NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BOOK OF ANIMAL POETRY, 200 POEMS WITH PHOTOGRAPHS THAT SQUEAK, SOAR, AND ROAR! Edited by J. Patrick Lewis, U.S. Children's Poet Laureate

Lewis, J. Patrick, Ed.  National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry, 200 Poems with Photographs that Squeak, Soar, and Roar!  Washington, D.C.:  National Geographic.  2012.  ISBN 978-1426310096.

SUMMARY AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS

What do you get when you pair an extensive collection of favorite animal poems with the celebrated photography of National Geographic? The result is a beautiful poetry book that will appeal to children of all ages.  The U. S. Children's Poet Laureate, J. Patrick Lewis, selected 200 of his favorite poems for this collection, from more than 80 beloved poets.  The poetry is divided into chapters based on animal types.  The categories include; big ones, small ones, winged ones, water ones, strange ones, noisy ones, and quiet ones. 

Whatever your poetry pleasure, you will find it within the covers of this book.  If you enjoy concrete poems you can find the shape of a wave in "Seal" by William Jay Smith.  Look for a flamingo standing tall in "A Flamingo Is" by J. Patrick Lewis.  The shape of a long tongue is obvious in "The Anteater" by Douglas Florian.  Rhyming poems and free verse, along with short two line poems and longer choices fill the pages.  Poems with a strong rhythm will have listeners wanting to join in.  If you want to feel the beat consider "Penguins" and "Turtles" both by Charles Ghiga or "The Walrus" by Jack Prelutsky. 

The Haiku selections highlight beautiful moments in nature.  Janet S. Wong's descriptive language gives the reader a peek at a raccoon.  "Raccoon / This cartoon bandit / rubs hands together, ready / for a midnight crime."  Listen for the rhyme in Rudyard Kipling's "From the Road-Song of the Bander-log."  Couplets end with row, know; do, two; good, could; mind, behind.  Enjoy a limerick by J. Patrick Lewis in the Resources section titled, "How the Rhinoceros Got His Nose." 

The photographs are bold and abundant.  Close-ups, action shots, animals in motion and others frozen in time, each provide a vibrant, rich background for the poetry.  There are many photographs that fill a double-page spread, inviting the reader to be immersed in a scene.  Single pictures on a full page and other layouts with two or more pictures per page create a visual feast.  The photography will draw in many readers; each picture enhances and extends the poetry. 

Navigating this book will be easy with the comprehensive table of contents in the front pages. In the back of the book, readers will find helpful information in the following sections: tips for writing animal poems, resources, an index by title, index by poet, index by subject, text credits and photo credits.  

It is easy to see why this book was named one of the Best Children's Books for 2012 by Kirkus Reviews and named one of the Top 10 Children's Books for 2012 by the New York Public Library.  This book is a must for classroom libraries.  Children will delight in the scenes and poetry of this thoughtful collection.   

SPOTLIGHT ON A POEM

Selecting only one poem to spotlight is a challenge with so many excellent choices. "The Spider is a Lovely Lady" by Frank Asch has a gentle rhythm and an alternating rhyme.  The use of repetition restates the spider's loveliness.  The close-up photo of the pink petals of a flower and a plump green spider are interesting to look at.  Introduce the students to the beauty of spider webs by searching "beautiful spider webs" on the Internet and project the images.  Students will marvel at the beauty and design of the sparkling examples.  Allow them to view many webs and share their reactions.  Project the image from the book for the class to see and then read the poem aloud.  Invite students to read along a second or third time.  Listen for the rhythm and beauty in the descriptive words and the vivid verbs.  Provide students with a copy of the poem and invite them to illustrate the poem with their own "lovely lady" on a location of their choice (a flower, a leaf, a branch, a sidewalk, a web, etc.).

"The Spider is a Lovely Lady"

"The Spider is a lovely lady.

She knows just what to do.

She weaves a dainty web

to catch the morning dew.

The spider is a lovely lady.

She lives among the trees.

Her babies are so small

they float upon the breeze.

They spin a silken thread

that lifts them in the air.

"Take me home," they whisper.

And it brings them there."

EXTENSIONS


Listen as J. Patrick Lewis reads one of his poems from this collection at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4l_EQCwzJc.  In addition, National Geographic has a website filled with games, stories, photos, activities and more just for children.  You can find it at http://kids.nationalgeographic.com.

OUT OF THE DUST by Karen Hesse ~ A novel in verse

Hesse, Karen.  Out of the Dust.  Florida:  Great Source.  2009.  ISBN 978-0590371254.

SUMMARY AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Dust, dust, everywhere there is dust!  Both outdoors and indoors, dusts provide the backdrop for this compelling tale of 14 year-old Billie Jo’s life during the dust bowl years in Oklahoma in 1934 and 1935. This novel in verse uses short passages to reveal life in the dust bowl.  Spanning little more than a year, this brief period of time is filled with dramatic scenes and heart-wrenching loss for Billie Jo’s family and the other wheat farmers who were devastated by the drought and depression that ravaged their lives.  Her hard-working father is not easily daunted and persists through failed crops, financial loss, and the untimely death of his wife and newborn son.  

Billie Jo struggles to find her bearings through it all and mostly on her own.  Her mother’s death is a result of an accidental fire in the kitchen.  Trying to save her mother, Billie Jo burns her hands and struggles with constant pain and diminished use of her hands.  Playing the piano was one of the few joys that Billie Jo experienced in life.  The fire, the death of her mother, the incessant sand and dirt in the house make it nearly impossible for Billie Jo to ever play the piano again.  She tries to eventually leave home by hopping on a train, only to return in a matter of days when she realizes she needs her father and their tattered life more than she realized.  Slowly and painfully, Billie Jo does find hope and healing as she build new bonds with her father and comes to peace with her life. 

Hesse uses Billie Jo's first person telling to provide an honest window into the simple joys of prairie life as well as the hardscrabble days and intense destruction of the relentless dust storms. In “The Accident” Hesse uses short phrases that tumble down the page, describing the horrific fire that eventually took her mother’s life. In “Devoured,” grasshoppers descend upon the wheat field and Ma’s beloved apple tree, devouring everything in sight. The devastation runs parallel to Ma's last day of life, dying that very day, leaving Billie Jo’s world lying in ruins.  

In “Roots,” President Roosevelt’s solution to the drought is planting trees. “Trees have roots, he says.  / They hold onto the land.”  Hesse uses figurative language and rich imagery to compare father to the roots. “My father will stay, no matter what, he’s stubborn as sod. / He and the land have a hold on each other.” Later in “Dust Storm” after searching all night for Billie Jo, the wear and tear of the never-ending dust and destruction shows on father.  The reader will sense the emotional toll when Billie Jo barely recognizes her father and describes him as “his eyes red as raw meat”, “sagging in his chair.” 

Hesse uses language that is not flowery or sentimental, instead it is descriptive and direct.  There is constant talk of rain and when it might come.  In “Broken Promise” we sense the hope and devastation of another missed storm.  “It rained / a little / everywhere / but here.” She mentions again and again the difficulty in keeping dust out of the food.  In “Dust Storm” Billie Jo describes another dust-filled meal, “so we chewed the grit and swallowed.” 

The dust is a type of character in this story.  It is unpredictable and menacing when storms rise up quickly and the grit and dirt become constant companions in every scene.  It is in their beds, their clothes, the dishes, the food, the windows, and the floor.  They cannot escape from its omnipresence.    

The poems vary in length, most are a single page, but some span two or three pages and others only a few lines. The free verses style is accessible and easy to manage for all levels of readers.  The first person point of view creates a sense of connection and authenticity.  It is easy to connect to one girl, Billie Jo, just telling her story.  The emotions are very real and relatable, even though the events of the story took place decades ago.  This title will expand knowledge and awareness of this time in our history.  

Hesse has created a powerful novel in free verse, filled with rich language and real life experiences. This title has won a long list of awards, including the Newbery Medal, the Scott O’Dell Award, the ALA Notable Children’s Book, and many others.  This title should be included in readings for middle school and junior high students and is a perfect companion to a social studies unit.  

SPOTLIGHT ON A POEM

Many students will be unfamiliar with the events of this story.  Before highlighting a poem or this book, it would be necessary to develop some background information.  There are several good sources but one excellent one is from the PBS Ken Burns series on the dust bowl.  The entire series is too long for students to view, but the website listed here has several short video clips, photographs and a great deal of information.  It has an interactive piece where students can choose what they would do if they lived at that time.  Some of the information would make an excellent follow up, but providing at least a few photographs and listening to a few short video clips with first person accounts of this time period would be very helpful.   http://www.pbs.org/kenburns/dustbowl/

Although this title portrays a great deal of difficulty, loss and sadness, there is also hope and joy.  The poem I selected is titled "Hope."  Celebrating a day of rain, Hesse uses beautiful imagery and figurative language to describe the relationship between the rain and the earth.  It is a long selection so I am only including a portion of it below. 

"Hope" 

"Soft and then a little heavier, 

helping along 

what had already fallen

into the 

hard-pan

earth 

until it

rained,

steady as a good friend

who walks beside you,

not getting in your way, 

staying with you through a hard time.

And because the rain came

so patient and slow at first,

and built up strength as the earth

remembered how to yield,

instead of washing off,

the water slid in,

into the dying ground

and softened its stubborn pride,

and eased it back toward life.

And then,

just when we thought it would end,

after three such gentle days, 

the rain

came

slamming down,

tons of it, 

soaking into the ready earth

to the primed and greedy earth,

and soaking deep. 

After showing some pictures of the dust bowl time period,  show some simulated hard-baked earth. (Depending on your location, there may be hard packed earth already on the playground, eliminating the need to bake the dirt.)   Prepare hard-baked earth in advance. Using three disposable pie pans or casserole pans, collect dirt, add water as desired to make it hold together and then bake it in the oven, until it is hard and cracked.  Collect spray bottles (filled with water) that have an adjustable spray stream, a sieve with large holes and a large pitcher of water.  After gathering the needed supplies:

• Take the class outdoors.  
• Sit in a circle around the pans and while reading the first two stanzas of the poem, ask for two students to add gentle spray to two of the pans of dirt.  Watch how the water softens the dirt and slides into the cracks.  
• At the third stanza, ask student helpers to intensify the stream and eventually use the sieve to pour a steady stream over the dirt.  Allow students observe and respond.  
• Invite a third student to take the third pan and pour a heavy stream of water on the dry dirt, without the softening of gentle spray, and compare the results.  
• Read the poem again and encourage the students to listen for the figurative language.  Encourage them to share their reactions and response to the poem.   
• After returning to the classroom, provide each student with a written copy of the entire poem and allow time to read it to themselves or with partners. 

EXTENSIONS

Karen Hesse is a prolific writer and students might enjoy reading her blog and looking at some of her other writings. You can find her at https://karenhesseblog.wordpress.com.  The Scholastic website features a transcript of an interview with Hesse talking about writing Out of the Dust.  It can be found at http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/karen-hesse-interview-transcript.  They also provide a discussion guide for this title at http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/lesson-plan/out-dust-discussion-guide.

SELF-PORTRAIT WITH SEVEN FINGERS: THE LIFE OF MARC CHAGALL IN VERSE. By J. Patrick Lewis and Jane Yolen

Lewis, J. Patrick and Jane Yolen.  Self-Portrait with Seven Fingers: The Life of Marc Chagall in Verse. Mankato, MN:  Creative Paperbacks. 2014.  ISBN:  978-0898129748.

SUMMARY AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS:

Lewis and Yolen have created original poetry to accompany a collection of Marc Chagall's celebrated paintings.  The poetic verses add description and explanation to the art work. The beautiful lines of Chagall's brushstrokes, his dramatic angles and the rich hues reflect his deep emotional experiences. Historical notes, descriptions and background information are included for each art piece.  Chagall's personal history is paralleled with the major historical events of the time. Readers will get acquainted with Chagall's passion and exceptional artistic talent by viewing each unique painting and lingering over the accompanying poetry.

Free verse, couplets and other poetry styles provide a rich variety of poetic experiences. In "I and the Village," Lewis uses a strong rhyme scheme, ending lines with village/tillage, mirror/clearer, and child/wild.  In "Maternity," Yolen creates a flowing free verse, that matches the beauty and love of Chagall's wife and their newborn baby.  Lewis and Yolen's work alternates throughout the book, providing differing perspectives on the artwork. Each poem uses the identical title of the accompanying artwork.  The poet's words provide possible interpretations for each painting and help to make Chagall's masterful artwork accessible to the novice.

The images of the original artwork are beautifully displayed, filling single pages or double page spreads.  Chagall's paintings reflect many surrealist scenes with floating figures, objects placed in unexpected positions, various sizes of people and things arranged right-side up, up-side down and sideways.  A combination of strong angles and lines reflect Chagall's exploration with cubism. Rich and dramatic colors are present in each piece. Rich reds and deep greens provide intensity,  while other colors are subdued and pale.  The portrait of Chagall's first wife and his true love is realistic and bold, painted mostly black and white.  The selection of artwork provides an interesting sampling of Chagall's work.

Each painting includes a label with the title, date, the art medium, size of the work and the current location of the original.  Photographs of Chagall are interspersed throughout and a well-placed quotation from the artist will help the reader connect to this talented man.  The combination of factual information, historical context, engaging poetry, photographs of the artist and beautiful artwork make this a unique poetry book.  It is an engaging study in art history and a poetic journey in one satisfying title.  This book is highly recommended for any reader interested in art.

SPOTLIGHT ON A POEM:

The Yiddish expression "with seven fingers" means to do something very well.  The poem, "Self-Portrait with Seven Fingers" by Lewis is an example of a quatern poem.  It contains 16 lines in four stanzas, and each line has eight syllables and follows a rhyming scheme of ABBA for each stanza.  This poem describes the artist's ability to connect the beauty of Paris and the dreams of his homeland with his "seven fingered" painting expertise and his paint brush.  Before introducing this poem to students, show them beautiful pictures of the Eiffel Tower as well as Chagall's painting by the same title.  Allow students to look at the painting and respond to the piece.  Read the poem aloud two times and then provide the students with a copy of the poem, encouraging them to read it again to themselves.  After experiencing the poem, provide the students with background information about the artwork and the artist.  Encourage the students to read the poem again; slowly, thoughtfully, and carefully as they considered the words.

"Self-Portrait with Seven Fingers"

Today I make a work of art,
A red-and-orange wonderland
by seven-fingered sleight of hand—
Let ambiguity play a part.

I stand the Eiffel Tower there,
Beyond the window of my room
To let the monumental bloom
Create the necessary air

Of majesty, which represents
Oddly its counterpoint: lush dreams
Of home.  I take these two extremes—
The margins of experience,

Allowing them to guide my hand—
This weird, improbable device
For resurrecting paradise—
So everyone might understand.

EXTENSION:

Students may connect to the Guggenheim Museum to see more of Chagall's works at http://www.guggenheim.org/new-york/collections/collection-online/artists/bios/1172.  Students could explore more information about the artist and take time to view one or more of his paintings.  Clicking on each painting on the website allows the viewer to see a larger version of the painting.  Students could explore several of the pieces and freely respond to Chagall's work.

THE ARROW FINDS ITS MARK, A BOOK OF FOUND POEMS Edited by Georgia Heard, Illustrated by Antoine Guilloppe

Heard, Georgia,  ed.  The Arrow Finds Its Mark, A Book of Found Poems. Ill. Antoine Guilloppe.  New York: Roaring Brook Press.  2012.  ISBN 978-1596436657.

SUMMARY AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Words are everywhere and this collection of poems shows just how poetry surrounds us everyday.  In the street, at the store, while at home, browsing in the library and just about anywhere, a poem can be found.  It just takes looking with fresh eyes, like those of the 30 different poets that have contributed a found poem to this collection.

A found poem is created from existing text that does not originally appear as a poem.  The words are left intact or undergo very minor changes in their transformation to poetry.  The poet takes the liberty to change the spacing, capitalization and punctuation if so desired and then supplies a title. The results are a truly surprising.  Readers will be amazed at how the strategic placement of words and a catchy title can transform ordinary words from everyday places into interesting poetry.  This book is a joyful celebration of the words that surround our lives everyday.

The range of beloved poets contributing to this collection is impressive. Readers will recognize many of their favorite poets like Paul Janetzko, J. Patrick Lewis, Bob Raczka, Naomi Shihab Nye, Jane Yolen and many others.

Both deep and light-hearted meanings can be found throughout this collection.  "Lake Haiku," by Terry Webb Harshman, tells of the beauty of the lake with words taken from photo captions.  "Cross Words," by Jane Yolen, plays with meaning, taking crossword puzzle clues and transforming them to moody complaints.  "Empty Promises," by Kristy Dempsey, is an acrostic poem, using inviting words from a Publisher's Clearing House Sweepstakes website to entice a prospective entrant, while the hidden word, UNLIKELY, sends up cautions about the true odds.  "Nicknames in the NBA," by J. Patrick Lewis, has a delightful rhythm and sound, created by the careful positioning of NBA players' nicknames.  Listen for the beat, "Z, Zo, Rip, Bo, Tip, Mo, Pip, Lo, Stro, / Cat, Doggie, Piggie, Goat, Snake, Bull, Horse."

Spacing and organization on the page also create sensory experiences. In "How to Write a Poem On Your Computer" Bob Raczka has created a concrete poem that looks like a drop-down menu from a computer.  Bruce Ballard in "Ask a Train Operator" uses questions to the New York Times about trains to create a concrete poem that looks like a train.

Georgia Heard provides a helpful introduction to the concept of found poetry.  Antoine Guilloppe has created simple black and white illustrations that add humor, interest and interesting scenes to the poetry.  A table of contents will be useful to readers wanting to locate a favorite poem.  The small size of this book fits easily into the reader's hand or pocket for portability.

Every poem in this collection is unique and creative.  Some of the subtle meanings take a read and a reread to catch the full meaning.  This completely enjoyable collection should be shared with students again and again.  Many may have never considered the poetry around us and will enjoy the challenge of looking for their own found poem.

SPOTLIGHT ON A POEM

The skillful eye of the poet taking notice of how combinations of words work together to create surprising meanings is more challenging than it might seem.  It requires learning to listen to words differently and to look at words differently.  The following poem was created from book titles.  Carefully selecting just the right titles, the poet has cleverly assembled rules for visiting the zoo.  The title pulls the book titles together for a wonderful effect.  I would collect photos of these book titles to arrange in order and to project on a screen for the students to view as I read this poem aloud.  The class would be invited to read the poem chorally, alternating lines with the boys and the girls.  Groups of children could also act out each line.  I would encourage discussion about how these titles work together.  The class would be encouraged to look for other titles (maybe from the classroom library) on other topics that might also make an interesting poem.  

Found by Laura Purdie Salas in book titles on a library shelf

"Top Ten Rules For Our Zoo Field Trip"
 
    "Don't let the pigeon drive the bus
     Please don't feed the bears
     Don't go pet a porcupine
     Never tease a weasel
     Never, ever shout in a zoo
     Never smile at a monkey
     Please don't wake the animals
     Never play snap with a shark
     Don't take your elephant to school

     DON'T TOUCH THAT!"

EXTENSIONS

Students can track down any of their favorite authors that they find in this book with a quick web search.  Check out Georgia Heard's website for more information about this gifted writer and poet at http://www.georgiaheard.com.  Her writings inspire both students and teachers alike.

RANDOM BODY PARTS GROSS ANATOMY RIDDLES IN VERSE By Leslie Bulion, Illustrated by Mike Lowery

Bulion, Leslie.  Random Body Parts Gross Anatomy Riddles in Verse.  Ill. Mike Lowery.  Atlanta: Peachtree.  2015. 

SUMMARY AND CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This clever book is filled with engaging poetry about the human body.  Bulion has put a twist on several of Shakespeare's selected works and used them as models for her poetry.  The first poem, "Riddle Me This" sets the tone for fun, challenging readers to solve "tricky riddle poems."  Bulion's witty word choice requires some deciphering to uncover the riddle or hidden meaning in her poetry.  Part of the fun of this book is the clever word plays used throughout. Bulion uses a wide range of poetry styles, some will be familiar to children and others might be new.  She has included couplets with various rhyme schemes as well as the following: a limerick, sonnet, epigram, haiku, concrete poem, ballad, shape poem, tercets, dactyl and more.  This collection of styles is a unique introduction to a wide range of poetic experiences for readers, seldom found in one book. 

A different part of the human body is featured in each poem.  Readers will laugh and sometimes groan as they solve each riddle.  Strong rhythms and rhyme are present in many poems along with some surprising descriptions. Here is a sample from "Lunchtime," it reads "Lumps of lard from fatted swine, / Shellfish innards laced with brine, / spuds unearthed from mud, then fried, / Mucus oozed from deep inside."  An example of traditional haiku can be found in "The River of Life."  Five haiku poems work together to describe a trip through the blood stream.  The variety of style also includes a cinquain.  The story of bones in "Firm of Purpose" uses multiple cinquains for a pleasing effect.  

The illustrations are a mix of cartoon drawings and photographs.  The cartoons add a sense of playfulness to the collection and the photographs add a sense of realism.  Both the cartoons and illustrations expand the meanings of each poem and provide and extension to the text. A factual explanation of each body part mentioned is included with every poem, providing scientific information to the reader.  

Colorful backgrounds and differing font colors and sizes add visual interest.  It is easy to find your way around this book with the helpful table of contents located in the front.  A glossary of anatomy terms and a basic diagram of the body are both included in the back of the book for readers seeking more information. The final six pages titled "Poetry Notes" provide a discussion of each poem and describe how each poem is modeled after a famous example written by Shakespeare.  Teachers will appreciate this helpful section.  

Readers can stretch their poetry experience with the variety of style in this book.  Readers can learn scientific facts about the body while experimenting with language.  This book would be an excellent choice for science class and poetry class alike. 

SPOTLIGHT ON A POEM

"KNOCK, KNOCK! WHO'S THERE?" is an example of a limerick.  The strong beat and rhymes are obvious in the poem.  I would introduce the poem by inviting the students to listen carefully while it is read aloud and then try to solve the riddle of this poem.  I would pause half way through the poem to allow children time to make predictions.  Before asking for responses, I would read the entire poem a second time. Finally, I would ask students to write down what they think this poem is about and then finally have them share their responses out loud.  I would provide a printed copy of the text and ask students to read it with a partner.  During the class discussion, I would encourage students to share how they arrived at their guesses.  Line by line, students could decipher the meaning of this poem. They would be encouraged to notice the features that make this poem a limerick. Limericks can be fun and easy for students to create.  I would give them time to write their own limericks about a body part. 

"KNOCK, KNOCK! WHO'S THERE?"

     "You can search for lost words on my tip,

     Or reveal hidden thoughts when I slip.

     With my muscle-bound shove,

     Tasty foods that you love,

     Deconstruct on a long downward trip.

     I give shape to each word that you use,

     And I don't let you drown while you snooze.

     All those buds on my top

     Tell your brain if the slop

     You are chomping is chow you should choose." 

EXTENSION

Bulion combines her knowledge of the scientific world with her love of poetry and she has created many engaging poetry books for children.  She also writes novels, articles and more.  Her website highlights her books and provides background information about her writing.  Check out her website at http://www.lesliebulion.com.