Poetry Review #7

Bookspeak! Poems About Books  

BookSpeak: Poems About Books - Book Trailer 

Author: Laura Purdie Salas

Illustrator: Josee Bisaillon

Publisher: Clarion Books, 2011

ISBN: 9780547223001

Main Characters: Books (given the magic to speak through poetry)

Plot: Disorderly book parties, the Beginning, Middle and End bickering, a dog clinging to a cliff, a bragging index, a plot that the characters hate, tree branches made into paper, books that fear water, readers that find themselves, and more!

Settings: Bookstores, On the Shelf and Under the Bed, pages, aisles, and more.

Genre/Theme/Style: Children’s Humorous Poetry—Anthology (Collection of Poems)— There are 21 poems that center around books in this collection. A bibliophile’s (book lovers) dream! 

 5 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁

Critical Analysis: Historical and cultural origins, – Some of the poems are written in free verse. Some of the poems have lilting lines, such as “Calling All Readers,” the first poem of the book. It pulls the reader in with the pace and tempo with phrases like, “I’ll tell you a story. I’ll spin you a rhyme.” 

• Rhythm, Rhyme, & Sound—Some of the poems rhyme, such as Hydrophobic (fear of water). The author clearly loves words and phrases and chooses them carefully with precision. The sound of the words becomes essential in many of her poems.

• Language - The author includes an acrostic poem, which uses the first letter of each line to emphasize an idea.

• Imagery—“Murky midnights no threat,” from the poem Hydrophobic gives you a very vivid image of what a book does not fear; instead, it is the “feeling of wet” that leaves the book “quite soggy.” 

• Emotions—The author does a good job of bringing books to life. For example, words become trapped inside a cage if the book they are in remains unopened. This makes the reader wonder what trapped words they are missing in books they have yet to read. 

Why 5 Roars? My favorite poem was “Calling All Readers.” It really does make me want to pick up a book. I liked the other poems also, but “Calling All Readers” stood out for me. I think this book would be a great addition to any librarian’s collection and a must-have for book lovers! 

Awards: Minnesota Book Award, NCTE Notables, Librarian’s Choice, Nerdy Book Award, Eureka! Gold Medal, Bank Street Best Books, Honor Book—Gelett Burges Award, and White Ravens.

Illustrations: The illustrations are done in a collage art style with a lot of color and allure. They are whimsical and perfect for a children’s book. Josee has currently illustrated more than 30 children’s books and lives with “many paper characters.” You can read more about her at her website. https://joseebisaillon.com

Background Information on Poet/Poetry:

The author is a former teacher.

She wrote the poem Hydrophobic about what a book would be afraid of and she mentions, “all the library books she had to pay for because of water damage.” You can find her reading and discussing this poem at: https://safeYouTube.net/w/qxAib 

Connections:

Small Reads For Brighter Days  - Blog by Laura Purdie Salas

Book Review #6

Joseph Had A Little Overcoat

Author: Simms Taback

Illustrator: Simms Taback

Publisher: Penguin Group, 1999

ISBN: 9780670878550

Main Characters: Joseph 

Plot: Joseph is a Yiddish man whose overcoat has become old and worn.  Oy Vey iz Mir! He decides to make use of his skills by turning the overcoat into a little jacket. He is a thrifty, frugal man, which is considered a good thing by most people in the Yiddish and Jewish cultures.  When the overcoat becomes worn, he turns it into a jacket. When the jacket becomes worn, he turns it into a vest. When the vest becomes worn, he turns it into a scarf.  When the scarf becomes worn, he turns it into a necktie. When the necktie becomes worn, he turns it into a handkerchief.  When the handkerchief becomes worn, he turns it into a button and eventually into a book about the things he made from the overcoat.

Settings: A Yiddish farm

Genre/Theme/Style: Picture Book. The story is based on a Yiddish folk song that is found in the back of the book. 

The style is something similar to a bright and lively collage. It has a feeling of cheerfulness and vibrancy.  It is extremely full of details. In fact, it is so full that the reader might need to go back an look at it several times to find all of the interesting depictions.  

5 Roars!🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁

Critical Analysis: This story is about a person who has made something good from something that has been previously considered old and warn. That shows that he has not only skills, but the gift of seeing value and worth in things that other people might miss out on in life. 

The book keeps it kid friendly and light, while  the art work adds an extra dimension to the story. I really enjoyed the style of the book and the art work. They work well together.   

Why 5 Roars? I think this book is special because it teaches the value of stewardship. Learning to recycle and take better care of our possessions is a great theme for readers everywhere. 

I absolutely adore the fact that when the reader thinks there is nothing left to make anything out of, Joseph creates a book from it. How joyful and creative is that? It gives us the suggestion that when everything else is gone, our experiences are what we have left of life and they are our most precious resource. 

Illustrations: The illustrations represent the Yiddish and Jewish culture well. In places, you can find written Yiddish if you are looking for it. They portray a happy community of people living a simple life that includes finding joy in little things.   

Awards: Caldecott Medal, National Jewish Book Award for Children's Picture Book

Connections: 

Read Aloud

My First YiddishWord Book by Kar-Ben Publishing

Book Review #5

The First Strawberries

 \

Author: Joseph Bruchac

Illustrator: Anna Vojtech

Publisher: Puffin Books

ISBN: 9780613077835

Main Characters: The first man, the first woman, and the sun.

Plot: The first man and the first woman are happy together. Then one day, the man speaks to the woman in anger. The woman decides to leave and sets off on her own. The man regrets his actions and tries to follow her. She is too far ahead of him, and so the sun tries to slow the woman down by putting berries in her path. Finally, she notices the strawberries and tastes one. It reminds her of how happy her life had been before the unkind words. She makes the realization that she wants to share the strawberries with the man and stops to pick them. This gave the man time to catch up with her. The man apologizes to the woman, and balance is restored.

Settings: An open area outside among the plants and hills. 

Genre/Theme/Style: Based on the folklore of the Native American Cherokee story of the origins of strawberries, the book has a very simple style and generates an interest in Native American legends. It is a picture book with beautiful artwork that portrays nature and its importance. 

 4 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁

Critical Analysis: After reading The Origin Of Strawberries retold by Barbara Shining Woman Warren, located at firstpeople.us, I compared the two legends. I think they are close in spirit, but I did notice that in the retelling by Barbara Shining Woman Warren, first man really didn't care that first woman had left. The retold stories found at the firstpeople.us site were so much more realistic that it was hard not to compare them with the book's shorter version. 

I learned that the strawberry became an important symbol for the Cherokees. It came to represent forgiveness, respect, the goodness of nature, and good luck. This book teaches children that forgiveness is a valuable part of life, as is the goodness of the natural world.

Why 4 Roars? Although this book is a children's storybook, the retold Origin of Strawberries' legends has a distinct flavor that is hard to replicate in a children's book. The book is oversimplified in some ways and uses words that children might have trouble understanding. 

Illustrations: The artist uses watercolors to bring to life the importance of nature that is surrounded in sunlight. 

Connections:

Lesson Plan

Native Americans

Book Review #4

The Three Ninja Pigs

 

Author: Corey Rosen Schwartz
Illustrator: Dan Santat
Publisher: G. P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young People
ISBN: 9780399255144

Plot: This is a twist on the traditional fairy tale. The 3 Ninja Pigs have decided to train at Ninja School to prevent the Big Bad Wolf from terrorizing their Japanese village. Ninja Pig 1 studies aikido but becomes bored and drops out; Ninja Pig 2 studies jujitsu, but when the teacher suggests he "must study more," Pig 2 says, "No way." Ninja Pig 3 decided to study karate; she went on to earn her last belt. Then the wolf pays a visit to each of their houses. Ninja Pig 1 and 2 were unable to stop him and ran to their sister's house. Ninja Pig 3 is prepared due to her hard work and dedication. She gives a demonstration of her ninja skills, and the wolf is intimidated and scrams. Ninja Pig 1 and 2 decided to go back to Ninja School and earned their degrees. Eventually the 3 Ninja Pigs ran their own dojo and lived wolf free. 

Settings: Japanese Village

Genre/Theme/Style: A variation on a classic fairy tale. The author uses rhyming words to create a flow and a humorous style. The author also emphasizes a strong female character as the protagonist of the story. 

4 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁

Critical Analysis: The book is a great way to teach about perseverance, dedication, hard work, and respect. The strong female lead character adds a touch of lighthearted girl power to the classic fairy tale. This book would be great for children in martial arts or self-defense classes. It hints at the wolf being a bully and the 3 pigs working towards self-improvement and the value of an education. 
The glossary in the back of the book helps readers understand the meanings of any unfamiliar martial arts words. 
There was a lot of pig-related humor that younger readers might enjoy. 

Why 4 Roars? While I loved the artwork, I felt that the pig humor went a little too far when the wolf called Pig 3 "yo, Bacon." Name-calling may perhaps be something parents might want to point out as impolite to younger readers. 

Illustrations: There is a nod or a bow towards the Japanese culture in the artwork and its style. The art medium was Sumi brushwork on rice paper and then finished in Adobe Photoshop. 

 
The illustrator is a Caldecott Medal winner, and he holds a B.S. in biology. He graduated with honors from the Art Center for Design in illustration. He is also the author of The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend.  I really loved the fact that Dan Santat holds a black belt in shotokan. How cool is that? Very! 

Connections: 
Drawn Together by Dan Santat and Minh Le
Japanese Sumi-e ink painting 

Guest Post #1 - Sondra Eklund

 Guest Post Biography:

Hi!  I’m Sondra Eklund, a Librarian at Fairfax County Public Library in Virginia.  I worked with your librarian a long time ago in a library in Germany on an American Air Force Base, and she asked me to write a guest post for your blog.  You can find more of my reviews at Sonderbooks.com.

Recently, I had the incredible experience of being on the 2019 Newbery Selection Committee, with the job of choosing the most distinguished American children’s book published in 2018.  During that year, I read 904 eligible children’s books (okay, 592 of those were picture books) and more than 100,000 pages!  Our committee of 14 people met in a locked room in Seattle and discussed and argued about the books we read until we came up with one winner and two honor books.  So for my guest review, I’m presenting our winner, Merci Suárez Changes Gears, by Meg Medina, the winner of the 2019 Newbery Medal.

Merci Suárez Changes Gears

Author:  Meg Medina

Publisher:  Candlewick Press, 2018

Characters:  Merci Suárez, her Mami and Papi, brother Roli, grandmother Abuela, grandfather Lolo, aunt Tía Inéz and little twin cousins, plus classmates including a snobby girl Edna Santos and an interesting new boy Michael Clark

Plot:  Merci’s starting sixth grade at a private school, on scholarship because her Papi does maintenance there, and Edna the most popular girl in the class looks down on her.  The school asks her to do community service being Sunshine Buddy to a new boy, and Edna doesn’t like that.  Merci wants to be on the soccer team, but her family expects her to babysit her twin cousins.  And during all of this, her beloved Lolo is acting strangely and asks Merci not to tell the rest of the family about it.

Setting:  Florida, with a Cuban-American family

Genre:  Contemporary Children’s Novel

Theme:  You can navigate change with the help of your friends and family!

Style:  Realistic, with plenty of humor sprinkled throughout.  Told from Merci’s point of view.

I gave this book 5 Roars!
🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁

Critical Analysis:  This book for upper elementary and middle school students does a great job of showing us a character with lots of pressures on her coming from different directions who doesn’t roll over and let those pressures destroy her.  The author puts in lots of humor as Merci sticks up for herself and makes her case, whether it’s classmates treating her badly or her own parents being unfair.  We get the flavor of Merci’s loving Cuban-American family, and even the bully at school turns out to have some positive qualities.

Why 5 Roars?  This was *our* winner!  I read it multiple times and discussed it with the committee and met the author and I will always and forever love this book!

Connections:  Read the two Honor books our committee chose:

The Book of Boy, by Catherine Gilbert Murdock

The Night Diary, by Veera Hiranandani

Check out Sonderbooks by Sondra Eklund for more great reviews like this one! 

*Sonder is a German prefix meaning "Special." 

Thank you Ms. Eklund for your love of connecting people and books! 

Book Review #3

Eloise 

Author: Kay Thompson

Illustrator: Hilary Knight

Publisher: Simon & Schuster, 1955

ISBN: 9780671223502

Main Characters: 

Eloise, Nanny (Eloise’s companion), Weenie (Eloise’s dog), & Skipperdee (Eloise’s turtle) 

Plot: Eloise is a six-year-old city child. She lives with her nanny, Weenie, and Skipperdee. She lives in a plush hotel in New York called the Plaza Hotel, and her favorite color is pink. She uses her imagination often and goes to “rawther festive” parties. She spends her time braiding Skipperdee’s ears, traveling in disguise with Weenie in his glasses, and discovering new things about people who aren’t boring. 

Unfortunately, Eloise often annoys the hotel staff when finding things to do with herself. Her absent parents create an emptiness in her life that Eloise fills with other people and a self-sufficient determination. 

Setting:

The Plaza Hotel in New York City

Genre/Theme/Style:
Children’s Picture Book. Humor 

The style of the book is a word-heavy picture book with a fold-out section. The writing has a childlike flow to it in a non-stop kind of chatter. 

4 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁

Why 4 Roars? While the book does not directly put into words the concept of a child with little supervision, the artwork does allude to it. An older reader might pick up on the hidden feelings and loss. 

Critical Analysis: The book is lighthearted but takes on the undertones of absent parenting and a required independence for an unsupervised little girl. The hotel staff become 

non-consenting caregivers in a plucky child’s life, due to the lack of attendance on the part of her missing family. 

Eloise courageously tackles the world primarily through a child’s view with little help from caretakers. One finds themselves cheering for Eloise and her adventurous lifestyle. 

Illustrations: The illustrations use black and white with bursts of pink to accentuate Eloise’s love of pink and her creative nature.

Connections: 

Eloise in Paris by Kay Thompson

Eloise at Christmastime by Kay Thompson

Meet Eloise. 

Eloise at the Plaza

Book Review #2

  Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa (Book 1)

Author: Erica Silverman

Illustrator: Betsy Lewin 

Publisher: Harcourt Inc., 2006

ISBN: 9870152021248

Main Characters: Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa (Kate's horse)

Plot: Cowgirl Kate and her spirited friend Cocoa find adventures in a series of brief chapter stories. Cocoa is just plain stubborn at times, but his big personality always makes Cowgirl Kate smile. He makes a lot of demands on Cowgirl Kate, but that’s how it goes with many pets. She is busy feeding him, keeping him out of trouble, and fluffing up his straw at bedtime. Cowgirl Kate always has something to do with her friend Cocoa around. Whew! 

Settings: The open range where Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa live. 

Genre/Theme/Style: Children’s Picture Book. Beginning Readers. Humor. 

I Gave This Book 4 Roars!🦁🦁🦁🦁

Critical Analysis: The book is great for beginning readers and the illustrations are well suited to the story of a Cowgirl and her horse. The cover image gives you the feeling that Cocoa is laughing along as Cowgirl Kate has her hand over her mouth giggling about some new adventure they are experiencing together.  It is a perfect image of how animals provide so much love and happiness in our lives. The book is good fun and perfect for inspiring the cowgirl in all of us!  

Why 4 Roars? I can only wonder, after reading Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa, how many kids will ask for a pony for their next birthday. In fact, I want a pony for my birthday, too!

Happy trails, Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa!

Illustrations: The paintings by Betsy Lewin are delightful, balancing the friendship between Cowgirl Kate and her whimsical horse Cocoa. They show the two of them as a team and convey the notion of how animals bring out the best in us.    

Betsy Lewin graduated from Pratt Institute, where she studied illustration. She later worked at a greeting card company before moving into children’s illustrations.

Betsy Lewin Books

Awards & Recognitions:

A Theodor Seuss Geisel Award Honor Book

Connections:
Saddle up for other books in the Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa Series:
Cowgirl Kate and Cocoa: Partners (Book 2) by Erica Silverman & Betsy Lewin

School Days (Book 3) by Erica Silverman & Betsy Lewin

Ted & Betsy Lewin Studio Visit