The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog and Other How-To Poems
Illustrator: Richard Jones
Publisher: Candlewick,
2019
ISBN: 978-0763681685
Reading Ages: 6-9 years
Genre: Children's Poetry, Anthology
I Gave This Book 5 Roars! 🦁🦁🦁🦁🦁
Why 5 Roars? This is a great anthology with a long list of well-known poets. It is a collection of thirty three poems covering a wide range of topics.
Poetic Elements: The poetry is witty in its use of language. Some of the
poems make use of repetition and some take advantage of the use of rhyme. One
of the most interesting elements applied is found in the space on the pages.
The way the poems make the space on the page a part of the poem is artistic and
imaginative.
“Janeczko's latest anthology is a cozy collection of
humorous and thought-provoking "how-to" poems from contemporary
writers, including Kwame Alexander, Margarita Engle, J. Patrick Lewis, and
Nikki Grimes, as well as poems from Christina Rossetti, Robert Louis Stevenson,
and more. This collection thoughtfully compiles poems that range in focus from
the fantastical, to the natural, to the domestic. The book opens with ‘How
to Build a Poem’ by Charles Ghigna and sets the tone with the closing lines '...words that leave us/wanting more.' Throughout the book, poems are
often grouped thematically. For instance, the poems ‘On the Fourth of July’
by Marilyn Singer and ‘Fireworks’ by Anna E. Jordan occupy adjacent
pages of the same spread. Jones's illustrations tenderly bring each poem to
life. Children are invited to see themselves in many of the earth-toned,
textured scenes. The final scene depicts an empty chair with an abandoned book
on it-The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog-and, through the doorway, a girl and
her dog stepping out into the world. Overall, Jones's illustrations achieve a
strong balance of white space and image, and the full-bleed spreads connect the
poems into a single, unified work. A great pick for read-alouds or for
sustained, one-on-one reading. VERDICT This anthology is a solid pick for
public and school
collections large and small.”
~~ Erica Ruscio, School Library
Journal
Appeal: The biggest advantage of this collection, in my opinion, is
the inclusion of two poems that address disabilities. They are “A Lesson from
the Deaf” by Nikki Grimes and “How to Read Braille” by Steven Withrow. This would
make a great addition to a classroom or library.
‘Who can resist a good how-to? Janeczko, an astute editor of
children’s poetry, capitalizes on his readers’ natural curiosity and yearning
for autonomy while opening up the possibilities for what a how-to—both the
question and the answer—can be...The entire book becomes a how-to , instructing
readers not only in various activities but also in all the ways poetry can
resonate.”
~~ Publishers Weekly
Overall Quality: The quality of the collection can be found in the wonderful
poets that bring their poems to the experience of a how-to compilation.
"In this charmingly illustrated collection, poet’s classic
(Christina Rossetti, Robert Louis Stevenson) and modern (Kwame Alexander,
Margarita Engle) offer a variety of how-to poems, providing young readers with
instructions both jocular and sincere...Jones' illustrations are truly
scene-stealing: at times impish and adorable, at others restrained and lovely,
they capture the essence of each poem. A useful poetry compendium that can be
shared in sections or in its entirety."
~~ Booklist
Connections:
Spotlight Poem - “How to Pay Attention” by April Halprin Wayland has the modest instructions of:
“Close this book. Look.”
It is the last poem in the anthology. It is simple but so powerful.
Sharing - A great way of discussing diversity in a classroom is
reading the poems “A Lesson from the Deaf” and “How to Read Braille.” It can be a
great way to open up the lines of communication in dealing with difficult topics like
disabilities.
Activity - Allowing students to create their own how-to poem would be a fun activity to go along with a how-to anthology.
