Festivals by Myra Cohn Livingston - Social Studies Poetry

Bibliography

Livingston, Myra Cohn. 1996. FESTIVALS. Ill. by Leonard Everett Fisher. New York: Holiday House. ISBN 978-0823412172.

Review and Critical Analysis

            FESTIVALS by Myra Cohn Livingston is a poetic world tour of fourteen stunning and diverse festivals. The poems describe well known festivals such as Chinese New Year and Mardi Gras, along with others young readers may be less familiar with such as The Feast of St. Lucy and Now-Ruz, which is Iranian. Livingston includes a Table of Contents and a Glossary which lists each festival in alphabetical order, what time of the year the festival is celebrated, as well as a short history.

          Livingston’s poems are written in varying forms, which provides a nice mixture for the reader. She suits the poem to the festival, employing such forms as haiku for CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL, and narrative for RAMADAN AND ID-UL-FITR. The best example of tailoring a poem to the festival is LAS POSADAS: (THE INNS). This festival unfolds over nine days, from December 16 to December 24, and is celebrated as a reenactment of Joseph and Mary’s attempt to find lodging in Bethlehem so Mary can have her baby. This is performance poetry and can be staged several ways including a play with students taking the roles of Mary, Joseph and the nine individual innkeepers; or it can be performed as a choral reading. The poems retain the reader’s attention well. They are easy to read, and they depict very interesting material, ensuring that young people will never get bored.

          As well as different forms, Livingston also employs various other poetic elements in her writing. One example is found in THE FEAST OF ST. LUCY:  LUCIADAGEN, where Livingston uses triplet rhyme. The poem is composed of five stanzas with three lines each. The last three words at the end of each individual line within the stanza rhyme with each other. Another poetic technique Livingston uses is repetition, an example occurs in MARDI GRAS. This poem has a strong sense of energy, which reflects the frenetic pace of the festival it celebrates. The line “Throw me something” is repeated several times throughout the poem and serves to emphasize one of the most famous practices at Mardi Gras, that of float riders throwing beads to the crowds. The narrator is a person in the crowd asking to be thrown beads. Livingston’s poem gives the reader a strong sense of being immersed in a Mardi Gras crowd surrounded by floats, dancers and musicians.

          Livingston’s book is educational on several levels, primarily providing information about each of the fourteen festivals. Young readers get a sampling of how and why varied cultures around the world celebrate their most important festivals. Another layer Livingston adds in several of her poems is the use of words in native languages. Two poems provide excellent examples of the use of native language. In TET NGUYEN-DAN banh day is Vietnamese sticky rice which is consumed during the festival, and a palaquin is a litter that is elevated by four people. This litter helps remind the celebrants that through education they can rise and make themselves better in their own lives. The poem DIWALI includes the Hindu word dipas which are clay oil lamps made by children and placed in windows, on roofs and along garden paths. Diwali itself is the Hindu festival of light meant to mark the beginning of the Hindu year. Through the incorporation of these native words within the poems, young readers can visualize elements of foreign cultures in a more personal manner.

          Leonard Everett Fisher’s painted illustrations bring these poems to life, and with the exception of the last poem KWANZAA, are displayed on two pages. They unite large, eye catching shapes with smaller elements that add to the comprehensive understanding of the festival. These illustrations are bold representations of the main aspects of the festivals and add to the overall interpretation. The central image of the poem PURIM is a large face meant to represent Haman, minister to King Ahasverosh, who wanted all of the Jewish people killed. This face takes up a large portion of the left hand page. Surrounding the face, on both the right and left hand pages, and represented on a smaller scale, are hands holding groggers or noisemakers. Children who participate in this festival shake the groggers to obscure the mention of Haman’s name when they are told the story of Purim. Fisher’s illustration compliments Livingston’s overall portrayal of the festival.

Poem Used to Support Critical Analysis and How That Poem Would Be Introduced

EL DÍA DE MUERTOS:

THE DAY OF THE DEAD

By: Myra Cohn Livingston

On our

ofrenda we

place pictures, clothes, food, masks,

and calaveras; whatever

they loved

in life

is here, waiting

for them, and we carry

baskets of food, and flowers from

our house

making

a golden path

of fragrant marigolds,

sprinkling the petals by handfuls

along

the road

from our doorstep

to the far cemetery

so the spirits may find their way

back home.

          Livingston’s EL DÍA DE MUERTOS: THE DAY OF THE DEAD is essentially one long sentence transformed into a narrative poem. The narrator describes the rituals performed within Hispanic culture on the Día de Muertos to celebrate loved ones who have died. This poem also incorporates words in a native language, in this case Spanish. Ofrendas are the altars set up to honor deceased family members and calaveras are sugar skulls that are placed on the altar alongside other offerings. This poem is an allegorical journey where marigold petals are trailed from the home to the cemetery so family spirits can find their way back home. This poetic form will hold young reader's interest, especially if they are unfamiliar with this festival.

          To introduce this poem I would first ask if anyone had ever heard of the festival Dia de Muertos, or if anyone celebrated it themselves. The students would be given a short opportunity to respond. After that I would say, “I am now going to read you a poem about this festival entitled EL DÍA DE MUERTOS: THE DAY OF THE DEAD by Myra Cohn Livingston. This poem describes how Hispanic people celebrate the spirits of their dead ancestors.” In the process of reading I would also be showcasing Fisher’s accompanying illustrations. This will help not only put the poem in context, but also assist those students who are not familiar with this festival to have a better sense of what the poem is referring to.

Science Verse by Jon Scieszka - Science Poetry

Bibliography

Scieszka, Jon. 2004. SCIENCE VERSE. Ill. by Lane Smith. New York: Viking. ISBN 978-0670910570.

Review and Critical Analysis

            SCIENCE VERSE is a collection of 21 poems, four of which are nursery rhymes, written by Jon Scieszka and relating to scientific topics such as dinosaurs, matter and the water cycle. There is no Table of Contents, however in the back of the book there is a section entitled Observations and Conclusions. In this section Scieszka lists the other famous poems and children’s songs he used as models for his poetry. For example, SCIENTIFIC METHOD AT THE BAT was based on Ernest Thayer's CASEY AT THE BAT. There is only one poem in the book not based on another author’s work, AMOEBA. 

          The book begins with an introduction narrated by a young boy who is sitting in science class extremely bored. The boy is listening to his science teacher Mr. Newton drone on about how, if the students concentrate, they will “hear the poetry of science in everything.” The boy listens and begins to hear the poetry, as he says, “I started hearing everything as a science poem.” Mr. Newton has cursed him with “science verse.” Now, no matter the topic, the boy thinks about it in verse. At the conclusion of the book the boy wakes up from dreaming about these various scientific topics and he no longer thinks in verse.

          All of the poems in this book, with the exception of AMOEBA, have rhythms, forms and rhymes similar to other famous poems and songs. Three of the best examples are DINO-SORE, THE SENSELESS LAB OF PROFESSOR REVERE and FOOD CHAIN. DINO-SORE is reminiscent of Edgar Allan Poe’s THE RAVEN. Both are narrative poems that incorporate a musical quality and internal rhyme. THE SENSELESS LAB OF PROFESSOR REVERE, also written in narrative style, is modeled on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s PAUL REVERE’S RIDE. These two poems are both narrated by a single individual who is telling a story. In the case of THE SENSELESS LAB OF PROFESSOR REVERE it is a science professor in a laboratory. However, the form is different. Longfellow’s poem is written in stanzas, while Scieszka’s is in couplets with couplet being used as the rhyme scheme as well. FOOD CHAIN takes its inspiration from the American folk song I’VE BEEN WORKING ON THE RAILROAD. Both the song and Scieszka’s poem are written in two initial four line stanzas followed by a six line stanza that is the refrain. Both the poem and the song employ an alternating rhyme scheme. Science is a difficult topic to portray in poetry, and Scieszka is able to fit scientific words and topics easily into these familiar rhyme schemes and poem structures.

          The poems are long enough to adequately define the terms , but not too long to cause the reader or listener to lose interest. There is no fixed organization to the order the poems are in, which is a positive feature of this book. The reader never knows what the next topic will be, adding an air of anticipation. By using well-known poems and songs as his base, Scieszka is able to present scientific ideas and concepts to readers in a fresh and original way. It also enables the teacher to present several of the poems used as models to the class and ask them to discuss the similarities and differences. Young readers will learn a lot from this collection. One notable example of this is TWINK-- which is inspired by TWINKLE TWINKLE LITTLE STAR. Instead of being about stars, this poem is instead about black holes and what they do to the matter and light that emanate from stars.          

          Each of Lane Smith’s illustrations are as varied and eclectic as the poems, but many are somewhat gruesome in nature. As a result, the illustrations and some of the squeamish subject matter they portray, may be more appealing to boys than girls. However, this approach has merit too since poetry is not typically a favorite subject for boys. SKELETAL STUDY is an excellent example of the more macabre of Smith’s illustrations. Here, one sees a skeletal image of what once was an individual who stuck a fork into a toaster and was subsequently electrocuted. This allows Smith to portray, and label, the bones in a human skeleton.  The young boy from the beginning of the book is present, here with a horrified look on his face as he is confronted with the electrocuted figure. Two of the best examples of Smith’s diverse use of imagery can be found in MINI HA HA (OR, THE ATOMIC JOKE IS ON YOU) and ASTRONAUT STOPPING BY A PLANET ON A SNOWY EVENING. MINI HA HA (OR, THE ATOMIC JOKE IS ON YOU) covers two pages in which the top half is solid black, and the shapes of trees, rivers, waterfalls, the sun and a canoe are all made out of white dots. It is reminiscent of the pointillism style of painting. Only the young boy is in color. In contrast to this, the one page illustration for ASTRONAUT STOPPING BY A PLANET ON A SNOWY EVENING is a full color rendition of our solar system. As with the other illustrations the youg boy makes an appearance, here wearing a slightly confused expression. This mimics the poem itself which is saying that since the child was asleep in class, he does not know which planet his teacher is discussing.

Poem Used to Support Critical Analysis and Follow up Activity

From ‘TWAS THE NIGHT

By: Jon Scieszka

‘Twas the night before Any Thing, and all through deep space,

Nothing existed-time, matter, or place.

No stockings, no chimneys. It was hotter than hot.

Everything was compressed in one very dense dot.

When out of the nothing there appeared with a clatter

A fat guy with reindeer and something the matter.

His nose was all runny. He gave a sick hack.

“Oh, Dasher! Oh, Dancer! I can’t hold it back!”

He huffled and snuffled and sneezed one AH-CHOO!

Then like ten jillion volcanoes, the universe blew.

That dense dot exploded, spewing out stars,

Earth, Venus, Jupiter, Uranus and Mars,

The universe expanded. The guy said with a wheeze,

“Who will ever believe the world started by sneeze?

So let’s call it something much grander, all right?

Merry BIG BANG to all! And to all—Gesundheit!”

          Scieszka’s ‘TWAS THE NIGHT is, of course, based on Clement Clarke Moore’s ‘TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS, but Scieszka has turned it on its head. Instead of anticipating a holiday, this poem anticipates the creation of the universe. This is a poetic form that children will recognize at once, and they will chuckle at the presentation of the Big Bang theory, astronomy, geology and biology. Scieszka uses this poem as a forum to discuss such scientific concepts as the planets, matter, elements and animal life. He also likens the Big Bang itself to the explosion of “ten jillion volcanoes.” All of these references to various fields of science allow teachers ample opportunities to feature this poem in conjunction with classroom work. Humor, along with instructive techniques, are both present in this poem.

            After reading this poem, a dramatization would be an enjoyable follow up activity. There are several roles available in this poem such as the narrator, Santa, the reindeer and even some of the things “created” from the sneeze like animals and planets. Students would have fun recreating the moment of the creation of the universe. Also, if this poem were read as part of a science class, a more long-term follow up activity would include having students research the Big Bang theory.

I Am the Book poems selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins - New Poetry Book

Bibliography

Hopkins, Lee Bennett. 2011. I AM THE BOOK. Ill. by Yayo. New York: Holiday House. ISBN 978-0823421190.

Review and Critical Analysis

            I AM THE BOOK is an anthology of thirteen poems compiled by Lee Bennett Hopkins, written for primarily young readers, praising books and reading. There are many well-known poets represented in this anthology including Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Karen B. Winnick, Naomi Shihab Nye and Hopkins himself. Hopkins included a Table of Contents of author’s and titles. Also included are short descriptions of each of the poets in a section at the back of the book entitled About the Poets.

          Several poems in Hopkins' anthology employ the poetic elements of personification and metaphor. A POEM IS by Jane Yolen describes words as “running down the page in black script sneakers.” Yolen uses personification when she depicts the words as having the ability to run, to get up and move as a person would. The rhythm of this poem makes the readers eyes fairly sprint down the page as they read the words. Metaphor is commonly used throughout this anthology as well. In WHEN I READ by Beverly McLoughland, the ocean is used as a metaphor for a book. McLoughland writes, “When I read I like to dive in the sea of words and swim. Feet kicking fast across the page splashing words against my skin.” Here the reader is the diver and the book is the ocean. The reader dives enthusiastically into the book soaking up everything as he swims past pages. In PAPERBACK PLUNDER by Michele Krueger the conch shell is used as a metaphor for a book. The woman in the poem has abandoned her book at the beach. Here it patiently waits for the next person to come along enticing them with the words “Lift me to your ear, hear the story I shall tell.” Just as a person lifts a conch shell to their ear to hear the ocean, a reader could lift this book out of the sand and hear its story.       

          The stanza is the primary poetic form utilized in this anthology. The stanzas vary in length of lines. In addition, some poems employ rhyme schemes while others are written in free verse. The most common rhyme scheme used is the rhyming of alternating lines. THIS BOOK by Avis Harley is written in three line stanzas where the first and third lines rhyme. WHAT WAS THAT? by Rebecca Kai Dotlich also employs this type of rhyme scheme, but within four line stanzas where the second and fourth lines rhyme.

Young readers will have no trouble reading these poems themselves. The language and concepts are not hard to comprehend, however they are quite imaginative. Young people who are avid readers will relate to the themes in these poems. In QUIET MORNING by Karen B. Winnick, the narrator describes sitting on a comfortable window seat with his dog and his book whiling away quiet time reading. BOOK by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater is narrated by a child who enjoys snuggling in bed and reading before falling asleep.

          Each of the poems in this collection endeavor to instill a desire to read books in young people by detailing the many different kinds of adventures books provide. Books can thrill, amaze, induce wonder and be companions to their readers. PIRATES by Jill Corcoran is a poem about a subject popular among young people, especially boys, that of the pirate adventure. Corcoran describes pirate books in this manner, “Gunpowder stabs my streaming nostrils. I storm toward shackled screams of a kidnapped damsel. I swashbuckle through my book’s CHAPTER TWO.” WONDER THROUGH THE PAGES by Karla Kuskin describes the magical world of books when she writes, “…nonsense and knowledge came tumbling out, whispering mysteries, history’s shout, the wisdom of wizards, the songs of the ages…” These two poems illustrate the many varied and creative subjects books can encompass, and the words the authors use serve to entice young people to try some of these books themselves.

          Yayo has created ingenious, effervescent acrylic illustrations to accompany these poems. These illustrations are all double paged and visually bring to life the words of the poets. They have movement and color and themes attractive to young people. A POEM IS by Jane Yolen incorporates a lot of musical words. In addition to this Yolen writes that words in books are “nudging one another like bumper cars at a fair.” Yayo used these two elements, music and a fair, and crafted an exceptional illustration of a young boy running along a beach with a boardwalk amusement park in the background. However, this amusement park is constructed entirely out of musical instruments. The rollercoaster is a harp and a violin, and a rocket ride is attached to a piano. There is also an intriguing element to Yayo’s work, an actual book or pages from a book appear in an unexpected way in every illustration. In WHO’S RICH? by Naomi Shihab Nye a treasure chest is actually a book emphasizing Nye’s thesis that those who read are rich. To reference an earlier example, WHEN I READ by Beverly McLoughland, the book is representing the water into which the narrator dives. Yayo’s illustrations will keep both readers and listeners, entranced.

Poem Used to Support Critical Analysis and Follow Up Activity

I AM THE BOOK

Tom Robert Shields

I’ll be your friend,

            stay by your side,

contradict you,

make you laugh or teary-eyed

On a sun-summer morning.

I’ll spark you,

            help you sleep,

            bring dreams

            you’ll forever keep

On a dappled-autumn afternoon.

I’ll warm you,

            keep you kindled,

            dazzle you

            till storms have dwindled

On a snow-flaked winter evening.

I’ll plant in you

            a spring-seedling

            with bursting life

            while you are reading.

I am the book

You are needing.

           Shields poem I AM THE BOOK embodies many of the poetic forms and thematic elements encountered throughout this book. In this poem Shields also ascribes human qualities to the books, stating that they can contradict their readers, be their friend, demonstrate loyalty or inspire them in many ways. The poem itself is written in stanza form, and every second and fourth line in the first four stanzas rhymes. Shields employs books in this poem as metaphors for friendship and inspiration, something young people who love to read will relate to immediately. Readers and listeners also see Yayo’s creativity through the use of a dog, which like a book is used to represent friendship and fidelity. Yayo also cleverly incorporates an actual book as the dog's muzzle, and every season Shields describes is incorporated into the dog’s body.

For a follow up activity, I would create a large book out of poster board with the words, friend, dreams, winter, and seeds. Then I would divide the children in the audience into four groups, which would each be assigned one of the words, friend, dreams, winter, or seeds. After reading the poem I AM THE BOOK by Tom Robert Shields I would ask each group to write a short poem, and draw an accompanying picture, based on their particular word. These drawings and poems would then be placed on the large poster board book. This combination of listening to the poem, thinking about its meaning, and creating art and poetry based on the words inherent in the poem, would instill in the students how reading and books inspire creativity.

Becoming Billie Holiday by Carole Boston Weatherford - Verse Novel

Bibliography

Weatherford, Carole Boston. 2008. BECOMING BILLIE HOLIDAY. Ill. by Floyd Cooper. Honesdale: Wordsong. ISBN 978-1590785072.

Review and Critical Analysis

            BECOMING BILLIE HOLIDAY by Carole Boston Weatherford is a fictionalized memoir recounted through narrative poetry and written in the first person, of Holiday’s early years. The poems titles are almost exclusively song titles, all but two of which Holiday recorded. The entire verse novel is structured analogous to a song with an introduction, bridge and coda and the poems in between acting as lyrics. Weatherford includes a Table of Contents, Afterword (with her thoughts on the book and Holiday herself), short Biographies of the real life individuals mentioned throughout the poetry, a References list and items for Further Reading and Listening.

          The tones of Weatherford’s poems have a decidedly dark, yet strong and feisty feel. Holiday, born Eleanora Fagan, led a very harsh life from the day she was born. She endured an absentee father, rape, prostitution and reform school. Some of her early performances were in less than ideal clubs and bars. However, through it all Holiday remained strong and fixed on her dream, and Weatherford never lets the reader forget that. She was a unique individual, true to herself, who was not going to let life beat her down. This verse novel does not focus on the success she attained in later years, but the heartache and pain she had to endure in her early life to achieve that success. Weatherford chooses to end the novel with CODA: STRANGE FRUIT which was Holiday’s signature song. It highlights not only Holiday’s arduous rise to the top, but also the difficult existence of African Americans from the 1920’s to 1940’s. The final lines of CODA: STRANGE FRUIT proclaim Holiday a star and say to the reader that this song, as well as her career, were of her own creation.

          Weatherford’s poems are written in stanza form, with no set rhyme scheme. The poems are palpable, they not only envelop your senses, but also fundamentally engage your emotions. As the reader moves through the poems in this novel they experience the emotions right along with Holiday. Weatherford employs repetition and internal narration to great effect in several of her poems. In YOU GO TO MY HEAD Weatherford repeats, with slight variation, the line “I sang my songs.” This suggests several things. How music was a balm for Holiday, how it gave her courage and strength. Also, it presents the idea that she lived and breathed her music. It became all she thought about, which is a reference to the title. All of the poems in this verse novel are first person narrative, however, in several poems Weatherford inserts an element of internal narration by having another person speak to the narrator, Holiday. When this is done, those lines of the poem are written in italics to denote the fact that it is another voice other than Holliday’s speaking. One of the finest examples is IT’S THE SAME OLD STORY where Holiday’s mother Sadie is trying to explain to her why she has to stay with her Aunt Eva, so she Sadie can leave to find work.

          One noteworthy element Weatherford skillfully employs is the use of song titles as words in her poems. An excellent example of this is SOPHISTICATED LADY in which Weatherford has lines like “We answered Duke’s ‘Creole Love Call,’ glimpsed his ‘Black and Tan Fantasy.’” By inserting song titles into the poetry Weatherford reinforces not only the musical tone that weaves throughout the book, but she also highlights aspects of Holiday’s career that eventually made her famous.

            Two poems differ slightly from the musical theme, MATINEE: AMERICAN BEAUTY and MATINEE: EMPEROR JONES. The titles of these two works refer to movies, and they also mark two pivotal moments in Holiday’s life. MATINEE: AMERICAN BEAUTY depicts Holiday’s (still Eleanora Fagan at the time) enchantment with Billie Dove, the movie actress part of whose name she used when she decided to change her own name to Billie Holiday. MATINEE: EMPEROR JONES depicts an early bit part Holiday had in her first movie Emperor Jones.

          Floyd Cooper’s illustrations are in tones of primarily sepia and white, additional colors are used in some illustrations to emphasize significant details of Holiday’s life or to enhance the emotional quality of the book. The illustrations appear at key moments in the narrative and serve to highlight important or altering moments in Holiday’s life; her father’s abandonment, her dreams of a better life and the bus in which she toured the country. Cooper captures the time period exquisitely and dramatically through the detail and style of his illustrations.

Poem Used to Support Critical Analysis and How That Poem Would Be Introduced

INTRO: WHAT SHALL I SAY?

By Carole Boston Weatherford

The way Mom toted around

that magazine with my photo inside,

you’d have thought

I was Woman of the Year.

I don’t blame Sadie. Wasn’t every day

that a colored face, let alone

her only child, appeared in Time.

I was proud too till I read

what that two-bit critic wrote.

Called me “roly-poly”; said I wouldn’t diet,

was stuck on my own voice,

and cared for tunes but not the words.

What did he know

about my taste in food or music?

I never even talked to the cat,

but he’d better not cross my path.

If he dares, he’ll get a mouthful,

hear just how I got to Harlem

and became Lady Day.

Oh, the tales I’d tell.

          Weatherford’s poem INTRO: WHAT SHALL I SAY? establishes the tone of the poetry; strong, sassy, yet with a hint of heartache. The reader hears Holiday’s voice clearly in this poem. Weatherford presents a woman who endured much, but held fast to her dreams. A woman who succeeded in a way that was exceedingly rare for African Americans at that time in history. This poem introduces the first person narrative of the book. It informs the reader that this story will be told in Holiday’s own voice, a voice that has many stories to tell them.

          I would introduce this poem by playing two or three of Holiday’s better known recordings, including STRANGE FRUIT. This would serve as a backdrop for my opening comments. Upon conclusion of the songs I would ask the students if they had ever heard any of her music before, and what they thought of it. Questions like: “Do any of you know this singer?” and “What type of music would you say this is?” would serve as segues into my reading of the actual poem. Before beginning I would preface the reading by saying, “The poem I am about to read you, INTRO: WHAT SHALL I SAY? by Carole Boston Weatherford is a poem that showcases one of America’s greatest jazz singers, Billie Holiday. It is told from a fictional point of view in her own words. Listen to the words, and after the reading we can discuss what you thought of the poem.” I would show the students the most dramatic of the illustrations as I read the poem, and again afterward while we discussed it, so the students could express their feelings about the art and its contribution to the poetry.

Blue Lipstick: Concrete Poems by John Grandits - Poetic Form

Bibliography

Grandits, John. 2007. BLUE LIPSTICK: CONCRETE POEMS. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 978-0618568604.

Review and Critical Analysis

            BLUE LIPSTICK: CONCRETE POEMS by John Grandits is a book of thirty four concrete poems, written in various shapes that reflect the title and subject matter. The narrator of all but one of these poems is Jessie, a high school girl. The poems express her views on life, school and family. Grandits provides a Table of Contents, however it is located on the back cover of the book. He also provides a Note From the Author entitled POCKET POEM, about the benefits of always carrying a poem with you. Finally, Grandits includes a list of all of the typefaces he used throughout the book along with information about the illustrations. All of Grandits' drawings were done with a Bristol China Marker and edited in Adobe Photoshop.

            Grandits only employs rhyme in one of his poems ZOMBIE JOCKS. This poem consists of four stanzas that are four lines each. The words at the ends of the lines in each stanza rhyme. In the first, second and fourth stanzas the words are the same, 'trophy' in stanzas one and four and '‘em' in stanza two. In the third stanza the first and second lines rhyme with each other, as do the third and fourth. The poems language is exactly like a zombie would talk, in a mindless, trance-like fashion. This is also the only poem in the book that is not narrated by Jessie and is not a direct account of her life in any way. The illustration accompanying the poem also reflects its tone. It is of a black figure meant to represent a zombie, with eyes in blue made up of the word trophy. This reinforces the only singular thought on the jocks minds, winning a trophy.

          Many of Grandits’ poems have a narrative style to them, and are written not only in everyday rather than poetic language, but also in typical conversational language used by teenagers. This use of language is exemplified in ALL MY IMPORTANT THINKING GETS DONE IN THE SHOWER. In this poem Grandits employs the stream of consciousness writing technique as Jessie remarks on various ideas that occur to her as she is in the shower. Two lines in particular are a reflection of Grandits’ writing style, “College! College! College!...Enough about college. I wonder if there’s an art school that teaches you how to do tattooing and piercing.” and “Mom’s tossing the laundry-room curtains because Robert got bleach on them. They would make a totally cool skirt” represent typical teenage idioms and thoughts. The stream of consciousness style is also echoed in the shape of the poem itself, the words are written in blue and meant to represent water streaming out of a shower head. The poem reads as if Jessie was sitting next to the reader and talking to them as she would talk to a friend. This realism adds to the overall tone of the poems, and makes them more relevant to young readers.

Teens will see many familiar themes in this book such as friendship, having a crush, and annoying yet loving family members. Jessie provides an authentic voice as she discusses the trials and rewards of life as a teenager. MY ABSOLUTELY BAD CRANKY DAY showcases twenty six, one for each letter of the alphabet, problems Jessie encounters in a single day. Among them are, having to do homework for three classes, being forced to do fifty jumping jacks for complaining in PE and dealing with a younger immature brother, Robert. The poem also provides a timeline at the top of the page showing the hours in the day and when each event occurred. In contrast, TATTOO AND TONGUE STUD is a humorous account of how Jessie puts on a fake tattoo and tongue stud to provoke her younger brother into telling on her. Right before he returns with their parents Jessie has removed both items, and is claiming she has no idea what her brother is talking about. The poems in this book present a range of emotions from happiness, to frustration to angst.

Young girls will relate to what Jessie has to say, however I do not believe that everyone will put in the effort to read it. Yes, the book is meant to be poetry in different shapes; however it is difficult to actually read many of them. In one poem alone, MONDRIAN, the reader is forced to turn the book in four different directions just to read all the words. Another, GO LOOK IN THE MIRROR!, has a large section of the poem written in reverse writing so the reader is forced to actually hold it up to a mirror to read it. VOLLEYBALL PRACTICE has words written in angles, upside down and sideways. Certain poems are written in an easily readable way, however most are very tangential. Readers may get discouraged in having to work their way through oddly shaped poems to actually reach the ones that are easily readable. This may cause many to abandon the book before finishing it. Poetry is generally not a popular genre among teenagers, and literacy is a problem among young people, BLUE LIPSTICK is not necessarily a book that will result in a teenager embracing the genre of poetry. I do not believe Grandits is reaching his intended audience of high school age readers. Teenagers are more adult today than they were 10 years ago.  In today’s world BLUE LIPSTICK would appeal to middle-schoolers. They might find it fun to read upside down and backwards. I would recommend this book for young people no older than 13.

Poem Used to Support Critical Analysis and Follow Up Activity

From BAD HAIR DAY

By John Grandits

Lisa had this cool idea to do my hair a totally extreme way.

I said, “Let’s go for it.” So after school we went to the drugstore and

bought some hair bleach and some blue dye that was even on sale.

First, we stripped out my natural color with the bleach,

which made me look ancient-like I’d turned into my grandmother. That was so

scary, we put the blue dye on right away. Then something went really wrong. One side

of my hair was all limp and pale, and the other side was blue. Lisa started crying. “I’m soooo

sorry,”she said. “Do you want to borrow some scarves to wear to school?” I sent her home.

School? I couldn’t go to school. I’d be totally humiliated. My life was ruined!

          Grandits' poem BAD HAIR DAY effectively employs the conversational style of speaking that is unique to teenagers. By Jessie using words like ‘totally’ and ‘cool’ and overdramatizing when she discusses her life young readers will have no problem relating to the subject matter. This conversational style is used by Grandits throughout most of this book. However, this poem is another example of the difficulties of reading Grandits’ work. The lines themselves are all written in such a way that the reader must hold the book sideways. Then, to reflect badly dyed hair, halfway through the poem the writing becomes jagged and turns in many different directions, again forcing the reader to continually turn the book or hold it at odd angles.

          For the follow up activity to this poem I would provide construction paper and ask the students to think of something that happened to them personally that they originally thought was a good idea, but that turned out badly. Then, on an individual basis, I would have them construct a shape that represented their memories using the construction paper and various art tools. On that shape I would have the students write a poem that represented their thoughts. When done, they would read the poems aloud and explain why they chose the shape they did and how it helped to express the poem.

Comets, Stars, The Moon, and Mars: Space Poems and Paintings by Douglas Florian - Florian Poetry

Bibliography

Florian, Douglas. 2007. COMETS, STARS, THE MOON, AND MARS: SPACE POEMS AND PAINTINGS. Orlando: Harcourt. ISBN 978-0152053727.

Review and Critical Analysis                             

COMETS, STARS, THE MOON, AND MARS: SPACE POEMS AND PAINTINGS by Douglas Florian contains twenty poems with astronomy as the theme. The poems in this book are presented in an ordinal structure, starting with the idea of watching the sky, followed by the universe, the galaxy, the solar system and the planets in the solar system in the order they move away from the sun. In addition there are poems on extraneous elements within the universe such as constellations and comets. The book concludes with a poem on THE GREAT BEYOND, or deep space. Florian has included a Table of Contents, along with a Galactic Glossary and Selected Bibliography in the back of the book. This book also has an element of engineering incorporated in it. There are cutouts, the majority of which are circular in shape, on every other page that highlights areas of the illustrations in the upcoming poems.

The subject, astronomy, affords the injection of vivid images and descriptive language. VENUS is an accurate example of this imagery. Florian describes the planet as having a “scalding surface” with no life and poisonous clouds in its atmosphere. Images come to mind of a barren landscape, perhaps with heat waves rising from the ground, and unhealthy yellow looking clouds hanging in the air. He ends the poem by asking an intriguing question, why would you name such a dead, bleak world for a goddess of love? This question provides a nice contrast for the reader, and perhaps would spark a research assignment if this poem were used in a classroom setting.

Each of these poems is short and concise, and every poem in the collection is written in rhyme. They highlight special features or attributes of outer space. Several types of rhyme schemes are employed by Florian, most notably couplet, half measure and chain rhyme. Couplet features prominently in MERCURY and NEPTUNE, while half measure, where the second and fourth lines in a four line stanza rhyme and the first and third do not is used satisfactorily in THE SOLAR SYSTEM. The chain rhyme is used successfully in his poem THE MINOR PLANETS. The poem is written in two four line stanzas. The first three lines of the first stanza rhyme, as do the first three lines of the second. While the fourth and eighth lines rhyme. 

Both the rhyme schemes and the poetry itself have unique features. In THE UNIVERSE Florian writes, “Including all the empty space” and the letters in the word empty are themselves spaced out to emphasize the concept he is trying to convey. The very last word in the poem NEPTUNE is blue, and is colored blue within the text to reinforce the color of the planet. A GALAXY is a concrete poem shaped like a spiral galaxy. THE MOON, a poem in five couplets, has four words (in the first four couplets) written out in bold, new, crescent, half and full. These words correspond to the phases of the moon, and each couplet that has a bold word succinctly describes that phase.

Florian’s poems are informative and have the ability to increase not only the reader’s knowledge about astronomy, but also their vocabulary. Each poem is instructive, illuminating the object, or objects being discussed.  In THE CONSTELLATIONS Florian does this two ways. In the illustration for that poem Florian overlays a picture of the constellation represented with its Latin name. Also, within the poem itself he refers to the constellations with there Latin names. Through the illustration and the poem readers learn what animals the Latin names represent. Some of the constellations are easily recognizable, while others might be new to young readers. The poems each have a definite element of humor present as well. This will help keep the reader’s attention, and retain interest. One of the best examples of Florian’s use of humor to instruct is found in PLUTO. This book was written after Pluto was demoted from planetary status, and Florian in a very humorous fashion, says that Pluto was considered a planet, but now “it doesn’t pass” because it is “lacking mass.” He concluded the poem by saying “Pluto was a planet. Till one day it got fired.” This mix of information and humor is perfect for a young audience.

Florian’s illustrations are entertaining and sophisticated. A mix of collages, cutouts, stamps and paint these two page illustrations are extremely colorful and playful, but they are also instructive on several levels. They not only are descriptive of the poem, but they also present new terms or subjects than can be explored.  In THE SUN there is a large, two page painted image of the sun in brilliant shades of orange and yellow. Superimposed over that in collage fashion are smaller artistic depictions of the sun. On the outside edge of the painting of the sun is the word ‘sun’ in various languages including Estonian, Spanish, German and Lithuanian. This supplemental level introduces the study of languages in addition to the poetry. THE BLACK HOLE illustration depicts what happens to a supernova as it dies and gets sucked into a black hole. The illustration is almost in diagram fashion, displaying the supernova on the left page with a large trail of yellow gas leading away from it in a spiral pattern toward the black hole. This illustration presents a small science lesson because along that trail, and written on top of the yellow paint, is the word ‘gas’ along with arrows in red pointing the direction the gas follows to reach the black hole, which is shown as a small black dot in the center of the right page.   

Poem Used to Support Critical Analysis and How That Poem Would Be Introduced

SKYWATCH

By Douglas Florian

On a clear night you might try

To gaze upon the starry sky.

A telescope or binoculars are

Great aids to observe a star.

To find your way it’s good to sight

Upon a star that’s very bright,

Like Sirius or Canopus,

Alpha Centauri or Arcturus.

You may see a planet or

A flash of light from a meteor.

Use a constellation chart

To help you tell the stars apart.

Start out when the day is done.

Most of all: Have lots of fun!

         In SKYWATCH Florian mentions almost every celestial object contained in the book, making use of couplet rhyme. This poem, like the others in the collection, is simultaneously instructive and entertaining. He instructs by providing the names of uncommon stars and entertains by encouraging the practice of looking up into the sky to discover what is there. He also adds that above all readers should have fun, not only sky watching but presumably with the poems to follow as well.

          Before my formal introduction to this poem I would begin by asking the students, “Have you ever gone out to look at the sky at night?” and “If you have, what did you see?” Other questions could be “Did you know the names of what you saw?” or “What was the favorite thing you saw when you looked into the night sky?” After this brief discussion I would introduce the poem by saying, “Today I am going to read you a poem called SKYWATCH by Douglas Florian. It discusses several celestial bodies that you might see when you gaze into the night sky. Listen closely and when we are finished we can talk about the objects mentioned in the poem, and if any of you have ever seen them.” I would then read the actual poem aloud, showing them the illustrations while I read. Being able to see Florian’s eclectic artwork will help the students experience the poem on a visual, as well as oral level.

Knock On Wood: Poems About Superstitions by Janet S. Wong - Multicultural Poetry

Bibliography

Wong, Janet S. 2003. KNOCK ON WOOD: POEMS ABOUT SUPERSTITIONS. Ill. by Julie Paschkis. New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books. ISBN 978-0689855125.

Review and Critical Analysis

            Janet Wong’s KNOCK ON WOOD: POEMS ABOUT SUPERSTITIONS is a collection of seventeen poems about a variety of superstitions and their meanings. There is a Table of Contents, and at the back of the book short descriptions of each of the superstitions and an Author’s Note explaining the superstitions Wong grew up with and her own feelings on the subject. 

          Wong’s poems are more appealing when read aloud due to the fact that they have an unusual cadence which lends itself to oral presentation. THIRTEEN is a witty example of auditory enjoyment.  This poem, about the bad luck surrounding the number thirteen, describes the meeting of a coven of thirteen witches. The second stanza is a series of three lines in which undesirable incidents are described. Onomatopoeia precedes each of these lines with Zing!, Zap!, and Zarg!, and adds to not only the sensory impact but the imaginative value. The energetic manner in which Wong portrays these unfortunate events creates for the reader and listener an immediate picture of the tree falling on that ill-fated car, or the young boy falling off his horse and biting his tongue. The reader and listener can also clearly see the witches cackling madly at these misfortunes.

Julie Paschkis’ vibrant two–page watercolors are an inspired enhancement to Wong’s poetry. The animated background illustrations are reflective of the poem itself. On the left side is a visual depiction of the superstition and on the right is the poem and each are set within an identically shaped outline. Paschkis’ playful illustrations set a humorous mood, while the bright colors hold the young readers attention providing extra depth to Wong’s poems.

          Overall, the poems in this book do not have an identifiable rhyme scheme. Three notable exceptions to this are HAIR, HAT and POTATOES. HAIR and POTATOES are in couplet rhyme. While HAT, a poem written in two four line stanzas has the second and sixth, and fourth and eighth lines rhyme. Each of these three poems has its own distinctive meter. Repetition and narrative poetry are also to be found in this collection. HAT repeats the line “Don’t put your hat…” almost as a caution against the multitude of things one should not do with a hat. GARLIC has the tone of a narrative poem with the speaker offering any vampire that may want to bite him one last opportunity before he devours his Mother’s famous garlic chicken.

The uncomplicated language of the poems is easily understood by the younger reader and the amusing nature make the poems appealing to older readers as well. Although the language is simple, the superstitions discussed will captivate both children and young adults. Each of these poems is informative and inventive in the way it describes the superstitions, and ways to counteract any bad luck. These poems enrich the reader’s knowledge about well known, and more obscure superstitions.

Poem Used to Support Critical Analysis and Follow Up Activity

MIRROR

By Janet S. Wong

The trick is to find sacred ground, the best you can.

Bring your broken mirror there,

here where the dirt is softer, dark.

Bury the pieces with a long straight arm.

Stop if you hear a dog’s shrill bark;

fill the hole, start again,

who knows why.

Why the curse?

          Everyone knows the old adage, break a mirror and you have seven years bad luck, but how many people know how to counteract that curse?  Wong’s poem MIRROR, being true to its informative nature, provides the reader detailed instructions on how to thwart the bad luck brought on by breaking a mirror. In addition the short description at the back of the book about this particular superstition provides the reason behind performing the ritual. This poem is one of the best representations in this collection of the potent images Wong can create with her words. Paschkis illustrations add to the atmosphere the poem creates, providing a somewhat spooky scene with the owls and the moon, and the young girl about to bury her mirror.

          As a follow up activity to this poem, an art project would be ideal. When reading the poem aloud, do not show the illustrations in the book. Allow the students to develop their own ideas about what a picture accompanying this poem should look like. Then ask each student to draw a picture based on their own interpretation of the poem after hearing it. Compare the students drawing to that of the book and then compile all the drawings in a book to show off each student’s art work and their unique views on one poem.