Just Around the Corner: Poems About the Seasons
by Leland B. Jacobs
Bibliographic information:
Jacobs, Leland B. 1993. Just around the corner: Poems about the seasons. Kaufman, J. (Illus.). New York: Henry Hold and Company.
Introduction:
This poem is a great way to introduce students to the many beautiful things about Spring. To help students start visualizing what they will hear in the poem, show students a slideshow of images that represent Spring. Ask them to describe what they like about the season and the items they see during this time.
Poem:
“It’s Spring”
Snapdragon, snap,
Toadstool, turn,
Pussy willow, purr,
Fireweed, burn,
Black-eyed Susan, wink,
Sweet William, sing,
Forget-me-not, remember
It’s Spring! Spring! Spring!
Catnip, nip,
Dandelion, roar,
Dogwood, bark,
Pitcher plant, pour,
Bee balm, buzz,
Bluebell, ring,
Jack-in-the-pulpit
Preach today,
It’s Spring! Spring! Spring!
(pg. 23)
__________________________________________________
Extension:
After reading the poem once, give a line of the poem to pairs of students. Then, re-read the poem slowly, allowing students to make a gesture or a sound related to their line in the poem. For example, when the first line of the poem is read, the pair of students could snap their fingers.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
MODULE 4 POETRY BOOK REVIEW: CURRICULUM CONNECTION
A World of Wonders: Geographic Travels in Verse and Rhyme
by J. Patrick Lewis
Bibliographic information:
Lewis, J. Patrick. 2002. A World of wonders: Geographic travels in verse and rhyme. Jay, A. (Illus.). New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.
Excerpts:
"Aurora Borealis”
When sunlight dances
down the sky
to take the evening air,
we sit and watch
as clouds go by
in colored thunderwear!
Alaska has
a ringside seat
for taking in the sights,
all lemon-yellows,
greens and reds,
no cloudy grays or whites,
as Mother Nature
now presents—
“The Dancing Northern Lights”!
(pg. 10)
_______________________________________
“New Names, Old Places”
Sri Lanka used to be Ceylon.
Ancient Persia? Now Iran.
Zaire was Congo way back when,
Now it’s Congo once again.
China? Can you guess? Cathay.
That’s what people used to say.
Thailand once was known as Siam.
Gold Coast turned to Ghana. I am
Always interested in telling
How a country changed its spelling.
Dutch East Indies? Indonesia!
Once Zimbabwe was Rhodesia.
Burma changed to Myanmar.
Russia, once USSR.
Was even earlier called Rus’.
Other countries introduce
Brand-new names occasionally.
Can you find one or two … or three?
(pg. 27)
___________________________________________
Evaluation:
This collection by J. Patrick Lewis will inspire readers’ imaginations through both word and illustration as they travel the globe learning about geography through his poems. Lewis incorporates a wide range of topics in his geography-based poetry, including people, places, and concepts such as Christopher Columbus, Marco Polo, Italy and the shape of its country, the Sandwich Islands, the Red Sea, Aurora Borealis, the San Andreas Fault, cave formations, latitude and longitude, and Mount Everest.
The mix of brightly-colored, humorous illustrations fit well with Lewis’s often comical, yet factual lines of poetry to create a collection that will appeal to readers of all ages. Poetry, in this collection, makes learning the facts and history of geography and the world more enjoyable and fun!
The coverage of actual geography information is clever, too, as he showcases the facts of the subject matter that will be most curious to children. For example, he talks about “one of Earth’s great frying pans” (p. 17) in reference to a record set for the hottest place in the world and includes examples of how Mount Everest is as tall as 27 Eiffel Towers (p. 18). These facts of geography will entice readers into continuing their reading of this poetry collection, even if it is simply to see the amazingly creative way in which such factual details are presented.
The poems themselves are engaging for students as they help create visualizations of the concepts in the reader’s mind through the use of rhyme, imagery, and varying forms (i.e. concrete, acrostic, free verse).
The introductory poem includes rhyme, showcasing Lewis’s talent that invites students to travel through the rest of the book:
“Travel by boat or by car or by plane
To visit East Africa, Singapore, Spain.
Go by yourself or invite a good friend,
But traveling by poem is what I recommend” (p. 2).
Imagery provides nice connections throughout all of the poems, as it frequently connects with readers’ sense of sight and hearing. For example, in describing the seas around the globe, Lewis answers the question “Is the Red Sea red?” by writing “Yes, because the red seaweed / Is floating like a quilt” (p. 6). By describing the seaweed as a quilt, Lewis provides readers with an image through which they can better understand the information about the Red Sea.
Also, Lewis incorporates an almost sing-song approach through alliteration and imagery when describing European cities, further building on the readers’ sense of hearing the poem. He writes:
“Every heiress goes to Paris –
Fancy Frenchy Fashion Eden!
I declare the air in Stockholm
Is the sweetest scent in Sweden…” (p. 21).
This collection of poems is sure to make readers of all ages and interests want to explore the world even more. Lewis’s gift as a poet leaves a lasting impression on readers, encouraging them to become explorers of geography as well.
by J. Patrick Lewis
Bibliographic information:
Lewis, J. Patrick. 2002. A World of wonders: Geographic travels in verse and rhyme. Jay, A. (Illus.). New York: Dial Books for Young Readers.
Excerpts:
"Aurora Borealis”
When sunlight dances
down the sky
to take the evening air,
we sit and watch
as clouds go by
in colored thunderwear!
Alaska has
a ringside seat
for taking in the sights,
all lemon-yellows,
greens and reds,
no cloudy grays or whites,
as Mother Nature
now presents—
“The Dancing Northern Lights”!
(pg. 10)
_______________________________________
“New Names, Old Places”
Sri Lanka used to be Ceylon.
Ancient Persia? Now Iran.
Zaire was Congo way back when,
Now it’s Congo once again.
China? Can you guess? Cathay.
That’s what people used to say.
Thailand once was known as Siam.
Gold Coast turned to Ghana. I am
Always interested in telling
How a country changed its spelling.
Dutch East Indies? Indonesia!
Once Zimbabwe was Rhodesia.
Burma changed to Myanmar.
Russia, once USSR.
Was even earlier called Rus’.
Other countries introduce
Brand-new names occasionally.
Can you find one or two … or three?
(pg. 27)
___________________________________________
Evaluation:
This collection by J. Patrick Lewis will inspire readers’ imaginations through both word and illustration as they travel the globe learning about geography through his poems. Lewis incorporates a wide range of topics in his geography-based poetry, including people, places, and concepts such as Christopher Columbus, Marco Polo, Italy and the shape of its country, the Sandwich Islands, the Red Sea, Aurora Borealis, the San Andreas Fault, cave formations, latitude and longitude, and Mount Everest.
The mix of brightly-colored, humorous illustrations fit well with Lewis’s often comical, yet factual lines of poetry to create a collection that will appeal to readers of all ages. Poetry, in this collection, makes learning the facts and history of geography and the world more enjoyable and fun!
The coverage of actual geography information is clever, too, as he showcases the facts of the subject matter that will be most curious to children. For example, he talks about “one of Earth’s great frying pans” (p. 17) in reference to a record set for the hottest place in the world and includes examples of how Mount Everest is as tall as 27 Eiffel Towers (p. 18). These facts of geography will entice readers into continuing their reading of this poetry collection, even if it is simply to see the amazingly creative way in which such factual details are presented.
The poems themselves are engaging for students as they help create visualizations of the concepts in the reader’s mind through the use of rhyme, imagery, and varying forms (i.e. concrete, acrostic, free verse).
The introductory poem includes rhyme, showcasing Lewis’s talent that invites students to travel through the rest of the book:
“Travel by boat or by car or by plane
To visit East Africa, Singapore, Spain.
Go by yourself or invite a good friend,
But traveling by poem is what I recommend” (p. 2).
Imagery provides nice connections throughout all of the poems, as it frequently connects with readers’ sense of sight and hearing. For example, in describing the seas around the globe, Lewis answers the question “Is the Red Sea red?” by writing “Yes, because the red seaweed / Is floating like a quilt” (p. 6). By describing the seaweed as a quilt, Lewis provides readers with an image through which they can better understand the information about the Red Sea.
Also, Lewis incorporates an almost sing-song approach through alliteration and imagery when describing European cities, further building on the readers’ sense of hearing the poem. He writes:
“Every heiress goes to Paris –
Fancy Frenchy Fashion Eden!
I declare the air in Stockholm
Is the sweetest scent in Sweden…” (p. 21).
This collection of poems is sure to make readers of all ages and interests want to explore the world even more. Lewis’s gift as a poet leaves a lasting impression on readers, encouraging them to become explorers of geography as well.
MODULE 4 POETRY CHOICE BOOK REVIEW: BIOGRAPHICAL POETRY BOOK REVIEW
Lives: Poems About Famous Americans
Selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins
Bibliographic information:
Hopkins, Lee Bennett. 1999. Lives: Poems about famous Americans. Staub, L. (Illus.). New York: HarperCollins Publishers.
Excerpts:
“American Wizard”
by Lawrence Schimel
A shout
rang out
in Menlo Park
one New Year’s Eve
as people
stepped down
from the train
into dark
and he pulled
the switch—
a flood of light
lit up the night!
What marvelous lamps
without gas
or flame!
The people cheered
Thomas Edison’s name
and his marvel
that turned dusk
into
day.
(pg. 12)
_______________________________________
“The Many and the Few”
by J. Patrick Lewis
For Rosa Parks, Part-time Seamstress
Montgomery, Alabama, December 1, 1955
It was an Alabama day
For the Many and the Few.
There wasn’t really much to do;
No one had very much to say
Until a bus, the 4:15,
Drove by. But no one chanced to see
It stop to pick up history.
The doors closed slowly on a scene:
The quiet seamstress paid her fare
And took the one seat she could find,
And, as it happened, just behind
The Many People sitting there.
The Many People paid no mind
Until the driver, J. P. Blake,
Told the Few of them to take
The deeper seats. But she declined.
Blake stopped the bus and called police;
And Many a fire was set that night,
And Many a head turned ghostly white
Because she dared disturb the peace.
To celebrate the ride that marks
The debt the Many owe the Few,
One day of freedom grew into
The Century of Rosa Parks.
(pg. 22)
___________________________________________
Evaluation:
This collection of fourteen poems highlights the lives of sixteen different individuals throughout history whose contributions have impacted society and history in important ways. The poems in this collection reflect the lives of the following people: Paul Revere, Sacagawea, Abraham Lincoln, Walt Whitman, Harriet Tubman, Thomas Alva Edison, Anne Sullivan Macy, Helen Adams Keller, Eleanor Roosevelt, George Herman “Babe” Ruth, Langston Hughes, Rosa Lee Parks, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., Neil Alden Armstrong, and Edwin Eugene “Buzz” Aldrin, Jr. With the poems written by numerous poets including Jane Yolen, Lawrence Schimel, Nikki Grimes, and J. Patrick Lewis, the quality of the verses in this collection are on par with the quality of each individual included in the book.
Each poem presents a strong portrayal of the individual’s life and contributions to history and many of the poems present a story surrounding a specific accomplishment of this person. For example, Schimel’s poem “This Bell Rings for Liberty” addresses Paul Revere’s famous ride to warn of the British; Yolen’s “A Song for Sacagawea” tells of her efforts helping during the Lewis & Clark Expedition; McLoughland’s “The Whippoorwill Calls” highlights Harriet Tubman’s work with the Underground Railroad; and Phillips writes about Babe Ruth’s baseball legacy in the poem “When Babe Ruth Hit His Last Home Run.” Additionally, the accompanying illustrations on the pages opposite the poems add another layer to the collection as they portray the individuals and their lives through vivid colors and portrait-like poses.
The poems and their topics are focused and offer the reader a glimpse at the strength of each individual’s life and accomplishments. The poems themselves are timeless, as they tell the history of an event or a person that has already occurred and left a mark on history. For readers who enjoy biographies and learning about history and those who impacted it, these poems are authentic and engaging.
The poems incorporate a variety of forms, with free verse being used frequently to present the story of the individual’s life. The poets, however, still incorporate many elements of figurative language and imagery to convey the importance of the poems’ messages.
For example, in the poem “The Whippoorwill Calls,” the author writes “And the warm air / Carries the haunting sound / Across the fields” (p. 10), reiterating the serious work of Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad and the dangers they faced.
Also, in the poem entitled “Abe,” Schertle writes “young Abe / of the too-short pants / and too-long legs, / … / wrapping his bony fingers around / the handle of an axe” (p. 6) to help the readers visualize Abraham Lincoln as a young child. She counters this image in the next stanza when she writes “grew into Abe / of the sad eyes / of the face carved deep / by sorrow, / wrapping his strong hands / around a nation, / trying to hold the bleeding halves / together / until they healed” (p. 6). The inclusion of such strong imagery to describe the country’s status during his presidency pairs well with the description of Lincoln’s presentation of himself during this time, leaving the reader with a clearer sense of who he was as a person.
Lastly, this poetry collection contains a section at the end of the book entitled “Notes on the Lives” in which the individuals presented in the poems are discussed in brief biographical detail. These short biographies help tie the poems in the book together as the reader can see how each of the individuals portrayed were worthy of inclusion in a book about famous Americans.
Selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins
Bibliographic information:
Hopkins, Lee Bennett. 1999. Lives: Poems about famous Americans. Staub, L. (Illus.). New York: HarperCollins Publishers.
Excerpts:
“American Wizard”
by Lawrence Schimel
A shout
rang out
in Menlo Park
one New Year’s Eve
as people
stepped down
from the train
into dark
and he pulled
the switch—
a flood of light
lit up the night!
What marvelous lamps
without gas
or flame!
The people cheered
Thomas Edison’s name
and his marvel
that turned dusk
into
day.
(pg. 12)
_______________________________________
“The Many and the Few”
by J. Patrick Lewis
For Rosa Parks, Part-time Seamstress
Montgomery, Alabama, December 1, 1955
It was an Alabama day
For the Many and the Few.
There wasn’t really much to do;
No one had very much to say
Until a bus, the 4:15,
Drove by. But no one chanced to see
It stop to pick up history.
The doors closed slowly on a scene:
The quiet seamstress paid her fare
And took the one seat she could find,
And, as it happened, just behind
The Many People sitting there.
The Many People paid no mind
Until the driver, J. P. Blake,
Told the Few of them to take
The deeper seats. But she declined.
Blake stopped the bus and called police;
And Many a fire was set that night,
And Many a head turned ghostly white
Because she dared disturb the peace.
To celebrate the ride that marks
The debt the Many owe the Few,
One day of freedom grew into
The Century of Rosa Parks.
(pg. 22)
___________________________________________
Evaluation:
This collection of fourteen poems highlights the lives of sixteen different individuals throughout history whose contributions have impacted society and history in important ways. The poems in this collection reflect the lives of the following people: Paul Revere, Sacagawea, Abraham Lincoln, Walt Whitman, Harriet Tubman, Thomas Alva Edison, Anne Sullivan Macy, Helen Adams Keller, Eleanor Roosevelt, George Herman “Babe” Ruth, Langston Hughes, Rosa Lee Parks, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Martin Luther King, Jr., Neil Alden Armstrong, and Edwin Eugene “Buzz” Aldrin, Jr. With the poems written by numerous poets including Jane Yolen, Lawrence Schimel, Nikki Grimes, and J. Patrick Lewis, the quality of the verses in this collection are on par with the quality of each individual included in the book.
Each poem presents a strong portrayal of the individual’s life and contributions to history and many of the poems present a story surrounding a specific accomplishment of this person. For example, Schimel’s poem “This Bell Rings for Liberty” addresses Paul Revere’s famous ride to warn of the British; Yolen’s “A Song for Sacagawea” tells of her efforts helping during the Lewis & Clark Expedition; McLoughland’s “The Whippoorwill Calls” highlights Harriet Tubman’s work with the Underground Railroad; and Phillips writes about Babe Ruth’s baseball legacy in the poem “When Babe Ruth Hit His Last Home Run.” Additionally, the accompanying illustrations on the pages opposite the poems add another layer to the collection as they portray the individuals and their lives through vivid colors and portrait-like poses.
The poems and their topics are focused and offer the reader a glimpse at the strength of each individual’s life and accomplishments. The poems themselves are timeless, as they tell the history of an event or a person that has already occurred and left a mark on history. For readers who enjoy biographies and learning about history and those who impacted it, these poems are authentic and engaging.
The poems incorporate a variety of forms, with free verse being used frequently to present the story of the individual’s life. The poets, however, still incorporate many elements of figurative language and imagery to convey the importance of the poems’ messages.
For example, in the poem “The Whippoorwill Calls,” the author writes “And the warm air / Carries the haunting sound / Across the fields” (p. 10), reiterating the serious work of Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad and the dangers they faced.
Also, in the poem entitled “Abe,” Schertle writes “young Abe / of the too-short pants / and too-long legs, / … / wrapping his bony fingers around / the handle of an axe” (p. 6) to help the readers visualize Abraham Lincoln as a young child. She counters this image in the next stanza when she writes “grew into Abe / of the sad eyes / of the face carved deep / by sorrow, / wrapping his strong hands / around a nation, / trying to hold the bleeding halves / together / until they healed” (p. 6). The inclusion of such strong imagery to describe the country’s status during his presidency pairs well with the description of Lincoln’s presentation of himself during this time, leaving the reader with a clearer sense of who he was as a person.
Lastly, this poetry collection contains a section at the end of the book entitled “Notes on the Lives” in which the individuals presented in the poems are discussed in brief biographical detail. These short biographies help tie the poems in the book together as the reader can see how each of the individuals portrayed were worthy of inclusion in a book about famous Americans.
MODULE 3 POETRY BREAK: UNUSUAL FORM -- LIMERICK
A limerick from Stephen Krensky’s
There Once Was a Very Odd School and Other Lunch-Box Limericks
Introduction:
Ask students to brainstorm a list of what they feel are the most questionable foods from the school cafeteria – the items that bring moans and groans from them and their friends.
Poem:
Nick stares at his food tray in fear.
He wonders what’s happening here.
Spaghetti that wriggles?
And Jell-O that giggles?
He might just skip lunch for the year.
(p. 5)
Extension:
Let the students have fun with the silly and humorous ideas associated with limericks. Working in partners, have students brainstorm actions that can be associated with the foods listed from the introduction. For example, do the green beans squirm? Does the meat ooze? Then, have students plug in their ideas into the given limerick, changing the first line to reflect their own name.
After all of the students have created their own limericks, hold a limerick contest. Read all of the student-generated limericks aloud and have a vote on which one is most hilariously accurate!
Bibliographic information:
Krensky, Stephen. 2004. There once was a very odd school and other lunch-box limericks. Petrosino, T. (Illus.). New York: Dutton Children’s Books.
There Once Was a Very Odd School and Other Lunch-Box Limericks
Introduction:
Ask students to brainstorm a list of what they feel are the most questionable foods from the school cafeteria – the items that bring moans and groans from them and their friends.
Poem:
Nick stares at his food tray in fear.
He wonders what’s happening here.
Spaghetti that wriggles?
And Jell-O that giggles?
He might just skip lunch for the year.
(p. 5)
Extension:
Let the students have fun with the silly and humorous ideas associated with limericks. Working in partners, have students brainstorm actions that can be associated with the foods listed from the introduction. For example, do the green beans squirm? Does the meat ooze? Then, have students plug in their ideas into the given limerick, changing the first line to reflect their own name.
After all of the students have created their own limericks, hold a limerick contest. Read all of the student-generated limericks aloud and have a vote on which one is most hilariously accurate!
Bibliographic information:
Krensky, Stephen. 2004. There once was a very odd school and other lunch-box limericks. Petrosino, T. (Illus.). New York: Dutton Children’s Books.
MODULE 3 POETRY BOOK REVIEW: VERSE NOVEL
girl coming in for a landing
by April Halprin Wayland
Bibliographic information:
Wayland, April Halprin. 2002. girl coming in for a landing: a novel in poems. Clayton, E. (Illus.). New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
Excerpts:
"BACK TO SCHOOL LAST YEAR”
Last year
I worried about where the rooms were
and all those kids
I didn’t know
what kind of binder to buy (three-ring?)
or how much lunch money to bring.
Last year I got my hair cut the day before school started.
Dumb me.
It was way too short that first day.
And last year I didn’t know if I should buy new jeans
or if my comfortable overalls would be dorky …
or even if anyone cared.
Last year I wasn’t sure what time to set my alarm.
Last year
I was scared.
(pg. 10)
_______________________________________
“BACK TO SCHOOL THIS YEAR”
This year
I’ve got the perfect organizer
with pockets for every subject (except PE).
This year
I ironed my lavender shirt three days ago
and laid everything out last night.
This year
I set the alarm for six forty-five:
just right.
This year
I got my hair cut two weeks ago
so that it is exactly the right length today.
This year
I have Mr. C for science,
Mr. Barton from Tennessee for language arts
and Ms. Konigsberg
for chorus.
Again.
Last year I worried: Who was I? What did I know?
This year
I put on glitter Chap Stick and go!
(pg. 11)
___________________________________________
“TWO GREAT THINGS”
He walked me to orchestra today.
This is the first time he’s walked me to a class on purpose –
we weren’t just in the hall, going the same way.
My legs felt Not Mine.
I was aware of the spacing of his paces.
I focused on keeping up.
Then he announced,
“I like what you said at lunch about hate crimes.”
He liked what I said.
Two Great Things at once.
I didn’t know he was listening to us at lunch (!)
which is a good thing. Because I was on fire;
I have a lot to say about hate crimes—
but when Carlo appears,
my brain goes in my lunch sack,
and my lunch sack gets tossed in the trash.
If I had known he was listening at lunch, I would have
opened my mouth
and out would have come
garbage.
(p. 91)
_____________________________________________
Evaluation:
This verse novel, girl coming in for a landing, encompasses many great features of both poetry and young adult literature – a strong voice, emotion-backed description, convincing narrative, and characters with which readers can identify.
Wayland’s poems are full of authenticity as she portrays the important experiences common to so many teenagers – fitting in, falling in love, making friends, surviving classes, and finding their own interests in life. The titles of each poem act like chapter titles, connecting the individual experiences told through the verse to the broader experience of growing up. Additionally, the illustrations contribute to the poems they accompany with many of them reminiscent of a teenager’s sketch pad as he or she tries to find meaning in his or her life.
Each poem in the novel captures an important experience in the character’s life, with the free verse adding additional emphasis to the emotions behind each experience. With this verse novel, Wayland reminds the reader that poetry does not always have to rhyme in order to be powerful or memorable; the carefully constructed verses lend themselves to a timelessness with which most adolescents in most time periods can identify.
Within the novel and story itself, Wayland incorporates poetry elements and figurative language that will engage young adult readers. For example, in the poem “Mr. C Explains the Double Helix,” Wayland presents a concrete poem in the shape of a double helix.
Additionally, in the poem entitled “Crush x 2,” Wayland encourages readers to feel the character’s dilemma and mood when she uses alliteration and rhyme to convey the decision with which she is wrestling:
“…Carlo plays cello. He’s mellow.
Frank’s full of drama and trauma.
Carlo sits back and admires.
Frank sets figurative fires….” (p. 17)
The variety of verse and poetry elements in this novel will engage young adult readers as they explore life experiences through the lenses of poetry and powerful language.
Lastly, Wayland includes an “After Words” section and an index at the end of the novel. The index is useful for readers who might be engaged and interested in the story based largely on the poem titles given in the novel. The “After Words” section is a wonderful discussion of how Wayland came to write the verse novel, as well as anecdotes and inspiration for readers who want to dabble in poetry. With these additions, this verse novel will provide much inspiration for readers and writers as they see how language can provide the depth of emotion and energy needed to convey life’s experiences – good and bad – through writing.
by April Halprin Wayland
Bibliographic information:
Wayland, April Halprin. 2002. girl coming in for a landing: a novel in poems. Clayton, E. (Illus.). New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
Excerpts:
"BACK TO SCHOOL LAST YEAR”
Last year
I worried about where the rooms were
and all those kids
I didn’t know
what kind of binder to buy (three-ring?)
or how much lunch money to bring.
Last year I got my hair cut the day before school started.
Dumb me.
It was way too short that first day.
And last year I didn’t know if I should buy new jeans
or if my comfortable overalls would be dorky …
or even if anyone cared.
Last year I wasn’t sure what time to set my alarm.
Last year
I was scared.
(pg. 10)
_______________________________________
“BACK TO SCHOOL THIS YEAR”
This year
I’ve got the perfect organizer
with pockets for every subject (except PE).
This year
I ironed my lavender shirt three days ago
and laid everything out last night.
This year
I set the alarm for six forty-five:
just right.
This year
I got my hair cut two weeks ago
so that it is exactly the right length today.
This year
I have Mr. C for science,
Mr. Barton from Tennessee for language arts
and Ms. Konigsberg
for chorus.
Again.
Last year I worried: Who was I? What did I know?
This year
I put on glitter Chap Stick and go!
(pg. 11)
___________________________________________
“TWO GREAT THINGS”
He walked me to orchestra today.
This is the first time he’s walked me to a class on purpose –
we weren’t just in the hall, going the same way.
My legs felt Not Mine.
I was aware of the spacing of his paces.
I focused on keeping up.
Then he announced,
“I like what you said at lunch about hate crimes.”
He liked what I said.
Two Great Things at once.
I didn’t know he was listening to us at lunch (!)
which is a good thing. Because I was on fire;
I have a lot to say about hate crimes—
but when Carlo appears,
my brain goes in my lunch sack,
and my lunch sack gets tossed in the trash.
If I had known he was listening at lunch, I would have
opened my mouth
and out would have come
garbage.
(p. 91)
_____________________________________________
Evaluation:
This verse novel, girl coming in for a landing, encompasses many great features of both poetry and young adult literature – a strong voice, emotion-backed description, convincing narrative, and characters with which readers can identify.
Wayland’s poems are full of authenticity as she portrays the important experiences common to so many teenagers – fitting in, falling in love, making friends, surviving classes, and finding their own interests in life. The titles of each poem act like chapter titles, connecting the individual experiences told through the verse to the broader experience of growing up. Additionally, the illustrations contribute to the poems they accompany with many of them reminiscent of a teenager’s sketch pad as he or she tries to find meaning in his or her life.
Each poem in the novel captures an important experience in the character’s life, with the free verse adding additional emphasis to the emotions behind each experience. With this verse novel, Wayland reminds the reader that poetry does not always have to rhyme in order to be powerful or memorable; the carefully constructed verses lend themselves to a timelessness with which most adolescents in most time periods can identify.
Within the novel and story itself, Wayland incorporates poetry elements and figurative language that will engage young adult readers. For example, in the poem “Mr. C Explains the Double Helix,” Wayland presents a concrete poem in the shape of a double helix.
Additionally, in the poem entitled “Crush x 2,” Wayland encourages readers to feel the character’s dilemma and mood when she uses alliteration and rhyme to convey the decision with which she is wrestling:
“…Carlo plays cello. He’s mellow.
Frank’s full of drama and trauma.
Carlo sits back and admires.
Frank sets figurative fires….” (p. 17)
The variety of verse and poetry elements in this novel will engage young adult readers as they explore life experiences through the lenses of poetry and powerful language.
Lastly, Wayland includes an “After Words” section and an index at the end of the novel. The index is useful for readers who might be engaged and interested in the story based largely on the poem titles given in the novel. The “After Words” section is a wonderful discussion of how Wayland came to write the verse novel, as well as anecdotes and inspiration for readers who want to dabble in poetry. With these additions, this verse novel will provide much inspiration for readers and writers as they see how language can provide the depth of emotion and energy needed to convey life’s experiences – good and bad – through writing.
MODULE 3 POETRY CHOICE: UNRHYMED POETRY BREAK
“Laughing Tomatoes / Jitomates risueños”
by Francisco X. Alarcón in Laughing Tomatoes and Other Spring Poems
Introduction:
Bring in a selection of spring vegetables and display them on the table. Ask participants to select a vegetable that they feel connects to an emotion of the season (i.e. happy, playful, serious, relaxed).
Poem:
in our backyard
we plant
tomatoes
the happiest
of all
vegetables
with joy
they grow round
with flavor
laughing
they change
to red
turning
their wire-framed
bushes
into
Christmas trees
in spring
_________________________________
en el jardín
plantamos
jitomates
los vegetales
más felices
de todos
alegres
se redondean
de sabor
risueños
se ponen
colorados
convirtiendo
sus arbustos
alambrados
en árboles
de Navidad
en primavera
(p. 12)
Extension:
Have participants create a poem based on the vegetable and the associated emotion they selected. After sharing the poems, work with participants to create a window garden in which they plant seeds of the vegetables they selected. Decorate signs that include the vegetable name and an icon of the emotion so that visitors can identify the vegetables and their locations in the garden.
Bibliographic information:
Alarcón, Francisco X. 1997. Laughing tomatoes and other spring poems. Gonzalez, M. C. (Illus.). San Francisco: Children’s Book Press.
by Francisco X. Alarcón in Laughing Tomatoes and Other Spring Poems
Introduction:
Bring in a selection of spring vegetables and display them on the table. Ask participants to select a vegetable that they feel connects to an emotion of the season (i.e. happy, playful, serious, relaxed).
Poem:
in our backyard
we plant
tomatoes
the happiest
of all
vegetables
with joy
they grow round
with flavor
laughing
they change
to red
turning
their wire-framed
bushes
into
Christmas trees
in spring
_________________________________
en el jardín
plantamos
jitomates
los vegetales
más felices
de todos
alegres
se redondean
de sabor
risueños
se ponen
colorados
convirtiendo
sus arbustos
alambrados
en árboles
de Navidad
en primavera
(p. 12)
Extension:
Have participants create a poem based on the vegetable and the associated emotion they selected. After sharing the poems, work with participants to create a window garden in which they plant seeds of the vegetables they selected. Decorate signs that include the vegetable name and an icon of the emotion so that visitors can identify the vegetables and their locations in the garden.
Bibliographic information:
Alarcón, Francisco X. 1997. Laughing tomatoes and other spring poems. Gonzalez, M. C. (Illus.). San Francisco: Children’s Book Press.
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