THE BEST PART OF ME compiled and photographed by Wendy Ewald

Ewald, Wendy. ed. 2002. THE BEST PART OF ME: CHILDREN TALK ABOUT THEIR BODIES IN PICTURES AND WORDS. Hong Kong: Little, Brown. ISBN 0316703060

Review

Fifteen children write poems and paragraphs to describe their favorite part of their body.  Each written piece is accompanied by a photograph by Ewald.  The photographs are black and white, adding to the seriousness and realness of the soul behind the pictures and the words.  The tone is sincere, celebratory, and thankful.  Instead of dwelling on characteristics that are undesirable, this book focuses on the positive traits.

The initial topic is concrete as children focus on parts of their body.  But as students write and reflect on their feelings, the words become abstract.  MY HANDS written by Colette Cosner, reveals that her hands make her happy because they are the tool to turn the page of a book.  Most of the poems do not rhyme but are real and raw from the mouths babes.  Tim Mckoy does use rhyme, “Chest, chest, you’re the best/I like to rest on you, oh yes.”  Andrew Legge also uses rhyme at the end of his lines in his poem, MY WONDERFUL LEGS.  He rhymes “way” with “play” and “strong” with “long.”  In MY NECK! By Lidia Johnson, she repeats the line, “I love my neck.” Mari Garcia uses figurative language when she compares her elbow to a circle in her poem, MY ELBOW.    

For this sensitive subject, the positivity combined with the work being from children, gives readers and teachers a valuable resource for teaching multiple life lessons. 

Poetry in Action:

Introducing the Poem:  Have a large piece of paper on the board with the outline of a human body.  Give students post-its.  On the post-its, have students write their name and their favorite part of their body.  Have students place it on or near the area on the big paper at the front.  Read the poem by D. Elliot.

Follow up Activity:  If a Polaroid camera is available, take pictures of the students and the part of the body they like.  On construction paper, have students write why they like that body part.  Attach the paper to the pictures and hang somewhere for all to see.  If a camera is not available, have a large paper with the outline of a body like the one from the pre-reading activity.  Give students cut out paper for them to write their paragraph on and then attach them to the large body and hang. 

By D. Elliot

My eyes are brown and black.

Big and round.

I see lots of colors around.

I see me I see you.

I like my eyes I should not be

surprised. I see your eyes I see my eyes.

I know my eyes can see within me.

Without eyes you couldn’t see not one

tree you could see.

Not one eye you couldn’t buy.

The eye is good the eye is mad when

you are mad it can seem very

sad.