Knock On Wood: Poems About Superstitions

Citation

Wong, Janet S., and Julie Paschkis. Knock on Wood: Poems about Superstitions. New York: Margaret McElderry Books, 2003.

Poetic Elements

Janet Wong has put together another beautiful collection of poetry, this one dealing with superstitions both familiar and unfamiliar. Her poetry here is consistently free verse with some rhyme thrown in sparingly. She is a talented author in the various techniques of poetry, and she does so in a way that keeps her poetry easy to read and enjoy. She makes excellent use of alliteration throughout her poems with phrases such as “Land on my hand for luck, ladybug.” and “Fame, a faithful friend...”. She uses exciting onomatopoeia with words such as “Zing! Zap! Zing!” in her poem about the number thirteen. Ms. Wong frequently utilizes personification in her works as well when she describes how the “...hairs in your nose stand on end alive...” and how potatoes can “...pull the hurting from your bones.” Metaphors and similes abound in lines that read “...as hard as stones...”, “...Think of a horseshoe as a piggy bank of luck...”, and “...Spilled salt is magic flung wild...”. Her poetry is appealing to all of the senses, and her imagery certainly shines through with her words, and certainly when combined with the stellar illustrations which accompany it.

Appeal and Overall Quality

The poems contained within are appealing in their form and fit beautifully with their illustrations. They are short and sweet, enmeshed in rich illustrations that hold the attention of the reader. Her poetry topic is innately appealing as we grew up hearing about various superstitions. She covers many of the most commonly known superstitions as well as some that they may not be familiar with. Even if children reading are not familiar with the superstitions behind certain animals or traditions they will enjoy that some of the poems deal with horses, ladybugs, and cats. Her own author's note at the end will definitely stimulate the imagination of the readers as she suggests that we should make up our own superstitions! The carefree tone in her writing means that reading about any of the creepy or happy superstitions is enjoyable and not scary in the least.

Layout

The layout of the poem is well designed, highly thought out, and perhaps a little superstitious in its own right. Composed in warm reds, greens, and blues, each poem has its own two page spread. Interestingly enough, the left page is the exact mirror image of the right page. The only difference between the two pages comes from the cut out shape in the center of the pages. The shape itself is matching and mirrored, but the shape on the left hand side contains the main illustration while the shape on the right hand side contains the poem itself. When the reader is done reading the poetry and appreciating the meaning of her words they can turn to the back where the author has included a factual explanation of various superstitions. This is a handy tool to finding out more about the origin and basis for some superstitions, including ladders, umbrellas, and the number 13.

Spotlight Poem

Clover

If you find a four-leaf clover in the grass,

you know a horse was born there

sometime.

In the days of fairies?

Fame, a faithful friend, wealth, good health.

These will be yours, doubled, they say--

if you give your clover to me.

Follow-Up Activity

I think this poem likens itself to being utilized around St. Patrick's Day. I always used to have some fun with my second graders and would team up with another teacher to make it look as if Lucky the Leprechaun had been in our classroom, causing mischief, while we were gone for a short time. I would have Lucky “leave” this poem for my class and then we would read it when we returned. We would read it together out loud and then I might have them work together, either in pairs or individually, to write a poem in response for Lucky. What fun!

Reviews

From Booklist

The creators of Night Garden (2000) offer another beautifully illustrated collection of poetry, this time celebrating the rituals and beliefs that make up superstitions. Children will easily recognize many of the poems' subjects: black cats, vampires and garlic, fear of ladders. But some notions are more unusual: putting potatoes in a pocket to cure arthritis. But children will find the subjects compelling, and many of the poems have a sly humor and haunting, lyrical imagery. Paschkis' watercolors are exceptional. Wild patterns that mimic folk-art designs explode from the spreads with whimsical images that children will want to view over and over again. Filled with mystery, magic, and hidden worlds, these are poems to liven up language arts classes and to spark discussions about personal beliefs. Brief prose explanations about the superstitions close the book.

From School Library Journal

Itchy ears, broken mirrors, and hats worn backward join wood spirits, ghosts, and of course black cats in this imaginative exploration of common and lesser-known superstitions. The shapely poems are infused with fey intimations in keeping with the collection's theme: "It is said/salt is magic. The pure kind, sea crystals./Spilled salt is magic flung wild." Some selections are haunting, and some humorous, as in this glimpse of a vampire's downfall: "All you bloodsuckers,/this is your last chance:/I am one bite/away-/from a hunk/of Mother's famous garlic chunk chicken." Paschkis creates an exquisite backdrop for the verses. Presented on a panoramic spread, each poem and facing watercolor scene have matching frames, anchoring them as reflections of one another. Some of the borders are abstract designs, but others are suggestive of elements in the verses. For example, "Potatoes" is contained inside a lumpy oval. Adept at both storytelling and design, the illustrator places the text and picture blocks against a wonderful montage of images in tones of a single color. Children of varied ethnicities and time periods are cast in fanciful folk-art scenes. Humor, satire, subplots, historic references, and decorative and surreal elements abound in artful profusion. There is much to ponder in both words and pictures. Some of the children depicted suggest a young audience, but the mixed poetic/visual brew is sophisticated. The author includes brief comments about the featured superstitions and a note reflecting on her personal experience in this area.