disappointments in life such as parent divorce, important deaths, or being picked on at school.  When they have their moment, ask students to think about where they would rather be and discuss as a class.  Maybe it’s on the beach or in a comfy chair by the fire.

Follow up Activity:  After reading the poem, and showing them the front cover, have students brainstorm possibilities of why this guy would want to be in Havana.  Use this activity to lead into either reading the rest of the book or introducing Manzano and doing other activities related to him or other slaves.  You can also pair with other slavery poems… http://www.brycchancarey.com/slavery/poetry.htm

Excerpt, page 160

I feel like a homing pigeon

Longing for my dovecoat

Havana is in my heart

city of poets

city of freedom

streets of words

alleys of wonder

busy marketplace

of ideas

written and spoken

shared and daydreamed

embraced or rejected

replaced or loaded

onto the wings

carried home

WICKED GIRLS: A NOVEL OF THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS by Stephanie Hemphill

Author Stephanie Hemphill

Hemphill, Stephanie. 2010. WICKED GIRLS: A NOVEL OF THE SALEM WITCH TRIALS.  New York: Harper Collins. ISBN 9780061853289

 

Review

W

ICKED GIRLS, a fictional verse novel about the Salem Witch Trials, is written from the perspective of three young accusers.  Each girl with her own motives, they ease into the spotlight but as the fits and the accusing continue, they begin to see the power and pain of their actions.  As the girls watch those they have accused to be witches die at the gallows, one among them wishes to be set free from the lies.  The others, knowing their actions are so severe that returning to normal life is impossible, do what it takes to keep her quiet. 

Grabbing the reader’s attention at the beginning of the story is done well in this book with the use of sense imagery.  I can’t help but share the opening poem which sets the stage and mood of the book.  The opening poems by Hemphill would be great examples for writing teachers to use.

        

          SALEM

          January 1962         

Silent, not even the twitter

of insects. The wind stills

against a distant sky of clouds.

The cold is gray and fierce,

bitter as a widow at the grave.

The trees’ bare bony fingers

point crookedly

toward Heaven or Hell

or worse than that, toward nowhere.

          Winter days

          wear long as the ocean shore,

          governed by a god

          harsher than windstorm hail

          and more punishing than the waves

          that break ships in two.

          There are rules to follow here,

          one righteous path

          thrashed down through the woods.

The poems, switching back and forth between girls, present possible thoughts and actions that may have occurred during this time.  Hemphill conveys darkness, evil and selfishness through each girl’s story.   

Stephanie Hemphill has won at least ten awards for her work with historical fictional poetry including the ALA Best Book for Young Adults and the Michael L. Printz Honor Book in 2008 for Your Own, Sylvia.  Her efforts in studying the history are shown in the quality of her work.  Information about the actual characters can be found at the end of the book. 

Poetry in Action: 

Introducing the Poem:  In the classroom, spend time teaching students about the Salem Witch Trials.  Discuss with students the motives for someone making such a claim in the 1600s.  Look for answers like gaining attention from your parents, having power as a woman in a male dominated society, and/or seeking attention from a boy.    

Follow up Activity:  Have students create a new character to be any character they choose such as another seer/afflicted, a community member, an accused, the boyfriend of an accused… it could be anyone!  Students will take on the persona of that character and write journal entries expressing their thoughts, feelings, actions, attitudes, and what they experience over this time period.  Turn this into a project by determining how many entries and having students create a way to present their entries.  For example, by creating a book, video diaries, facebook posts, poster, a blog, or other options.   

For more ideas, visit http://school.discoveryeducation.com/schooladventures/salemwitchtrials/life/

Excerpt from MEETING 

“This must end.”

I say it bold.

 

Ann shakes her head.

“Have you all gone mad?”

She finally says. “We shall return

To nothing, if we are not seers.

The Lord has chosen us

To be guides, and we shall do so

As long as the Lord permit us.” 

“We are not chosen to see.

We have been choosing who to see.

And who are we to choose?

This must end.”

I pound the table.

AND THEN THERE WERE EIGHT: POEMS ABOUT SPACE by Laura Purdie Salas

Author Laura Purdie Salas

Salas, Laura Purdie. 2008. AND THEN THERE WERE EIGHT: POEMS ABOUT SPACE. Minnesota: Capstone. ISBN 9781429612074

Review 

A

ND THEN THERE WERE EIGHT: POEMS ABOUT SPACE is both a playful and educational collection of poems about the solar system, science, and forms of poetry.  Images on each page add another dimension to the information and spark additional interest.  Also adding interest is Salas’ use of personification. In Ballerina, the Moon is said to “dance a graceful ballet” because of its rotation around Earth and glow from the sun.  Family Flock depicts seven stars as being seven sisters who are wild and free – stemming from the myth of Zeus.  Here Girl!, a poem about the Mars Lander, shows the exploration machine as a “planetary pet” who “never needs to see the vet” and “she rolls and roams and wags her tail.”

Forms of poetry are also shown throughout the book.  At the end of the book, nine forms of poetry are defined and the poem and page the reader can find an example of that form is also given.  For example, Lost in Space is a limerick and can be found on page five.  The end of the book also includes a glossary of terms that the young reader may find in the book and not know.  Salas also lists other poetry books about space the reader may enjoy as well as internet sites for facts about grade-appropriate subjects. 

In the poem, Family Flock, assonance is highlighted with the “ee” sound and alliteration is used with words that begin with s and f.  Rhyming at the end, an element often looked for in children’s poetry is common within Salas’ poetry.  The following poem uses this comfortable form of rhyme as well as educates readers about a fun fact from an astronaut’s trip to the moon. 

Poetry in Action:

Introducing the Poem:  Ask students what they already know about the Moon.  Guide them into answers about man having made it to the moon, who the astronauts were, and/or any other details.  Pass out pictures from the walk on the moon for students to look at.  Hold up a picture of the footprint, explain how long it has been since the event happened, and ask students how long they think that footprint lasted or will last. 

Follow up Activity:  After reading the poem, ask students to imagine themselves as astronauts.  Ask them what they would want to leave on the moon if they could go that would last forever?  It might be an imprint of something or an artifact.  Have students illustrate their answer and then share with everyone.  Afterwards, hang the illustrations for all to see. 

ON THE MOON

No rains fall

No winds gust

A human footprint

Fixed in dust

Hours on hours

Days on days

Our magic landing

Stays and stays