Poetry Friday with a review of The adventures of Piratess Tilly

Today's poetry title is a real treat. I have never encountered a tale quite like it, and am delighted to share it with you. The narrative is told using a series of haiku, which just happens to be a poetry form that I really love. In the tale we meet a young girl who goes on a voyage of zoological discovery with some friends. Together they see and experience all kinds of wonderful things.

The Adventures of Piratess Tilly

Elizabeth Lorayne

Illustrated by Karen Watson

Poetry Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

White Wave Press. 2017, 978-0-9979098-4-5

Piratess Tilly has formed a family of sorts, and together they sail “the high seas” seeking out knowledge about the natural world. With her are seven boys who hail from seven countries, and then there is Yuki, a koala that she rescued from Australia. Inspired by the work of Charles Darwin and Beatrix Potter, the young naturalists set out on a voyage of discovery using an heirloom compass and nautical charts.

   Up goes the mainsail and with Tilly at the helm and Yuki and his map beside her, the crew of the Foster set sail for the Galapagos Islands. Many days travel lie ahead of them and Tilly takes the time to do research and create sketches.

  Finally land is sighted! Humpback whales breach in the ocean and Blue-footed boobies fly overhead, their “beaks full of fish.” The adventurers see marine iguanas and sea lions, and happily study sea life in the blue waters of the ocean. Then Yuki sees something that upsets them all. Pirates are stealing baby giant tortoises! The friends decide that they have to rescue the little reptiles before it is too late.

   In this delightful picture book, gorgeous illustrations are paired with carefully crafted haiku to take young readers on an adventure during which they meet avid young naturalists who travel the world. At the back of the book young readers are provided with biographies of Charles Darwin and Beatrix Potter, naturalists who celebrated the natural world through their writings and artwork.

Poetry Friday with a review of Family Reunion

I don't come from a big family, and the family members I do have are spread out all over the world so I don't see them very often. I often wish my cousins, uncle, and mother lived closer so that we could get together every so often. Thankfully I had a growing adopted family in my town and so we get together on a regular basis to spend time together. There is nothing quite like these times, when I look around my dinner table and see the faces of the people who are near and dear to me.

Today I bring you a poetry book that tells the story of a family reunion. We meet the family members and share in their special day from start to finish, and the experience is a delightful one.


Family Reunion

Marilyn Singer

Illustrated by R. W. Alley

Poetry Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Simon and Schuster, 1994, 978-0027828832

It is August, and sixty-two members of a family are going to be gathering for a family reunion. The night before the big day a little girl and her parents anxiously look at the television to find out what the weather will be like. Will their grand and much anticipated reunion be washed out or will the sun shine?

   The next morning the sun is out and everyone heads for Small Park, which is not small at all. They come laden down with toys, babies, food, chairs, and grills. Pulling wagons and holding onto the hands of toddlers they come. The family members have come to the park by bus, airplane, car, train, wheelchair, and every other conveyance that you can think of.

   Tables are covered with tablecloths and the food is brought out. The little girl notices that everyone eats corn in a different way. Aunt Alicia, who is always so prim and proper, cuts the kernels off using a knife and fork. Baby Ben takes one bite out of five cobs, and Uncle Henry talks while he chomps away, “spraying pith and corn juice / on everyone nearby.”

   Bobby goes under the table where the five grandmas are sitting and yells “Yo, Grandma.” Naturally all five grandmas look up and try to find the source of the call. This is the fourth time that Bobby has played with particular trick on the grandmas and every time he laughs.

   Cousin George is an altogether different kind of person. He is not a trickster or a joker, he is an arguer. He will argue about anything and everything just for the sake of it. He insists that a dandelion is a daisy, and that a Pekingese is a poodle. When he insists that an insect is cicada and not a centipede he gets Max so angry that Max puts the insect down Cousin George’s back. Now Cousin George is too busy wriggling and jumping around to argue with anyone.

   This wonderful collection of poems allows us to share a special summer day with a very large, colorful, exuberant, and interesting collection of people. A meal is eaten, games are played, and in the end the family members are left with a glorious memory, and a family photo, that they will cherish for years to come.

Poetry Friday with a review of When Green becomes tomatoes: Poems for all seasons

I love living in a place where there are four seasons. I look forward to the crisp air of the fall, the cozy days by the fire in winter, the first signs of life in spring, and the bright skies and warm sun of summer. Each season is packed with gifts that I can anticipate and then enjoy. Today's poetry title celebrates some of these gifts using beautiful language and charming illustrations.


When Green becomes tomatoes: Poems for all seasons

Julie Fogliano

Illustrated by Julie Morstad

Poetry

For ages 6 to 8

Roaring Brook Press, 2016, 978-1-59643-852-1

We live in a world where we are constantly being told that we need this thing or that thing to be happy and to feel fulfilled. The truth of the matter is that often the things that truly make us happy are the simple ones, the ones that are all around us and often free for the taking: seeing the first daffodil in spring, tasting the first bite of summer watermelon, jumping in a pile of leaves in the fall, and watching the snow fall in winter. These are seasonal gifts that are both priceless and precious.

   In this wonderful poetry collection Julie Fogliano brings us delightful little poems that are paired with expressive illustrations to take us through the year a season at a time. We begin in spring when a bird perching on a snow-covered tree branch starts to sing, “each tweet poking / a tiny hole / through the edge of winter.” Another messenger of spring is a little crocus “a tiny, blue hello” that sends its little blossoms up through the snow.

   In summer we have “a day that drips / hot and thick like honey,” and on that day the narrator will find respite from the heat by swimming in the river. Summer is the season of fireflies, ripening tomatoes, and picnics on the beach, where plums and peanut butter sandwiches are “a little bit salty / and warm from the sun.”

   No matter how much we love “sunshine and swimming and sea / and strawberries,” when September arrives many of us are eager to “move on / to something that’s new.” This is the time when we wait for sweater weather, “when notebooks are new” and when leaf jumping is around the corner.

   Then in December, we wake up one morning to see that the first snow has fallen; “just like magic” it has arrived “on tiptoes / overnight.” Under a canopy of snow, pretty trees become stunning and things that we would consider unattractive are “suddenly beautiful / with snow on top.”

   Though minimalist in nature, the poems in this collection are rich with emotion and imagery.  

Poetry Friday with a review of Out and About: A First book of Poems

There are some children's book authors and illustrators out there who have a gift for capturing golden childhood moments; moments like the joy of playing in puddles, and the happiness that children experience when they spray each other with a garden hose. These are everyday experiences, and yet they are precious all the same. Shirley Hughes is one of these author illustrators, and today I bring a poetry picture book that she created. The title is packed with those glorious moments that make life rich and worthwhile.


Out and About: A first book of poems

Shirley Hughes

Poetry Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Candlewick Press, 2015, 978-0763676445

It is spring and a little girl, wearing a pair of shiny, new wellington boots, runs down the front path, a stick in hand, eager to “scamper and shout.” There is so much to do and see at this time of year, and the little girl is delighted when she finds some wonderful mud puddles. There is nothing like playing in mud that is “slippy, sloppy, squelchy.”

   Of course, mud only comes about when there is rain. All too often spring is a rainy time of year. It is a time of “Wet umbrellas” and, alas, the “Running noses, / Damp feet” that often go with wet weather.

   Soon enough, overcast skies fade away and the sun comes out. Summer arrives, the days get warm, and the little girl can indulge her love of water, this time by going to the swimming pool, by sloshing it out of buckets and spraying it out of a hose. A baby pool full of water in a garden offers hours of entertainment for the little girl, her little brother and their friends. Spraying hoses produce lots of “shrieks,” laughter, and wonderful “Squirting rainbows.”

   Fall is a time for “feasts” for people and animals alike. The little girl goes to the farmer’s market with her mother and brother to get “juicy plums and stripy marrows” and pumpkins for Hallowe’en. Mice gather grains of barley, birds eat berries, and squirrels “hoard nuts.”

  Winter brings misty mornings and sometimes sick days, which are hard to bear. All the little girl can think about as she lies in bed, fretting, is “When will I be better? / When can I get up?” Thankfully this is also the time of year when Christmas comes, bringing with it “Decorations / On a tree,” “hot mince pies” and “A Christmas surprise!”

   This lovely collection of little poems beautifully captures the joys and woes of a little child’s life as the seasons unfold. Delightful, heart-warming illustrations take us in to the little girl’s world and they remind us that so many gifts wait for us when we are out and about.

Poetry Friday with a review of W is for Woof: A dog alphabet

For many people their dogs are much loved and valued members of the family. We humans spend a great deal of time caring for our dogs, and we often take them with us wherever we go. There is a very good reason for all this: dogs are marvelous companions. They freely give us their loyalty and devotion; they forgive us for our failings and love us unconditionally. I have wonderful dogs in my life, so I am delighted to bring you a book today that is a bookish celebration of all things canine.

W Is for Woof: A Dog Alphabet
Ruth Strother
Illustrated by Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen
Nonfiction and Poetry Picture Book
For ages 6 to 10
Sleeping Bear Press, 2008, 978-1585363438
Though dogs come in a wide variety of colors, shapes, and sizes, they all belong to the same species, Canis familiaris. Over the centuries, humans have bred dogs for certain characteristics, which is why there are so many different kinds today.
   These facts are just a few of the things you will learn about dogs when you read this book. Presented in the form of an alphabet book, this title looks at a wide variety of topics that relate to dogs. For each letter of the alphabet, the author has chosen a topic that is explored using a short four line rhyming poem, an illustration, and a section of text.
   For example the letter D is for “domestication.” A short poem explains what domestication is, and the text expands on this concept by explaining that some scientists think that dogs were domesticated by humans 40,000 to 135,000 years ago. Our pet’s ancestors were probably wolves who were drawn to the settlements of humans, and who were tamed and bred to guard and hunt.
   The letter L is for “love.” Anyone who has had a dog in their lives will know that one thing that you can always count on when it comes to dogs is that they will be your companion and they will love you. As the poem on the L page says: “You can count on this love to always be true.” The love and devotion of dogs is one of the biggest reasons why so many humans choose to share their lives with these wonderful animals.
   Packed with fascinating information, this picture book can be enjoyed on several levels. Young readers will enjoy the poems and the artwork, while older readers will find the longer sections of informative text interesting. This is just one of many alphabet books published by Sleeping Bear Press, and like all the other titles, it is a book that children can grow up with.

Poetry Friday with a review of I, too, sing America: Three Centuries of African American Poetry

Many of us take education for granted. It does not occur to us that being able to go to school and university is a privilege. Not that long ago, African Americans were not allowed to learn how to read and write, and even when the doors of schools were finally open to them, the education that they received was mediocre at best.

Luckily for us many African Americans found their voices in spite of racism, segregation, and inequality. They learned how to read and write, they went to school, they put up with all kinds of privations, and they created marvelous stories and poetry. Today's poetry title is a celebration of African American poetry, and the book is packed with poems that delight the ear and excite the mind.

I, too, sing America: Three Centuries of African American Poetry

Catherine Clinton

Illustrated by Stephen Alcorn

Poetry

For ages 9 and up

Houghton Mifflin, 2017, 978-0544582569

The slaves who were brought to America were subjected to unspeakable cruelties. Deprived of their family members, their community, their history, their culture, and their language, they were cut off from everything that was familiar. After being sold, they (and many of their descendants) were denied the right to learn how to read and write, but countless creative African Americans found ways to bring glorious language into their lives through song. Then there were those who learned how to read and write in secret; others were lucky enough to be working for enlightened people who allowed them to become educated.  

   In this wonderful book, readers will encounter the stories and the writings of African American poets, beginning with those who were brought to the United States as slaves, and ending with poets who are creating poems for present day readers.

   The collection begins with the story of, and a poem written by, Lucy Terry. Lucy was born in Africa, sold into slavery, and then she went to live in a community in Massachusetts that was greatly affected by an Indian raid which took place on the twenty-fifth of August in 1746. Lucy wrote about the raid in her poem Bars Fight, in which she memorializes the people who died in the attack. The poem was passed down orally from person to person for generations until it was published in 1855.

   Phyllis Wheatley, who was born in the Gambia, was special in that she was greatly supported in her writing journey by the people who bought her. She learned to read and write English, and was only fourteen when her first verse was published. She went on to learn Latin, and a patron helped her find a London publisher for her collection of verse. Phyllis even made the journey across the Atlantic so that she could meet some of her admirers in England. Her poem Liberty and Peace captures her belief in “the principals that fuels the American Revolution and the antislavery movement…”

   We go on to meet George Moses Horton, who, unlike Phyllis, was denied an education and so he wrote his poems in his head. He shared his writings with students who were studying at the nearby University of North Carolina. George’s patrons wanted to buy his freedom but his master refused to allow this. George did find a way to learn how to write, and in all he wrote three volumes of poetry. In his poems George often openly spoke about the “agony of bondage and the desire for liberty” which we can see for ourselves when we read his poem On liberty and slavery. The poem is an appeal that is heartfelt and powerful.

   Other poets whose stories and poems appear in this collection include W.E.B. Du Bois, Langston Hughes, Margaret Walker, Maya Angelou, and Nikki Giovanni.

   Readers of all ages will be captivated by this extraordinary collection. We get to know each poet a little by reading their biographies, and then get to experience their writing through their poems. It is interesting to see how the styles and subject matters in the poems changed as the years went by, and to see how the poems were influenced by what was happening in the world at the time when they were written.

Poetry Friday with a review of Animal Ark

I have been an animal lover all my life. When I was very young and living in a small Lebanese mountain village I used to feed the wild tortoises and hedgehogs. I spent hours lying on my belly so that I could watch ants going about their business, and knew where all the tadpole pools and beetle hideouts were. I begged my parents to get me a donkey (after all my friend had one) but they said no and broke my heart.

I still have not had a pet donkey, but a wonderful parade of creatures have been a part of my life. There have been dogs, cats, guinea pigs, Gracie the potbelly pig, Scout and Jemima the ducks, and Nelson, the grumpy one-eyed turtle.

Because I am such an animal mad person I was thrilled to get today's poetry book in the mail. In this book beautiful lines of verse are paired with photographs of wild creatures that could, if we are not careful, become extinct.

Animal Ark

Kwame Alexander

Photographs by Joel Sartore

Poetry Picture Book

For ages 5 to 8

National Geographic, 2017, 978-1-4263-2767-4

We share our planet with a dazzling, remarkable array of animals. The smallest little beetles with their iridescent wing cases; the striped tiger, that “grandfather of the hunt;” the elephant with its “giant stomping feet;” and the tiny beach mouse that goes “scurrying inside dunes” on little pattering feet. All are marvelous and precious, and all need to be saved.

   In this remarkable book the gorgeous and vibrant photos of Joel Sartore are paired with Kwame Alexander’s beautiful, lyrical haiku to create a powerful ode to the “chorus of creatures” that live on this planet of ours. The photos show us a bird that dances, a frog that leaps, and tortoises that steadfastly trundle along carrying their “homes of courage / on humble backs.” We see panda babies snuggled together, and a bird sleeping with his feathers fluffed. We gaze into the eyes of a slow loris, which are as “big as two sunsets.” There is the sweetness of a baby tapir, and the “tiny growls” of a clouded leopard cub.

   All these remarkable living creatures are part of our family, and we are connected to them in countless ways. With these connections come responsibilities. We must protect these “secret siblings” that are all too often adversely affected by our actions. We need to “listen to the earth” and take care of our precious family before it is too late.

   At the back of this beautiful and memorable book, readers will find notes from the photographer and the author, information about haiku, and a directory that gives us the names of the animals shown in the book and the places that they come from. Each one of these thirty-two species are in peril to a greater or lesser degree.

  

Poetry Friday with a review of Fresh-Picked Poetry: A day at the farmer’s market

Here is southern Oregon it finally feels as if summer is on its way. One of the things many of us look forward to during the warmer months are our local farmer's markets. Our weekly market reopened recently, and it was wonderful to see the familiar faces again, and to get big hugs from the mushroom man and from the pie lady. Today's poetry title gives us the opportunity to visit a farmer's market and to experience the many treats that such markets offer visitors.


Fresh-Picked Poetry: A day at the farmer’s market
Michelle Schaub
Illustrated by Amy Huntington
Poetry Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
Charlesbridge, 2017, 978-1-58089-547-7
It is market day, which means that while you are asleep “snuggled tight,” farmers are up and about harvesting, sorting, washing, and loading their crops. Then they “Hit the road / Just as dawn / pinks the sky.” By the time we arrive, with baskets and bags at the ready, their tents are up, and their tables are loaded with their wares.
   Some of the farmers, like Farmer Rick, like to arrange their produce so that it looks beautiful. He creates “cauliflower towers” and “pyramids of peppers,” and everything is always laid out in “perfect symmetry.”
   Fruits and veggies are not the only things you can buy in a farmer’s market. Take a deep sniff and it is likely that you are going to pick up the aroma of mouth-watering baked goods. Floating over the market comes “a whiff of vanilla, a whisper of spice.” We follow our nose to find tables laden with cupcakes, pies, bread, croissants, and muffins, all of which are still warm from the oven.
   Often musicians play at the market, entertaining the shoppers with their songs and melodies. Children can get their faces painted, and they can choose a dress-up costume from a big chest to wear. While they play, their grownups wait in lines to shop and to have their knives and scissors sharpened by the knife sharpener.
   When the market closes the musician’s “notes are hushed,” and the produce crates are empty. In their homes people unload their fruits and veggies, their eggs and baked goods, and their jars of honey.
   This wonderful book of poetry takes readers out into the fresh air and sunshine where they get to experience the smells, sights, and sounds of a farmer’s market. Poems written in many forms allow us to enjoy the market vicariously; from dawn to the moment when the market closes down and the farmers head home.

Poetry Friday with a review of Hate that cat

I honestly cannot remember a time when I did not love to read. Books have been my dearest of companions since I was a child. I have always loved stories and the characters that inhabit them, but it wasn't until I was in school that I really understood the power of words. One of my teachers read Martin Luther King's I have a Dream speech to us and I was bowled over by it. Today's poetry book explores the idea that words and the ideas they impart can really change a person. In this case a boy learns to change his mind about something, and he also starts to understand that words, either spoke or read, can build connections between people.

Hate that cat 

Sharon Creech

Poetry

For ages 8 to 12

HarperCollins, 2008, 978-0-06-143092-3

Another school year has started and Jack is once more in Miss Stretchberry’s class and once again they are exploring poetry. Last year Jack wrote some amazing poems about his dog Sky, who was killed by a car. Miss Stretchberry asks Jack if he has any more Sky poems to share but he doesn’t. He has no more Sky poems in him, though he thinks he could write about a cat, a “crazy mean fat black cat.”

   Jack mentions that his uncle Bill does not think that the poems Jack has written thus far are proper poems because they have no rhyme, a regular meter, symbols, metaphors, alliteration, onomatopoeia, and all the other things that uncle Bill thinks a poem should have. Hearing this makes Jack want to “punch” his uncle.

   Luckily, Miss Stretchberry has a more enlightened view of what constitutes a poem, and knowing that she is on his side makes Jack feel a lot better. Mind you, she does get her students to explore what alliteration and onomatopoeia are, and Jack starts to enjoy the process. He creates a poem in homage to one that was written by Edgar Allen Poe, and in his poem he uses lots of sound words. Exploring what onomatopoeia can do for a poem makes Jack wonder what it would be like to read a poem that is full of sound words if you could not hear. How would you perceive a yip, a squeak, and a buzz if you could not hear them?

   Thanks to a cat that lives in his neighborhood, the “mean” cat, Jack does not like cats, but he does enjoy studying a poem about cats. Then Miss Stretchberry brings in her kittens, and Jack cannot help feeling that they are “fantastically funny.” He insists that he would not like one though because kittens grow into cats and cats are “creepy.” We then find out why Jack hates cats. He tried to rescue one and got clawed for his pains.

   As he continues to explore poems, Jack finds out that many people like cats. Even his hero, the author Walter Dean Myers, has a soft spot for felines. In spite of himself, Jack’s anti-cat feelings begin to soften round the edges. Maybe just a little. When Jack’s parents give him a kitten for Christmas he softens completely.

   As the days unfold Jack dives into exploring more and more poems. Poems about cats, of course, and poems that have stories, and sounds, and so much more. What he never expects is that the glorious words in poems will help him build a new bridge between himself and his mother; his loving mother who cannot hear words at all.

   This remarkable book takes us through a young boy’s year, a year full of exploration, discovery, and new beginnings. We see as his eyes are opened to so many new possibilities as he learns to love cats, to connect with his mother in new ways, and to appreciate fully the glory of the written word.

   

Poetry Friday with a review of The Barefoot Books of Earth Poems

Happy almost Earth Day! Tomorrow millions of Americans will finds ways to celebrate the fact that we live on a beautiful planet. Many will talk about what we can do to protect it. Others will actually do things to make our natural environment cleaner and healthier by committing to driving their cars less, by starting recycling programs, and by picking up rubbish in parks and on beaches. 

Today's poetry title serves as a tribute to Earth's many beauties, marvels, and gifts. 

The Barefoot Books of Earth Poems

Complied by Judith Nicholls

Illustrated by Beth Krommes

Poetry Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Barefoot Books, 2003, 978-1-78285-278-0

Nature is a powerful force in our world and over the centuries its beauty and majesty has inspired countless poets to “represent the sights and sounds of nature, and the feelings that nature evokes in us.” Through their poems, these writers have celebrated nature. Some have also asked their readers to appreciate what is around them, and to look after the natural world so that it might be enjoyed by future generations.

   For this collection Judith Nicholls has brought together poems that were written by people from all over the world. We begin with the words of Mary Kawena Pukui, a Hawaiian poet, whose poem celebrates the fact that birds, flowers, trees, and ocean creatures remind us that our planet is a truly “lovely world” no matter where we live.

   In Father and I in the woods David McCord uses spare language and dialogue to remind us that the best way to be a part of nature is to walk instead of run, to be silent instead of talking, and to just “be” so that we can observe the “sky and brook and bird / And tree.”

   In Everything’s Wet we experience a rainfall, and in Winter we read of a “white horse” that brings the snow, which “filled the land with its spirit.” We encounter stars and the sun, a lark rising up into the air and filling the sky with its song. We are told about Forest, a living entity that keeps her counsel, who dreams of the world when “the earth was young,” and who is woken by the howl of the howler monkey in the morning. Just as Forest keeps her secrets, we in turn must “keep Forest.”

   The poems in this collection are beautifully varied and constantly surprising. They delight they ear, and are accompanied by beautiful artwork which delights the eye. 

Poetry Friday with a review of Animal Naps

Most people will admit (more or less freely) that when they see a sleeping child or animal they get a little squishy feeling inside. I am one of these people, and therefore my Facebook page is crowded with photos of my sleeping cats and dogs. I was therefore attracted to this book from the very start. I saw the cover and had to suppress an immediate "awwwww." The fact that the book pairs gorgeous photos of sleeping animals with beautiful poems made it a must-read title for me. I hope you get the chance to read the book for yourself.

Animal Naps

Catherine Ham

Poetry Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Earlylight Books, 2011, 978-0-9832014-1-0

There is something incredibly appealing about a sleeping animal, even an animal that is normally considered scary. At that moment, with their eyes closed, they are vulnerable and even cute. At that moment we can admire them (or gawp at them) knowing that they are not going to run, fly, or slither off.

   In this wonderful book the author pairs beautiful photos of sleeping animals with poems, giving us a unique frozen moment in time to look at all kinds of animals when they are dozing, snoozing, and napping.

   She begins with a trio of shar pei puppies that are piled up, their wrinkly skin loose and rippled, their eyes scrunched shut. She asks us if we think that “maybe they’re dreaming / of growing to fit into their skin.”

   Next there is a fox and we learn from the poem that foxes on their own don’t sleep in a den. As far as the lone fox is concerned “Almost any place will do.” The fox settles down on the ground and drops off after it has wrapped its “warm tail around his face.”

   Koalas are a little more particular about where they sleep. They tend to prefer a fork in a tree that offers them a secure place to nap, which they do for many hours every day.  

   Sloths also sleep in trees, which is not surprising as they rarely come down to the ground. These strange animals favor sleeping upside down. The author wonders if we should “give that a try, you and me?”

  In all, the author of this book gives us twenty-four animal portraits to enjoy. In many of the poems she provides readers with information about the featured animal, telling us about their habits, what they eat, where they live and more. The poetry forms she uses vary greatly, and readers will be delighted at the touches of humor that can be found in many of the verses.  

Poetry Friday with a review of Underneath my bed: List Poems

I have always been a list writer. Lists help me focus, and crossing things off my lists makes me feel as if I have accomplished something. In all the years that I have been writing lists, it never occurred to me that they could actually be creative. I was therefore tickled pink when I came across today's poetry title. It turns out that a list can actually be a poem! Who knew.

Underneath my bed: List Poems  
Brian P. Cleary
Illustrated by Richard Watson
Poetry
For ages 6 to 8
Millbrook, 2017, 978-1-4677-9343-8
A list is just a list, right? There is nothing creative about a list because it is utilitarian; unless it is a list poem. A list poem is a list that is turned into something more. The words in such poems can rhyme or not, and they can “range in tone from serious to silly.”
   In this excellent introduction to list poems the author begins by telling us what list poems are. Then he presents us with lots of samples of this poetry form to read. For example, we visit a bus stop where we meet a group of people, all of whom are doing different things. Tonya is texting while “Tony twirls like a ballerina.” Chloe is reading, and “Luke listens to tunes.” This list may not seem like much but after you read the poem a time or two you realize how effectively it captures a moment in time, giving us a picture of the people who are who are waiting at the bus stop.
   Further on in the book we encounter a poem called Summer Camp. In it a narrator lists all the woes of summer camp life, which include, among other things, the stinging and biting insects, the “corny songs and no TVs,” and let’s not forget the bunkmate who cries every night due to an acute case of homesickness. There is no doubt that camp can really be “a bummer,” and yet the narrator still “can’t wait till I come back next summer!”
   The topics covered in these poems will certainly resonate with young readers. There is a poem about the ties a teacher wears to school, one about the stuff a child stashes under his bed, another about the reasons why dinosaurs went extinct, and much more.
   All in all this is a wonderful poetry collection. Perhaps best of all, young readers will see that something as mundane as a list can be turned into something creative, amusing, or thought- provoking.
 
 

Poetry Friday with a review of One minute to Bedtime: 60 Second poems to send you off to sleep

When by daughter was little, every night we would go through a series of rituals. She would have her bath and put on her jim jams, and then she brush her teeth and her hair. Then, up in her bedroom, she would choose the stuffed animals she was going to sleep with, and the book she wanted me to read to her. After story time we would turn out the main light and she and I would sing our goodnight song together. Of course, Elise would try to find ways to prolong her bedtime. She would ask for another story, another round of our song, a different stuffed animal...and so on.

Today's poetry title was written for children of course, but it was also written for all those wonderful, patient grownups who have to put procrastinating little ones to bed every night. The book is packed with short little poems that are perfect for those "just one more" moments. They give little children a little something extra before they finally close their eyes and go to sleep.

One minute to Bedtime: 60 Second poems to send you off tosleep

Selected by Kenn Nesbitt

Illustrated by Christoph Niemann

Poetry Book

For ages 4 to 6

Little Brown, 2016, 978-0316341219

Many grownups hear, on a regular basis, the words “just one more!” at bedtime; one more story is required before the light can be switched off. The child in their life is sleepy, warm, and cozy in bed, and yet he or she is not quite ready to fall asleep. Almost, but not quite.

  This book of poems is just the thing to pull off the shelf when those words are uttered. The collection is packed with short poems that “feed the imagination, fuel the love of reading,” and send the child “off to sleep in a snap.”

   We begin with a poem called Whew! which takes us through the evening and bedtime rituals of a young child. Dinner is eaten, the trash is taken out, the child gets clean, and teeth are brushed. Pajamas are slipped on, pillows are fluffed, and Ted is picked up and carried off to bed. It is only after all these things are done that the child is at last free “to read.”

   Then there is a poem about how every book we read “makes a home inside your head.” In another a child tells us how much he or she likes “old stories” that are full “inky drawings of  / enchanted castles, clanking chains, / pirate treasure” and many other marvelous things. The child does not mind that the storybooks that contain these tales are dusty, and that they have tattered pages. After all, the stories that lie between the covers might be old, but once, perhaps many years ago, they “were new.”

   In addition to books and stories, bedtime would not be complete without stuffed animals. In the poem Stuffed Animal Collection by Eileen Spinelli, we encounter a child who has so many stuffed animals that the mother calls her child’s bedroom a zoo.

   In this book there are poems of every flavor, color, shape, and size. In short, there is something here for every mood and inclination, and each one is a perfect gem that is just right for that, almost-asleep-but-not-quite interlude.

Poetry Friday with a review of Leave your sleep

I came across today's poetry book when I was visiting the library not long ago, and I fell in love with it. The art was the first thing that caught my eye. I am a huge fan of Barbara McClintock's work and always pick up a book when I see her gorgeous creations on the cover. Then I started to read the poetry and the preface to the book. Natalie Merchant put her heart and soul into this title, and let me tell you, it shows!

Leave your sleep

Natalie Merchant

Illustrated by Barbara McClintock

Poetry Picture book (with an audio CD of songs)

For ages 5 to 7

Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 2012, 978-0374343682

In 2010 singer and songwriter Natalie Merchant released a two-disc album. For the album she adapted 19^th and 20^th century American and British poetry for children and turned them into new songs. The project took five years to complete, and was a true labor of love that Natalie Merchant immersed herself into, heart and soul. Natalie chose poems that were “parables with lessons on human nature and bits of nonsense to challenge the natural order of things...”

   After the release of her album, Natalie was contacted by Frances Foster, an editor at Farrar, Straus and Giroux, who wanted to take her songs and turn them into a picture book for children. Thus it was that Natalie’s songs, which are a celebration of the written word, were paired with Barbara McClintock’s lush, colorful, and wonderfully detailed artwork.
   On the pages of the book readers will travel with a little girl to the land of Nod, as described by Robert Louis Stevenson. The little girl wanders beside streams and “up the mountain-sides of dreams,” and sees all manner of strange and sometimes “frightening sights.” The sad thing is that try as she might, the little girl can never get to the land of Nod “by day.” Nor can she “remember plain and clear / The curious music that I hear.”

   Then there is the tale of Isabel, who met an enormous bear, an old witch, a “hideous giant,”
and a “troublesome” doctor. All of these encounters could have ended very badly for Isabel, but thankfully the little girl was not the kind of child to worry or “scream or scurry.” In every instance, Isabel very firmly, yet calmly, dealt with the threat.

   This book is, without a doubt, a real treasure. It is a joy to read and a delight to look at, and would make a wonderful addition to a child’s library of ‘treasured books’.

Poetry Friday with a review of Guess Who, Haiku

When is a haiku more than a haiku? When the haiku is a puzzle that we need to solve. In this clever little book we are presented with ten haikum and in each case we need to guess what the haiku is describing. I love how playful and accessible this book is, and I imagine it will delight and charm little children with its clever imagery, its artwork, and its puzzles.

Guess Who, Haiku

Deanna Caswell

Illustrations by Bob Shea

Poetry Picture Book

For ages 4 to 6

Abrams, 2016, 978-1-4197-1889-2

These days we see words everywhere. They are on signs, on our television and phone screens, on food packages, and, of course, in books. Sometimes we take words for granted and forget that they are a gift. They give us information, help us to connect with others, and in the case of stories and poems, they enrich our lives with language that amuses, transports, and delights us.

   For this charming little collection of poems, Deanna Caswell puts together words to give us haiku that offer readers a puzzle to solve. Each haiku describes an animal of some kind, and we have to guess what the animal is from the clues we are given.

   The poet begins by saying “Here’s a haiku just for you,” and on the facing page is her gift; a little three-line poem that describes an animal that lives “on a farm,” that moos, and that produces “a fresh pail of milk.” She then asks “Can you guess who from this haiku?” When we turn the page we find the answer to this question; the animal we just read about is a cow.

   The poet then goes on to give us nine more haiku puzzles to solve, the animals we meet serving as our hosts as we go from page to page. At the end of the book the author tells us a little about haiku and how they are written.

Poetry Friday with a review of Everything on it

Most of us experience days when we are upset, out of sorts, or grumpy. What does one do on such a day? A little self care is always a good place to start, and for me dipping into a book is often the perfect way to counter an unhappy mind and heart. Children experience blah days too and for them a book that is full of giggles and smiles is often just what they need. Packed with funny and wacky poems, today's poetry title is a perfect book to share with a child when he or she is having a hard day.

Everything on it

Shel Silverstein

Poetry

For ages 6 to 8

HarperCollins, 2011, 978-0-06-199816-4

Have you ever ordered a hot dog with everything on it? Perhaps you have and have experienced a hot dog loaded down with chili and onions and cheese and relish and…. Perhaps you even liked it. But, what would you have done if you ended up with a hot dog with literally everything on it? Everything including a parrot, a rake, a fiddle, and a front porch swing? Probably you would have refrained from making such an order again.

   In this wonderful collection of poems, there is a little bit of everything. There is the poem about the person who orders a hot dog with everything on it. Then we hear from a dentist who invented “trick or treat” so that children could fill their mouths with all kinds of sweet treats that would, ultimately, lead to them having to visit the dentist. Rather a clever trick don’t you think?

   We also meet a genie who, instead of granting wishes to the child who opened his magic flask, is a “meanie.” The genie is the one who tells the child what to do instead of the other way round, and the poor little girl labors all week long cleaning, cooking, and washing the genie’s “yucky undies.”

   Then there is the person who has a dreadful disease called lovetobutcants. This is an affliction that makes it impossible for the person to help put out the garbage can, carry a bag of groceries, cut grass and hedges, paint, wash dishes, and close doors. In fact the person cannot do anything that could be considered a chore. Though the person would “love to join the work,” the disease simply does not allow it.

   There is the kind of collection that readers can dip into at will. No matter where the reader begins there is always something on the page that will amuse and delight. Amusing stories, funny descriptions, and goofy characters fill this book, and the poems therefore serve as the perfect panacea for a case of the blues or blahs.

  

Poetry Friday with a review of Moo

Writing a novel written  in verse is a challenge most authors would think twice about taking on. The wonderful thing is that this writing form seems to be gaining popularity. I see more and more novels written in verse every year, which I think is wonderful. Sharon Creech is a master of this form and I am delighted to bring you my review of her latest book, Moo. On these pages you will meet a stubborn cow, a difficult old lady, and two children who somehow have to figure out how to get along with them both.

Moo

Sharon Creech

Poetry

For ages 8 and up

HarperCollins, 2016, 978-0-06-241524-0

One summer’s day Reena, her brother Luke and her parents are sitting in the family car stuck in a traffic jam. The noise, smells, and heat of the city throbs around them. Reena’s mother then asks her husband a question, one that ends up having huge consequences later. The question is, “do you still like reporting?” It turns out that Reena’s dad doesn’t really like his work anymore. Renna’s mother then suggests that they should “get out of here,” and when her husband asks where they should move to, Reena is the one who says that they should move to Maine.

   To everyone’s surprise that is exactly what they do. They sell up, pack up, and drive north, and soon enough they are living in a small coastal town where Reena and Luke can safely ride their bikes everywhere. They ride past a farm and watch as groups of teenagers work with the animals, taking care of them as needed. Including the cows. The cows that are so big and intimidating.

   Reena’s mother gets to know an elderly and rather eccentric lady called Mrs. Falala and she asks her children to take her some books. Neither Reena or Luke want to go because the old lady scares them, but they do as they are told. The visit does not go well. Mrs. Falala upsets Luke, Reena comes to his defense, and both the children are told to leave.

   As a result of this unfortunate encounter, Reena and Luke are volunteered (against their will) to help Mrs. Falala “for a while.” What does that even mean? Reena is almost afraid to ask. The first task the children are given is to shovel up piles and piles of cow manure. To say that it is a disagreeable job is an understatement. It is horrible, and Mrs. Falala does not thank the children for their help. Instead, she tells them “Tomorrow: cow.” What does that mean? Then there is the fact that they know “ZERO about cows.” The children’s parents think that this is a perfect opportunity for Luke and Reena to learn about cows. Of course they do.

   Sure enough the next day, after they have done a lot of chores, Luke and Reena see Zora the cow, and Reena even pats her on the head. Cautiously. Mrs. Falala tells the children that the following day they will “meet Zora for official.”

   Reena and Luke’s official first encounter with Zora shows the children that Zora is not a friendly beast. Or a nice one. Or a compliant one. She is an ornery animal who refuses to cooperate when Reena goes to bring her to the barn. Zora dodges the rope Reena tries to throw over the cow’s head, chases the children, and even head-butts Reena. When Mrs. Falala says that the children are “babies,” Luke loses his temper, takes the rope, and neatly drops it over the cow’s head. Then Renna is told to bring the cow into the stall. This does not go so well.

   Roping and bringing Zora into the stall is bad enough, but the next day Mrs. Falala says that she is expecting the children to show Zora at the fair. Surely this is a joke. Reena and Luke know nothing about showing cows at fairs. They have never even been to an agricultural fair.

   With each day that they spend at Mrs. Falala’s place, the children learn something new about cows, and farms, about Mrs. Falala, and about themselves. They never imagine that their interactions with the crabby old lady and the difficult cow will end up making their lives richer.

   Written using a combination of blank verse and prose, this wonderful book explores the ways in which the lives of two children change when they move away from the city and discover country living, and cows, for the first time. It is fascinating to see how the children’s attitudes change as they get to appreciate their new home, and how having new people and animals in their lives helps them to grow. 

Poetry Friday with a review of Won Ton and Chopstick: A cat and dog tale told in Haiku

Not long ago we brought a new kitten into the household. The kitten, Legolas, did not like our resident dogs, Pippin and Pinot, at all. The dogs were fascinated by the kitten and wanted so badly to sniff him and play with him, but Legolas spat and hissed whenever Pippin and Pinot were near. The dogs simply could not understand this. Why didn't the little animal want to be friends?

Today's poetry title contains a deliciously funny story about a cat whose family acquires a puppy, much to the cat's disgust and annoyance. The story is told using haiku and it was a joy to read.

Won Ton and Chopstick: A cat and dog tale told in Haiku

Lee Wardlaw

Illustrated by Eugene Yelchin

Poetry Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Henry Holt, 2015, 978-0-8050-9987-4

Won Ton has a wonderful life. Every day is the same, which is how he likes things to be. Wonton naps, he plays, he has a bath, he naps again, he eats, and then the process is repeated. This is the “purrfect” life for a cat.

   Then one day Won Ton is woken up by a noise and he decides to snoop. He discovers that there are toys on the floor that do not have feathers or fur on them, toys that are therefore not suitable for a cat. Who do they belong to?

   Won Ton snoops some more and what he sees is enough to give any self-respecting cat a heart attack: There is a puppy in the house. Won Ton has a cat fit and ends up being put outside, which is very galling. The dog is the one who should be thrown out.

   Won Ton listens in as Sis and Boy come up with a name for the puppy. He is not impressed when they consider calling him Chopstick. As far as Won Ton is concerned the dog’s “real” name is “Pest!”

   Won Ton wastes no time making sure that the puppy knows that he, Wonton, is the boss in the house. The rules are laid down and when the dog eats Won Ton’s dinner he is given a paw smack. To Won Ton’s horror he ends up being put outside. Again. As he lies under a chair in the yard Won Ton misses Boy and wonders if their wonderful relationship will ever recover.

   In this wonderful poetry picture book, delightfully expressive haiku are paired with amusing artwork to take readers into the world of a cat who does not like having to share his home and his people with a dog. Children will sympathize with Won Ton and will hope that the cat will be able to make his peace with the puppy. Is there hope for Won Ton and the canine pest?

Poetry Friday with a review of What are you Glad about? What are you Mad About?

Feelings can be so confusing sometimes. We can feel two contradictory emotions at the same time, or we experience an emotion that we can't identify and don't understand. Today's poetry book explores the feelings people have in a creative and clever way. Touches of humor in some of the poems reminds us that there is always room for a smile or a laugh.

What are you glad about? What are you mad about?

Judith Viorst

Illustrated by Lee White

Poetry Book

For ages 7 to 9

Simon and Schuster, 2016, 978-1-4814-2355-7

Sometimes we know exactly how we are feeling. We are happy because our day is going well, or we are grumpy because nothing seems to be going right. Then there are those times when we cannot quite figure out what is going on inside. We think we are happy, but then feelings of sadness trickle in from somewhere. Or, we think we should be upset, but somehow the upset feelings don’t behave the way they are supposed to.

   No matter how you are feeling, you will find that this book contains poems that speak to you, that resonate with you because they seem to understand what is happening in your life at this particular moment. For example, if you are feeling cut off from the world and alone, the poem All Alone Inside My Very Own Skin will comfort you because you will see that you are not the only who is feeling all alone inside; you are not the only one who wishes “I could invite somebody in.”

   More often than not, what we feel on the inside is influenced by what is happening on the outside. Events at school, family ups and downs, and happenings with friends and enemies all play a part in our stories, and there are poems in this collection that bring such stories to life.

   My Papa is a poem that captures the love that one little child has for his grandfather, a man who makes wonderful grilled cheese sandwiches. This grandfather rides bikes, reminds his grandson of “My thank-yous and my pleases,” and when the little boy becomes the president he will “banish prunes and peases” and his grandfather will be named the “head of the / Department of Grilled Cheeses.”

   From an easy-going grandfather we go to Bossy Mom, a parent who controls her child’s every move and action in life. You don’t have to be a genius to see that the child is more than a little fed up with being told what to do, and how to do it, every minute of the day. “She is ruining my life!” and “she’s going to drive me completely insane,” the child says, in desperate tones.

   There are even poems in this collection about the seasons, which is only right and proper. After all, for children, the seasons are often full of things that summon up emotions. There are wonderful things like falling leaves in autumn that make such a “commotion” in their leave-taking so that we “won’t forget them when they go.” Then there are not so great things like those cold days in winter when we are so cold and shivery, so frozen to the bone, that we wish we could hibernate and tell people “don’t bother to call me till spring.”

   This is a delicious collection of poems that children will come back to again and again, because on the pages they will find verses that will make them smile, and nod, and shake their heads in commiseration. They will find situations and feelings that will be familiar, and that will make sense. They will feel that here is a poet who completely ‘gets’ where they are coming from. 

Poetry Friday with a review of The Geography of Girlhood

Growing up can be tough, and for some the teenage years are a time full of confusion and trouble. This was certainly true for me and I therefore tend to stay away from books about teens who are in crisis. I don't particularly want to relive that time of my life, thank you very much! However, today's novel in verse caught my attention, and though it is a painful story at times, I am so glad that I read it. It is so beautifully written and so wonderfully honest.

The Geography of Girlhood

Kirsten Smith

Poetry

For ages 12 to 14

Little Brown, 2006, 978-0316017350

As far as Penny is concerned, being a fourteen-year-old is all about being stuck in a world where she stands on the sidelines waiting for things to get better. Penny enviously watches Tara, her beautiful older sister, sashay through life, with a boyfriend following in her wake. Penny wishes that she could be like Tara instead of being a girl who looks like her father, a man who is not “pretty” at all. Penny wishes she could wake up one day with “a new life / that doesn’t look anything / like this one.”

   When she was just six, Penny’s mother left, and since then her father has done his best to be a father and a mother to his daughters, which is not easy. Tara in particular likes to live life to the fullest, which can lead to problems. Sometimes Tara plays one teenage girl card too many. One night Penny comes home and finds out that Tara came home with hickeys all over her neck and their father is furious. So furious in fact that he tried to put a new lock on Tara’s bedroom door.

   After this piece of drama, more and more things start to happen in Penny’s life. She gets detention for the first time, a boy blows a kiss at her, and when the star of the school play gets bronchitis, Penny has to step out of her in-the-background understudy role and onto the stage to play the lead part. This could be the opportunity of a lifetime. It really could. Except Penny does not know her lines and the first night is a bust. A second understudy takes on the lead role for the remaining performances of the play.

   When she leaves the theater that night, walking in the rain, Randall Faber gives Penny a bunch of flowers. He does not seem to mind that she made a complete mess of the play and suddenly she isn’t just Penny Morrow, the “Screw-up In the School Play.” Now she is “The Girl Randall Faber Likes,” who then becomes the girl who fainted when Randal Faber kissed her. To say that Penny feels humiliated is an understatement.  The surprising thing is that Randall still wants to be her official boyfriend and so Penny finds herself holding hands with him, dancing with him, and trying to have conversations with him. She should be happy with her new status in life, but the truth of the matter is that she really does not like him that much. How did that happen?

   Penny is not the only one in a relationship either. Her dad starts seeing a biologist, and Penny cannot believe how changed he is. He tries new things, steps into the unknown, and stops hiding from the world. By the time summer is rich and ripe with sunny days, Penny’s dad has married Susan and Penny and Tara have a new stepmother and a stepbrother.

   Change happens so fast during the summer months and Penny is barely about to keep up. Her friend Denise really falls apart and has to take medication; Tara breaks every rule she can; and in September Penny gets sucked into the world of high school. The thing is that Penny has no idea what she is doing half the time and so on she stumbles, trying desperately to keep her head above water and survive.

   This sometimes gritty, poignant, and often painful novel in verse takes us into the world of a teenage girl who, like so many teenagers, has no clue how to navigate the world she finds herself in. As her sister and best friend slip into deeper and deeper waters of recklessness (Tara) and illness (Denise), Penny tries to figure out where she belongs and who she is. Change and loss make her last years in school complicated, and readers will find themselves wishing that they could hold this girl who misses her long-lost mother, longs for a life somewhere else, and struggles to understand her world.