Miss Crandall's School for Young Ladies & Little Misses of Color

Citation

Alexander, Elizabeth, Marilyn Nelson, and Floyd Cooper. Miss Crandall's School for Young Ladies and Little Misses of Color: Poems. Honesdale, PA: Wordsong, 2007. ISBN 1590784561

Poetic Elements

This collection of sonnets, written through the combined talents of poets Elizabeth Alexander and Marilyn Nelson, tells the moving story of Prudence Crandall. She was a brave woman who dared to educate black students during the pre-Civil War era. The poets have taken the lyrical format of the 14 lined sonnet, with spare rhyme thrown in, and have created imagery rich entries that detail the struggles faced by this woman and the students she taught. Phrases such as “...beckoning finger of destiny...” describe the emotions students feel as they enter into their education, along with my personal favorite, “...an uneducated mind is a clenched fist that can open, like a bud, into a flower.” The figurative language is heavy when it is described how “...The filth hissed at us when we venture out...” and “...some of the girls believe a spirit lurks, waiting among the ghostly pantaloons and petticoats...” since they were forced to wash and dry their undergarments indoors because it was not safe to go outside.

Appeal and Overall Quality

This is a highly appealing collection, and part of what makes it such an enjoyable read is the middle length of the sonnet. The 14 lines format of the sonnet is just the right length, in these talented poet's hands, to convey different elements of the struggles faced by Prudence Crandall and her students. The poems are consistent in portraying the themes of loss and hope for a better future. The illustrator, who himself has won awards, provides gently washed out illustrations in muted colors that add emphasis to the words but don't overpower them. The book is set up well for those looking to read more of the historical information behind the poems. A large introduction at the front of the book tells the true story of Prudence Crandall and how she accepted black students into her school beginning in 1832. The introduction gives great information and gives the reader some basic knowledge before they jump into the poems. The Table of Contents are broken down into sections, based on the timeline of the history. They range from the very beginning, as students are packing up to travel to the school, through their learning, to the harassment from the townsfolk, to the ultimate closing of the school. This gesture provides some separation to the poems and helps organize them by topic. Certain poems are written in honor of, or in reference to, real people who attended or were involved with the school. I like this facet of the book because it invites further research into those individuals. Finally, the author's notes at the end describe in greater detail the process of how these two poets came together and wrote such a cohesive book of poetry based on a dark event in our nation's history. This book is a great addition throughout multiple units, and older students will appreciate history presented in 14 line sonnets!

Spotlight Poem

Good-bye

The mother who packs her daughter's valise,

tucks a Bible between muslin layers.

The father who shoes horses and fixes

clocks and other intricate things that break

saves coins in their largest preserving jar

'til the day for which they have waited comes.

See Mother wash and oil and comb and braid

Daughter's thick brown hair for the very last time.

Does “good-bye” mean we hope or mean we weep?

Does it remember all you know, or

come back as soon as you can, or do not?

Does it mean go now, or I do not know?

Good-bye, Daughter, says Mother. She watches

the horse and buggy 'til it fades from view.

Follow-Up Activity

I love this poem for the emotion it conveys. Two parents sending their child off into the unknown to seek greater fortune would be meaningful whether we were discussing skin color or not. I think this poem lends itself well to a discussion of black history. How many parents sent their children off to an unknown future, whether by choice or by force? I think after a unit on black history, and seeing the many different scenarios where children were separated from their parents, I would have students act out this poem in groups. I would leave it up to them whether they would do a choral reading, or interpretive play, or something else of the sort. I think this poem lends itself to students emoting and acting out the weight of the words and the images conveyed.

Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 7 Up—Twenty-four sonnets tell the story of Prudence Crandall and her efforts to educate young African-American women in Canterbury, CT, 1833-1834. The school began as a boarding school for white girls; when two black women inquired about taking classes and Crandall agreed, the townspeople withdrew their daughters. As she accepted more black students, the town became more vocal in its resistance, poisoning the school water supply, refusing to sell it supplies, and charging Miss Crandall and others with a variety of "crimes." The sonnet format is challenging but compelling. Each poem addresses an individual aspect of the story; therefore, the tone and cadence change depending upon the person speaking or the event being depicted. The introduction gives essential information, but readers with no background will still need help understanding the political, social, and historical context. Cooper's pastel mixed-media illustrations sometimes illuminate the poems, but at other times seem solely decorative. His portraits for "Tao of the Trial" and "Miss Ann Eliza Hammond" are powerfully rendered, while the nature scenes add little to the poetic experience. The art's sketchiness, however, does suit the poetic form. There are empty spaces in the pictures just as the language of the poetry leaves openness for readers' interpretation. A heartfelt, unusual presentation, this book rewards patient readers.—Lucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA

"... The images in their poems and in Cooper's quiet, dramatic pastel illustrations compellingly capture the haunting history..." --Booklist, Starred Review

"... [A] glorious poetic celebration of the teacher and students at a Connecticut school that defied mid-19th-century convention to educate African-American girls...Cooper's soft pastel illustrations provide a muted counterpoint to the text, mixing depictions of school and students with images of the natural world in a lovely rhythm. A foreword provides a brief prose history of the school; a concluding authors' note explains their collaborative process." --Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

"... The words are powerful as they celebrate the importance of education and hardships that the students endured to achieve it. The reader appreciates the courage of these women, facing the hostilities of the townsfolk. Floyd Cooper's illustrations capture the moods of the poems and help tell the story of persecution and adversity that eventually forced the school's closure. This book celebrates the women who risked everything to improve their lives. It can serve as an example for today's youth for appreciating the opportunities for education that they have today regardless of race." --Library Media Connection

Science Verse

Citation

Scieszka, Jon, and Lane Smith. Science Verse. New York: Viking, 2004. ISBN 0670910570

Poetic Elements

Given that this is a book composed almost entirely of science poems based on previously existing works of poetry, the author has done a fabulous job of staying true to the form of each original poem. This includes the structural form and the rhyming. For example, the poem Food Chain, which is based on the tune “I've Been Working On the Railroad” is poetry that can be sung! The elements have stayed true, and the reader can learn some science while singing it to a familiar tune. The same can be said for every other piece of poetry in the book. They have done a masterful job of teaching real material in a fun and relatable format while maintaining the authenticity of the original poetic elements.

Appeal and Overall Quality

This is a highly appealing book from a well known author/illustrator team Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith. Their creativity has reached a new high with how they have taken familiar poems, songs, and nursery rhymes and given them a scientific twist. The students will enjoy reading through the book and figuring out what song or poem it reminds them of, but what I absolutely love is at the end. They have listed their “Observations and Conclusions” on the last page that draws the parallel between the poem they wrote for their book and the one it was based on. From “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” to “The Raven” to “Paul Revere's Ride” it is amazing what classics they have drawn from. The illustrations are a whole other adventure by themselves. Lane Smith uses a diverse color palette and collage format to create vivid This is a great way to introduce some of those lesser known works to students while their ears are perked up.

Spotlight Poem

I would present each of the following Nursery Rhymes...

Mary Had a...

Mary had a little worm.

She thought it was a chigger.

But everything that Mary ate,

Only made it bigger.

It came with her to school one day,

And gave the kids a fright,

Especially when the teacher said,

“Now that's a parasite.”

Hey Diddle Diddle

Hey diddle diddle, what kind of riddle

Is this nature of light?

Sometimes it's a wave,

Other times particle...

But which answer will be marked right?

Jack Be Nimble

Jack, be nimble, Jack be quick.

Jack jump over the combustion reaction of O2 + heat + fuel to form CO2 + light + heat + exhaust.

Good Night

Good night, sleep tight,

Don't let the bedbug

tick, or louse

suck blood from you,

hatch its eggs,

and then develop the larvae on you

...all right?

Follow-Up Activity

What a fabulous opportunity with older students! I would present them with these nursery rhymes written by scientists and we would begin by comparing the traditional version to what we have here. Then we would study the scientific references made within each of the nursery rhymes before allowing them to take a nursery rhyme of their own and try to re-write it from a scientific perspective! I think there would be a diverse representation and boundless creativity!

Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-5–In Math Curse (Viking, 1995), a teacher's chance comment causes a girl to see every aspect of her life as a math problem. This time around, the fun starts when a boy hears this remark: "…if you listen closely enough, you can hear the poetry of science in everything." What follows is a series of poems that parody the styles of Joyce Kilmer, Edgar Allan Poe, Lewis Carroll, Robert Frost, and many others, as well as familiar songs and nursery rhymes. "Once in first grade I was napping/When I heard a scary yapping" begins a lament about studying dinosaurs year after year. In "Astronaut Stopping by a Planet on a Snowy Evening," the narrator bemoans the fact that he can't figure out what planet he's on because "In science class I was asleep…." Children need not be familiar with the works upon which the spoofs are based to enjoy the humor, but this is a perfect opportunity to introduce the originals and to discuss parody as a poetic form. The dynamic cartoons are an absolute delight. The expressions on the face of the beleaguered boy keep readers smiling and the pages are chock-full of funny details that are in perfect sync with the poems. Printed in a cream-colored, readable font and set against solid backgrounds, the text is never overwhelmed by the frenetic illustrations. Fans of Scieszka and Smith will be in heaven, but the book will appeal to one and all.–Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Gr. 3-5. In this worthy companion to Math Curse (1995), a boy sits in science class listening to his teacher drone on about "the poetry of science," when he is stricken with a "curse of science verse." Every thought comes to him in rhyme, and not just any rhyme, but parodies of famous poems and songs. Not just any parodies, but hilarious ones, particularly for those familiar with the originals, from Kilmer's "Trees" and Poe's "The Raven" to "I'm a Little Teapot" and "Eenie, meanie, mynie, mo." Clever and often droll, the verse ably juggles facts, meter, and rhyme schemes and usually reflects a student's point of view: grossed out by the human body, bored by yet another year of dinosaur study, more concerned about writing down the right answer than getting at the truth. Smith's multimedia collage artwork, incorporating drawings, paintings, and printed materials, is sophisticated yet accessible... A beautifully designed book--intelligent, irreverent, inviting, and downright irresistible.

Noisy Poems for a Busy Day

Citation

Heidbreder, Robert, and Lori Smith Joy. Noisy Poems for a Busy Day. Toronto, ON: Kids Can Press, 2012. ISBN: 1554537061

Poetic Elements

This book of poetry would be considered free verse with end rhyme. The poet does follow a 4/3 or 4/4 syllable pattern in each of the poems with funny exclamations or words at the end. It is consistent in this way. You do find yourself reading each of the poems with a certain rhythm, like a child be-bopping through their day. There are a great deal of nonsense words that add to the excitement of these poems such as “...ziff zim zoom...” , “...ala-ka-zee! Ala-ka-zopper!...” and “...crissle-sissle...” There is frequent alliteration as well with “...swish-swash-swirr...” and phrases similar to this. One of the most appealing aspects to this book of poetry is that it feels like it's written in the language of children, using words that they might use in their everyday conversations. The imagery and motifs associated with childhood come through with every poem. One of my favorite things about this book is how, through the course of the day, the poems Off to Breakfast, Time for Lunch, and Dinner Time are the same at their core with an increasingly extended dialogue at the end, similar to real life as my children are often extending the dialogue by a whole lot!

Appeal and Overall Quality

This book will be immensely appealing to younger kids with its wording and all around silliness. I tested it on my seven year old son, and I can verify that he enjoyed taking turns reading through the entire book of poems, studying and noticing things in each of the illustrations, and commenting on the nonsense words that seemed perfectly suited to each individual poem. It follows the natural course of a child's day from jumping out of bed to playing to getting dirty to having an argument to the very end of the day. These are all events that a child can and will relate to, and here he writes about them in an easy and endearing manner. All of the moods and emotions that the characters in the poetry book experience will be easy to mimic and relate to for the reader enjoying the book.

While the table of contents at the beginning looks overwhelming, with a massive number of poems shown, the reality is that the poems themselves are short. They are generally spread out one poem per page, although five of the poems do garner a full two page spread. The pencil drawings are almost cartoonish in nature and are colored in a soft earthy color palette. It's enjoyable to the eyes and so much fun to read!

Spotlight Poem

Off to Breakfast

Scrunchy munch-up.

Sloppy slurp.

Swibble down.

Big belch – BURP!

“What do you say?”

“Excuse me!”

Follow-Up Activity

These poems use a lot of nonsense words and conversation. I would utilize this poem, and all of the other poems contained within the book, in a discussion with younger students as we talk about the natural course of our day. These would also be fun to act out with a friend. They are short enough to remember and put a lot of emotion into acting them out. Then we would work together to write a class poem about something, some event, from our day while trying to keep this same style.

Reviews

"... a warm portrait of suburban daily life ..." --Kirkus Reviews

"Heidbreder knows his audience and how to prompt a gush of giggles and tickles from young children ... This is a well-conceived and executed book ..." --School Library Journal

"... an accessible and entertaining collection for preschoolers." --Publishers Weekly

The Year Comes Round: Haiku through the Seasons

Citation

Farrar, Sid, and Ilse Plume. The Year Comes Round: Haiku through the Seasons. Chicago, IL: Albert Whitman &, 2012. ISBN: 0807581291

Poetic Elements

The poet makes ample use of many poetic techniques, which is admirable considering that he's working in the form of haiku and there are such rigid structural requirements for this type of poetry. He sprinkles alliteration throughout such phrases as “...snowmen stand very still...” and “...waiting patiently in the pumpkin patch...” His greatest tool seems to be his use of simile and personification. Hearing him describe how the “...thick, black clouds grumble...” and the “...robin asks earthworm back to her nest...” paints a vivid picture and evokes imagery for the reader. His comparisons are simple and elegant as in “...dandelions from the earth like countless little suns...” and “...like tiny fallen stars fireflies quietly blink...” The 5-7-5 syllable format gives the poetry a certain rhythm but there is certainly no room for rhyme within these haiku. Perhaps my two favorite images from this book of haiku poetry are “...apples loll...dreaming cider and hot pie...” and “...lawns call a truce with mowers...” It really is quite impressive that he was able to draw such images with so few words and so skillfully employ a multitude of poetic elements in his work.

Appeal and Overall Quality

This collection of haiku can easily be described as consistent in form. There are no labels or titles for any of the poems, signifying how any of the poems could really apply to more than one month. You could try to group them by months, seasons, etc. but the author does not intend for that to happen, I do not think. There are twelve poems, one signifying every month of the year and one final haiku describing how the earth spins and circles. This debut poet crafts extremely rich haiku that is coupled with beautiful watercolor illustrations by a Caldecott Honor winner.

Each haiku is spread across two pages with a predominant design of framed illustration on one page with the haiku and smaller illustration contained within a circle on the other page. Occasionally there is a full color, full page illustration that spreads to the corners. The end of the book contains a wealth of information on the history of haiku, the cycle of life and what defines a year, and information on each of the four seasons. The layout is interesting here in that the 12 poems are followed by the information which is followed by one final haiku about the earth. This symbolizes how the months, the seasons all come together to create the wonderful spinning “...tapestry of days, months, seasons—life.”

Spotlight Poem

Waiting patiently

in the pumpkin patch for his

face : Jack O'Lantern

Follow-Up Activity

This would be a great piece to use with a unit on months of the year, weather, or even life cycles. There are so many topics covered so succinctly in this book and in these haikus. I would have the kids choose their favorite haiku from the book and illustrate it or else write their own haiku about a favorite season or event of the year. We could then compile them into a class book of haiku.

Reviews

From School Library Journal

K-Gr 3-This quietly contemplative collection offers a look at the wonders of nature over the course of a year. Each spread gives a glimpse into a different scene-thunderstorms, apples falling from trees, fireflies at dusk, birds feeding their babies, and other animals in their natural habitats in the different seasons. There are 13 haiku in all-one for each month (although they are not labeled, allowing readers to infer when each one takes place)-and a final one describing the Earth circling the sun as "spinning a tapestry of days, months, and seasons," bringing awe-inspiring perspective to children just learning about how vast the universe really is. Plume's understated yet cheerful artwork brings the selections to life and exemplifies the power and beauty of nature. Farrar gives an explanation of haiku in the back of the book and also discusses characteristics of the seasons and the "cycle of life"-how a year is measured and how the equator divides the world and affects the way seasons are experienced, etc. This charming book is a wonderful supplement for units on weather, seasons, animals, or poetry in general.

All The Broken Pieces

Citation

Burg, Ann E. All the Broken Pieces. New York: Scholastic Press, 2009. ISBN: 0545080924

Poetic Elements

Full and flowing free verse, this novel is a gift for discussing voice and imagery. The ease with which the poet author introduces the various characters and the most troubling subjects of the story is enviable, and the imagery produced with stanzas that read “But he isn't an afraid quiet. Just a calm quiet, like he's looked into a closet of monsters and found empty candy wrappers instead.” is just beautiful. The title of All The Broken Pieces lends itself well to describing how Matt's life has been broken, as well as those around him, and how they work to put those pieces back together into something that makes sense. The spare use of language puts extra emphasis on the raw emotions of the characters and how the war has affected everyone in different ways because, as Matt says in the story, “Even the broken pieces are worth something to me.”

Appeal and Overall Quality

This is a stunning debut for Ann E. Burg. She chronicles the story of Matt, a young boy airlifted out of Vietnam and now adopted at age 10 into a loving American family. Alternating between guilt for surviving the ordeal, the pressure he puts on himself to somehow feel as if he deserves the love of his new family, and bullying at school, this young man faces tricky life situations that young adults will be able to relate to at some level. The shortened length and quick flow of the novel will lend itself to reluctant readers who do not feel that they can commit to a long relationship with a novel.

Spotlight Poem

The house I live in now

is big,

but its walls are thin.

At night, when they

think I am asleep,

I hear the news on TV.

I hear them talk.

It's no wonder

the soldiers are broken,

Dad says.

When they left, they were

high school heroes,

stars of the football team,

with pretty girlfriends.

Now look at them--

hobbling on crutches,

rolling themselves

in wheelchairs,

while people throw things--

tomatoes,

rotten apples,

angry words.

Follow-Up Activity

This would be an excellent and timely poem for a discussion with older children about what soldiers returning from war are faced with. There could be a study of the Vietnam War era, along with discussion of what soldiers returning from war today face. How would experiences compare or contrast between wars and situations?

Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6–8—In 1977, 12-year-old Matt Pin lives a fractured life. He is the son of a Vietnamese woman and an American soldier and was airlifted to safety from the war zone. Adopted by a caring American couple, he has vivid and horrific memories of the war and worries about the fates of his mother and badly injured little brother. Matt's adoptive family adores him, and he is the star pitcher for his middle school baseball team, but there are those who see his face and blame him for the deaths of the young men they lost in the war. The fractured theme runs the course of this short novel in verse: Matt's family, the bodies and hearts of the Vietnam vets, the country that is "only a pocketful of broken pieces" that Matt carries inside him. Ultimately, everything broken is revealed as nonetheless valuable. While most of the selections read less like poems and more like simple prose, the story is a lovely, moving one. Use this in a history class or paired with Katherine Applegate's Home of the Brave (Feiwel & Friends, 2007).—Heather M. Campbell, formerly at Philip S. Miller Library, Castle Rock, CO

Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* Airlifted from Vietnam at the end of the war and adopted by a loving American family, Matt Pin, 12, is haunted by what he left behind, even as he bonds with his new little brother and becomes a star pitcher on the school baseball team. In rapid, simple free verse, the first-person narrative gradually reveals his secrets: his memories of mines, flames, screams, helicopters, bombs, and guns, as well as what the war did to his little brother (“He followed me / everywhere, / he follows me still”). But this stirring debut novel is about much more than therapy and survivor guilt. When his parents take Matt to a veterans’ meeting, he hears the soldiers’ stories of injury and rejection and begins to understand why the school bully calls him “frogface” (“My brother died / Because of you”). There is occasional contrivance as Matt eavesdrops on adults. But the haunting metaphors are never forced, and the intensity of the simple words, on the baseball field and in the war zone, will make readers want to rush to the end and then return to the beginning again to make connections between past and present, friends and enemies. Add this to the Booklist read-alike column “Children at War.” Grades 6-10. --Hazel Rochman

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.

Zoo's Who

Citation

Florian, Douglas. Zoo's Who: Poems and Paintings. Orlando: Harcourt, 2005.

Poetic Elements

Mr. Florian is a talented poet who uses a lot of end rhyme and rhyme within the lines of his poetry. Alliteration is present throughout, especially in Bushbaby which says “...Bushy back. Bushy knees. Bushy bush babies climb trees...”. His poems personify penguins taking a vacation and pigs going out to eat. Both the poems and illustrations appeal to our sense imagery while visualizing a shark's mouth and hearing the snake hissing. While the poems vary in length from 2 lines to 8 lines, depending on the subject, Mr. Florian is so precise in his use of poetic elements that he is able to fit quite a lot of emotional, figurative language into a short space.

Appeal and Overall Quality

Mr. Florian's poetry is a hit with children because they're so fun to read and a hit with adults because it gets the children reading poetry! They appeal in their shorter, easy to read length, the witty rhymes contained within, and his style of making his poems assume non-traditional shapes. The illustrations are an additional bonus, with so much hidden in the pictures. Readers will enjoy themselves as they look to discover how Mr. Florian laid out the illustrations to reflect the subject and marvel at what he's hidden in there. His illustration for a poem about slugs (not an overly appealing topic) shows a mountain and the progress of the slug is marked in years! Very cute! It takes a yucky creature and makes it fun, something he does very well. The poet's tone throughout tells the reader how much fun he had writing these poem and how much fun we, the reader, are supposed to have in reading them.

Layout

The book is neatly organized. The Table of Contents at the beginning guides the way to the 21 poems contained within. Each poem is spread out over two pages, with the poem centered on an all-white background on one side and the illustration, framed, on the other side. The book lists that the illustrations are “...watercolor, gouache, colored pencil, inks, tin foil, candy wrappers, shredded papers, stencils, rubber stamps, and much collage on primed brown paper bags...” which is a fair representation of the many styles he merges in his illustrations. His coloring and placement in the illustrations is quite a marvel.

Spotlight Poem

The Penguin

A penguin isn't thin—it's fat.

It has penguinsulation.

And it toboggans through the snow

On penguinter vacation.

The penguin's a penguinsome bird

Of black-and-white fine feather.

And it will huddle with its friends

In cold, penguindy weather.

Follow-Up Activity

This is such a fun poem! The illustration is just as interesting as the words, considering what he has worked into the picture. This poem would pair well with a unit on penguins, and could have an off-shoot into a language lesson since he plays with the word penguin so heavily in the poem. I would read the poem to the class and see if they catch his witticisms such as penguinsulation for insulation. We would make a list of those words and study the illustration to see what he has hidden there, such as the thermometer, the letters to spell 'penguin', the word coooooool, and 'ch, ch, ch'. I would then ask the group to come up with some other words we might want to use as he did in his poem. Penguindmills for windmills or penguinning for winning! After compiling a list of fun penguin wordplay words we might attempt to write a companion poem about penguins!

Reviews

From Booklist

K-Gr. 3. Florian continues his series of books that deal with animal life in all its permutations. These short poems often make their points in clever ways: "Lizards laze / And lizards bask. / What's their favorite food? / Don't ask!" Or "I'm not a seagull. / I'm royal. / I'm regal. / All birds are not / Created eagle." Not all the poems are so pithy, but there's plenty of humor throughout to keep kids going. However, children will need a certain sensibility to understand the wordplay. The artwork, which is simple enough for them to enjoy, always has unexpected bits. For instance, a painting of a shark--mouth open, teeth bared----is highlighted by a collage of what's inside his mouth: a tiny fan, a small pliers, and other miniature objects. A more sophisticated painting features a rhino--a swath of mauve filling up the frame, the animal's eyes and mouth barely distinguishable, a slash of white indicating its horn. The more astute the reader, the better the time he or she will have with this. But there are joys here for those who take the poems and pictures on face value as well. Ilene Cooper

"A first choice for the poetry shelves . . . this collection is toadally terrific."--Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Florian's distinctive, full-page watercolors are as playful as his verse."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)