Poetry Friday - A review of Behind Museum Doors

When I was a child, I loved going to museums. On the island of Cyprus, where I grew up, the museum is arranged in such a way so that visitors can take a chronological journey through Cyprus' history. Then my parents took me to the British Museum in London, and I happily spent hours admiring mummies, dinosaurs and other wonders. I could not believe how huge the place was, and how much there was to see.

Today's poetry title looks at a few of the amazing things that children can experience when they go to a museum.

Behind the museum door: Poems to celebrate the wonders of museums

Edited by Lee Bennett Hopkins

Illustrated by Stacey Dressen McQueen

Poetry Picture book

For ages 7 to 10

Abrams, 2007, 978-0-8109-1204-5

   Museums are extraordinary places; they are places that allow us to travel into the past and to better understand what the world was like long ago. For children, museums are also places where they can learn so much without having to be in a classroom.

   For this wonderful poetry collection, Lee Bennett Hopkins has selected poems that explore museum related topics. In the first poem, we see a little girl looking up at a suit of armor. When she knocks on the armor, there is an “Echo of air” because it is empty, but the little girl cannot help felling that the echo is a voice from the past that is “drifting through / The lonely centuries.”

   Then there are the two children who are contemplating and having a chat with the bones of a brontosaurus. They wonder if the huge animal was ever “in a dither / When your head and distant tail / Went different ways.” They have so many questions, but they realize after a while that having a conversation with a collection of bones is “hard.”

   Another group of children discover that the tapestries on display in a museum give them a picture of the past. Carefully created by people who are long gone, the tapestries show “Tales of chivalry, cruelty, battles” and other scenes that connect the viewer with long ago human stories and experiences.

   This splendid collection serves as a fitting tribute to the museums whose displays delight the eye, challenge the mind, and tickle ones curiosity. On these pages poems written by Jane Yolen, J. Patrick Lewis, Marilyn Singer and others give young readers a delicious taste of what awaits them behind museum doors. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book three hundred and twenty-eight

Today people all over America (and Americans in other parts of the world) will spend the day cooking, eating, and recovering for their overeating. For many of these people, the piece de resistance of the meal will be a roasted turkey. The turkeys that Americans eat during Thanksgiving are domesticated birds, but there are still many of their wild cousins roaming around. In fact, I saw a large troop of them just the other day, walking across the road so that they could visit one of the local parks. It seems appropriate somehow to share a book about turkeys with you on this special day.

Gobble Gobble

Cathryn Falwell

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Dawn Publications, 2011, 978-1-58469-149-5

   It is spring, and Jenny is in the woods exploring when she sees strange prints in the mud and some feathers on the ground. She hears a “funny gobbling sound,” and when she peers around a tree, she sees a flock of turkeys looking for “seeds to eat.” Some days later, she sees the tom turkeys strutting around with their tail feathers fanned out, and the hens are scraping at the ground to make shallow nests.

   In the summer, the turkeys’ eggs hatch, and Jenny sees the hens leading their babies around. Then in the fall, the turkeys roost in trees to get away from the frozen, cold, and often slippery, ground. In winter, will the turkeys slide down the snowy hill as Jenny and her friends do?

   In this fact filled picture book, Cathryn Falwell shows children what wild turkeys are like, using a bouncy rhyming text to tell the story of turkey behavior from season to season. At the back of the book readers will find Jenny’s turkey journal. Here she provides readers with further information about wild turkey history, conservation, and biology. Jenny also suggests three activities that children can try that will help them to better appreciate the natural world around them. 

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book three hundred and twenty-seven

I have often watched my cats and dogs going around the house checking out the sofa, the chair, inside the closet, in a drawer, in a basket. It is only when they finally settle down somewhere that it becomes apparent that they were looking for the right place to have a nap. Finding just the right place to snooze is very important, as you will discover when you read this lovely picture book. 

The Very Best Bed

Rebekah Raye

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 8

Tilbury House, 2006, 978-0-88448-284-0

It is fall, and the little gray squirrel has been busy collecting nuts and seeds for the winter. He has been so busy that he hasn’t noticed that night is falling. It is getting cold and dark, and he needs to find a warm snug place to spend the night.

   The squirrel goes to a fallen tree that has a den under it, but the den is full. A big bear is sleeping in it. The little cave under a pile of rocks is also occupied. A fox is asleep inside the cave, and the squirrel does not to wake up a fox who might be feeling hungry.

   The squirrel decides to join the bats in a tall maple tree, but he soon realizes that sleeping upside-down gives him a headache. Clearly this is not the place for him. Nor is he suited for sleeping on floating “rafts of reeds and cattails” like the ducks. They look cozy enough being “rocked back and forth” by the waves, but the squirrel does not want to get his feet wet. Surely there must be someplace where a weary squirrel can spend the night “curled up under his fluffy tail.”

   With beautiful illustrations and a lyrical text that is touched with splashes of humor, this delightful picture book takes young readers on a journey around the countryside. Children will enjoy seeing the animals that the squirrel encounters, and they will like trying to guess where the squirrel is going to end up.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book two hundred and twenty-six

Young dogs have one thing in common. They are bundles of energy, and very often that energy manifests itself in ways that are less than desirable. One of my dogs decided that chewing the heads off sprinklers was a nice way to pass the time. Another loved to dig up my newly planted flowers or shrubs. There is no doubt that these behaviors drove me crazy, but would I want to have a dog-free - and dog trouble free - life. NEVER!

“The Trouble with dogs…” Said Dad

Bob Graham

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 6

Candlewick Press, 2007, 978-0-7636-3316-5

   Not long ago Katie and her family adopted two dogs from the Rescue Center. Rosy is very large, soft, and “endlessly patient.” Dave is still a pup, and he is full of energy and unfortunately he does not have any manners. He damages flower beds, steals cupcakes, and tears holes in tights. In short, he is rather out of control.

   Katie’s parents decide that they need to get some help, so they call a dog trainer, and the very next day the Brigadier from Pup Breakers arrives. In no time at all he has Dave doing exactly what he is told. Katie and her parents should be happy by the development. But they aren’t.

   Most dog owners soon realize that their dogs own them and not the other way around. Dogs, even when they are doing what we tell them to do, are the ones who have the upper hand. This delightful and heartwarming picture book explores the idea that there really is nothing wrong with being owned by a dog. In fact, it can be both wonderful and rewarding.

   This book is a sequel to “Let’s get a Pup!” Said Kate.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book three hundred and twenty-five

This summer I made friends with a wonderful lady. I treasure our friendship, and we have a splendid time when we get together. The funny thing is that in many ways we are not alike, and no doubt some people  are surprised that we are friends at all. I cannot really explain it, but for some reason, our differences don't seem to matter, just like they don't for the two characters in today's picture book.

Bella and Bean

Rebecca Kai Dotlich

Illustrated by Aileen Leijten

Picture Book

For ages 5 to 7

Simon and Schuster, 2009, 978-0-689-85616-7

   Bella lives in a neat little brick house at the base of tree, and every day she sits at her desk beneath a window and she writes poetry. Writing poetry is what she loves to do, and when her friend Bean turns up and starts to talk about her new hat, Bella is not amused. How can a mouse focus on creating poetry when someone is talking to her about hats? Bella makes it clear that she wants to be left alone to work on her poems.

   After Bean leaves to walk down to Spoon Pond, Bella come up with some wonderful words, and she writes a poem. She is not left in peace for long before Bean is once again standing outside her window. This time Bean shows Bella her toes. Bean says that someone has told her that she has the “cutest toes.” Bella is not interested in Beans toes, and Bean soon leaves.

   Bella is working on yet another poem, when Bean comes over and she is carrying “something big and green.” Bean invites Bella to come to Spoon Pond to help her plant her snow bush. Bella declines and she shuts her window. She has poems to write, and she has no time to talk about hats, admire toes, or plant snow bushes. Or maybe she does.

   When readers meet Bella and Bean they will think that these two very different mice cannot possibly be friends because they are so very unalike. The funny thing is that they would be wrong. With a delightful text that is sprinkled with poems, and cunning illustrations, the author and illustrator show readers how people (or mice) who are very different can still be friends. They can share the things they love to do and find a common ground that allows them to have a close and meaningful relationship.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book three hundred and twenty-four

I have often wondered what my pets do when I am not at home. I imagine that they sleep for much of the time, and sometimes I come home to find clear indications that badness has been going on. A loaf of bread has been nibbled on, a glass has been knocked over, or some furry person has been chewing on the houseplants again. What else do they do that I do not know about though? I know more badness is going on behind my back, but I need evidence!

In today's picture book you will find out what happens when a family of humans leave their summer cottage empty for fall and winter. Their home, like mine, is taken over by furry people.

The winter visitors

Karel Hayes

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 6

Down East Books, 978-0-89272-750-6

   It is fall, and the summer visitors are getting ready to leave the cottage by the lake. They put the canoe away, cover the furniture with sheets, pack up their things, and drive away with their bikes on the roof of their car.

   As soon as they disappear over the crest of the hill, the bear family comes down to the cottage. They find the jar of honey that was left behind, take the sheets off the furniture, and they are warm and snug indoors when the first snow flies.

   Father bear takes one of his cubs ice fishing, and Mama bear and the other little cub stay home and bake a cake. Then many of the forest animals come over for a New Year’s party. Together they dance the night away, play games, and then they go to sleep.

   Readers who met the bear family in The Summer Visitors, will love this new story about a family of bears who enjoy the amenities that their human neighbors unknowingly provide. With only a few words in the whole book, this title will charm bear lovers of all ages, and it will make them wonder if the humans in the story ever really figure out what is going on behind their backs. 

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book three hundred and twenty-three

A lot of people take trees for granted. They don't appreciate the many things that trees do for us humans, and for the planet as a whole. They certainly don't consider that trees are to be loved and treasured. In today's picture book, you will meet a little girl who loves one particular tree. It is not a grand redwood or a perfectly perfect nursery raised flowering pear tree. Instead, it is a wild tree, a tree many people consider to be a nuisance. 

A tree for Emmy

Mary Ann Rodman

Illustrated by Tatjana Mai-Wyss

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 7

Peachtree Publishers, 2009, 978-1-56145-475-4

Emmy is a little girl who loves trees. She loves oaks, and pines, and willows, but most of all she likes the mimosa tree that grows in Gramma’s pasture. Gramma says that the mimosa is just like Emmy because it is “Stubborn and strong and a little bit wild.”

   Emmy does not have a mimosa tree growing in her yard at home, and when her birthday comes around, she tells her parents that she wants a mimosa tree of her very own to care for. Emmy’s mother and father don’t think that this is a strange request. Instead, they go to the garden stores to find a mimosa tree. Unfortunately, most people don’t seem to appreciate mimosa trees. They “grow wild” and therefore are not sold in stores.

   Emmy thinks that this is very unfair. Why don’t the stores sell mimosa trees? Even if they are wild, they are still beautiful. Emmy doesn’t want something else for her birthday, so she has to make do with spending time with Gramma’s tree. As she lies under the tree, trying to “keep in the tears,” Emmy makes an amazing discovery.

   Young readers are going to going enjoy spending time with Emmy, who is very determined to get exactly what she wants for her birthday. They will appreciate the fact that this little girl is not afraid to be different, and that she refuses to let go of her dream. With a charming message and lovely multimedia illustrations, this picture book is a tribute to all those people, young and old, who love all of nature’s gifts and who have the courage to be unique.

The TTLG 2011 Picture Book Celebration: Book three hundred and twenty-two

For some people being cool is one of those things that becomes very important. They want to impress the people around them, sometimes they even want to intimidate them so that they can feel big and strong. In today's picture book you will meet just such a character, a monster who wants to appear tough and scary, but who learns that honesty and friendship are more important than having an imagine that is false and worthless. 

The Scariest Monster in the World

Lee Weatherly

Illustrated by Algy Craig Hall

Picture Book

For ages 4 to 7

Boxer Books, 2009, 978-1-906250-40-9

   There once was a monster who was determined that everyone should know that he was “the scariest monster in the world.” With his “wild and weird” fur, his giant club, his green teeth, and his ferocious manner, the monster really was scary, and he enjoyed frightening the animals in the forest.

   Then one day the monster developed a problem. He got the hiccups, and he could not get them to go away. He did everything he could, but nothing he tried got rid of the hiccups and so, feeling utterly miserable – and very hiccupy – he sat down on the ground and began to cry.

   Though the monster had scared them countless times, the animals in the forest felt sorry for him, and they did their best to help him. They suggested that he drink water while he was the “wrong side up,” and that he hold his breath for as long as possible. Unfortunately neither of these tricks worked. There was only one thing left to do. The animals were going to have to scare the monster’s hiccups away, but how do you scare a monster?

   In this delightful picture book, children will meet a monster whose loud voice and stomping feet cover up the fact that he is not really that bad a fellow. In fact, when he is not worrying about having an image, he is quite pleasant to be around. With its meaningful message about friendship, and its delightfully expressive illustrations, this is a picture book that children are sure to enjoy.

Poetry Friday - A review of Nest, Nook, and Cranny

Many children are fascinated by animals. They like to know what the biggest animal is, the smallest, the tallest, the fattest, the oldest. The are intrigued to find out about their lives and how they are adapted to their environments.

In today's poetry title, children can read about a wide variety of animals, each one of which has a unique home. The author uses many different poetry forms to take children to the desert, grasslands, and other habitats around the world, so that they can meet some of the animals that live in these places.

Nest, Nook, and Cranny

Susan Blackaby

Illustrated by Jamie Hogan

Poetry

For ages 9 and up

Charlesbridge, 2010, 978-1-58089-350-3

Animals live in all kinds of habitats, and they build or use a wide variety of homes. Some of them dig burrows, built nests, or scrape out a place to rest under a rock or log. Others, like snails and tortoises, carry their homes, their refuges, with them wherever they go. In this special collection of poems, Susan Blackaby explores five habitats, looking at some of the animals that live in these environments. She tells us about their habits, and about the homes that they create for themselves.

   In the desert, we meet snakes who like to “nest in secluded places” where they will be safe from extremes of weather and predators. The places they chose to hide very much depends on what “sorts of snakes they are.”

   On grasslands, you might find hares who, unlike their rabbit relatives, have no interest in digging burrows and living in crowded and noisy warrens. Instead, hares live in “hare-sized bowls” in pairs or alone, where they can find some peace and quiet.

   In wetlands, ducks take great care to choose just the right “marshy place” where they can raise their ducklings. They need to be near water, but they also have to look out for snapping turtles who like to snack on ducklings given half a chance.

   In this unique book, the author uses a variety of poetry forms to explore the homes and habitats of animals. There are poems that rhyme, and those that are written in blank verse. There is even one poem that is punctuated by animal sounds.

  At the back of the book, the author provides her readers with further information about habitats, and she also tells us about the poetry forms she uses, and why she chose to use them as she did.