Good Books, Good Times, anthology compiled by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illustrated by Harvey Stevenson, Harper Collins Publishers, New York, 1990.
Honey, I Love and Other Love Poems by Eloise Greenfield, illustrations by Diane and Leo Dillon, Harper Collins Publishers, New York, 1978.
Confetti: Poems for Children by Pat Mora, illustrated by Enrique O. Sanchez, Lee & Low Books, Inc. New York, 1996.
Bing Bang Bong, poems and drawings by Douglas Florian, Harcourt Brace and Company, San Diego, 1994.
The Geography of Girlhood: A Novel by Kristen Smith, Little, Brown, and Company, New York, 2006.
The Random House Book of Poetry for Children: A Treasury of 572 Poems for Today's Child, selected by Jack Prelutsky, illustrated by Arnold Lobel, Random House, Inc. New York, 1983.
Blackbeard: The Pirate King, by J. Patrick Lewis, illustrations by various artists based on stories, myths, documents, and their own imaginations; National Geographic Society, Washington D.C. 2006.
Marvelous Math: A Book of Poems, selected by Lee Bennet Hopkins, illustrated by Karen Barbour, Aladdin Paperbacks, New York, 2001.
A Pizza the Size of the Sun, by Jack Prelutsky, illustrated by James Stevenson, Greenwillow Books, New York, 1996.
The Blacker the Berry by Joyce Carol Thomas, illustrated by Floyd Cooper, Harper Collins Publishers, New York, 2008.
Texas Mother Goose, by David Davis, illustrated by Sue Marshall Ward, Pelican Publishing Co., Inc, Gretna, LA, 2006.
This Place I Know: Poems of Comfort, poems selected by Georgia Heard, illustrations by Eighteen Renowned Picture Book Artists, Candlewick Press, Cambridge, MA, 2002.
The Earth is Painted Green: A Garden of Poems About Our Planet, edited by Barbara Brenner, illustrated by S. O. Schindler, Scholastic Inc, New York, 1994.
That Sweet Diamond: Baseball Poems, by Paul. B. Janeczko, illustrated by Carole Katchen, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, New York, 1998.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
That Sweet Diamond: Baseball Poems
That Sweet Diamond: Baseball Poems by Paul B. Janeczko, illlustrated by Carole Katchen, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, New York, 1998.
That Sweet Diamond, sweet as only a baseball fan could know~Paul Janeczko has created a poetic memorial for America's favorite past time: Baseball!
Fans reading this collection will immediately smell the hot dogs, hear the crack of the bat, feel the smack! in their hands of a foul ball flown up in the stands. Memories and first impressions will awaken: first ball game, first MLB game, first win, first pennant...Paul Janeczko has given us poems to cover the beginning of the game with the purchases of pennants, scorecards, and hot dogs, to "A Curse Upon the Pitcher", to a double play, to the clean up after the game.
Especially poignant is the poem celebrating the "little old baseball lady" which every team seems to have, a fan for life, through good seasons and bad, who says, "Leaving before the last out...is like dying before your time."
Artist Carol Katchen has used softly muted pastels to illustrate the poems in a manner that reminds one of a dream. Each poem has an illustration on its facing page, bringing to life the words and rhythm of the verse.
That Sweet Diamond is a collection of poems commemorating the nostalgic feel of baseball that both fans and non-fans of any age can enjoy. That Sweet Diamond is a definite home run.
That Sweet Diamond, sweet as only a baseball fan could know~Paul Janeczko has created a poetic memorial for America's favorite past time: Baseball!
Fans reading this collection will immediately smell the hot dogs, hear the crack of the bat, feel the smack! in their hands of a foul ball flown up in the stands. Memories and first impressions will awaken: first ball game, first MLB game, first win, first pennant...Paul Janeczko has given us poems to cover the beginning of the game with the purchases of pennants, scorecards, and hot dogs, to "A Curse Upon the Pitcher", to a double play, to the clean up after the game.
Especially poignant is the poem celebrating the "little old baseball lady" which every team seems to have, a fan for life, through good seasons and bad, who says, "Leaving before the last out...is like dying before your time."
Artist Carol Katchen has used softly muted pastels to illustrate the poems in a manner that reminds one of a dream. Each poem has an illustration on its facing page, bringing to life the words and rhythm of the verse.
That Sweet Diamond is a collection of poems commemorating the nostalgic feel of baseball that both fans and non-fans of any age can enjoy. That Sweet Diamond is a definite home run.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
"The Deep Green Forest" by Tanya Dreskin, age 7
"The Deep Green Forest" by Tanya Dreskin, age 7, from The Earth is Painted Green: A Garden of Poems About Our Planet, edited by Barbara Brenner, illustrated by S.O. Schindler, Scholastic Inc, New York. 1994.
If possible, try to do this poetry break around April 22, Earth Day.
Introduction: Display pictures of various rain forests and show a map of locations around the world. Discuss rain forests and write down students comments onto butcher paper to build schema.
Poem:
"The Deep Green Forest"
The deep green forest is dark and quiet;
Ferns grow all along the trail.
Silence.
Extension: Give out blue and green construction paper bookmarks. Have students either copy the poem onto their bookmark or create a poem of their own. Allow students time to decorate their bookmarks.
If possible, try to do this poetry break around April 22, Earth Day.
Introduction: Display pictures of various rain forests and show a map of locations around the world. Discuss rain forests and write down students comments onto butcher paper to build schema.
Poem:
"The Deep Green Forest"
The deep green forest is dark and quiet;
Ferns grow all along the trail.
Silence.
Extension: Give out blue and green construction paper bookmarks. Have students either copy the poem onto their bookmark or create a poem of their own. Allow students time to decorate their bookmarks.
Lullaby by Georgia Heard
"Lullaby" by Georgia Heard from This Place I Know: Poems of Comfort, poems selected by Georgia Heard, illustrations by Eighteen Renowned Picture Book Artists, Candlewick Press, Cambridge, MA, 2002.
Note: This collection of poems was selected to comfort school children after the attacks on the US on September 11, 2001.
Introduction: Ask students what they like to do when they need comforting, i.e. cuddle on a parent's or grandparent's lap, curl up with a favorite stuffed animal, etc. Some students may wish to share some times when they have needed comforting.
Explain to students that the featured poem comes from a book of poems collected to comfort school children after the events on September 11, 2001. If students are young, a brief explanation might be needed, or this does not need to be discussed at all.
Poem:
"Lullaby"
Will you hold me in your lap?
Will you cuddle me so tight?
Will you kiss my fearful brow,
And not turn off the light?
Will you soothe away my worry?
Will you sing the sweetest song?
Will you chase my fears away,
And rock me all night long?
Extension: On large butcher paper, write "Will you _______?" Give students colorful note cards and a marker for them to write a word or phrase to fill in the blank, showing how they would like to be comforted. Tape onto paper surrounding the blank. Expect repetitions as many students may be comforted in the same way, and that's OK.
Note: This collection of poems was selected to comfort school children after the attacks on the US on September 11, 2001.
Introduction: Ask students what they like to do when they need comforting, i.e. cuddle on a parent's or grandparent's lap, curl up with a favorite stuffed animal, etc. Some students may wish to share some times when they have needed comforting.
Explain to students that the featured poem comes from a book of poems collected to comfort school children after the events on September 11, 2001. If students are young, a brief explanation might be needed, or this does not need to be discussed at all.
Poem:
"Lullaby"
Will you hold me in your lap?
Will you cuddle me so tight?
Will you kiss my fearful brow,
And not turn off the light?
Will you soothe away my worry?
Will you sing the sweetest song?
Will you chase my fears away,
And rock me all night long?
Extension: On large butcher paper, write "Will you _______?" Give students colorful note cards and a marker for them to write a word or phrase to fill in the blank, showing how they would like to be comforted. Tape onto paper surrounding the blank. Expect repetitions as many students may be comforted in the same way, and that's OK.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Texas Mother Goose by David Davis
New Favorite
Texas Mother Goose by David Davis, Illustrated by Sue Marshall Ward, Pelican Publishing Co, Inc. Gretna, LA, 2006.
David Davis has used his imagination and sense of Texas humor to create this amusing rendition of Tex-Mex nursery rhymes.
Both Davis and the illustrator, Sue Marshall Ward, meet the "requirement" of being native Texans to write about Texas. Davis and Ward have collaborated beautifully, producing verses with the distinctive Texas twist with appropriate Texas art work.
While written with children in mind, adults will also enjoy this Texas version of well-known Mother Goose rhymes. Humpty Dumpty's ending is slightly changed to reflect life on a ranch:
"Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the ranch cowboys and all the vaqueros
Got a big breakfast of huevos rancheros."
Teachers will benefit from this collection as it lends itself well to lesson in comparison and contrasting between traditional Mother Goose rhymes and these Texas styles. Challenges could be made to classes to take other poems and change them to match the students' home states.
Texas Mother Goose is a lot of fun to read aloud and compare. Students will be drawn to the lively and colorful illustrations of children depicting the action, some the students might have experienced themselves if they live in Texas.
And all good Texas children could end their day with the Texas Prayer:
"By the campfire, 'bout to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
Wake me early, wake me late,
But let me rise in the Lone Star State."
Texas Mother Goose by David Davis, Illustrated by Sue Marshall Ward, Pelican Publishing Co, Inc. Gretna, LA, 2006.
David Davis has used his imagination and sense of Texas humor to create this amusing rendition of Tex-Mex nursery rhymes.
Both Davis and the illustrator, Sue Marshall Ward, meet the "requirement" of being native Texans to write about Texas. Davis and Ward have collaborated beautifully, producing verses with the distinctive Texas twist with appropriate Texas art work.
While written with children in mind, adults will also enjoy this Texas version of well-known Mother Goose rhymes. Humpty Dumpty's ending is slightly changed to reflect life on a ranch:
"Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.
All the ranch cowboys and all the vaqueros
Got a big breakfast of huevos rancheros."
Teachers will benefit from this collection as it lends itself well to lesson in comparison and contrasting between traditional Mother Goose rhymes and these Texas styles. Challenges could be made to classes to take other poems and change them to match the students' home states.
Texas Mother Goose is a lot of fun to read aloud and compare. Students will be drawn to the lively and colorful illustrations of children depicting the action, some the students might have experienced themselves if they live in Texas.
And all good Texas children could end their day with the Texas Prayer:
"By the campfire, 'bout to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
Wake me early, wake me late,
But let me rise in the Lone Star State."
"Biscuit Brown" by Joyce Carol Thomas
Poetry Break for poem published in 2008-09.
"Biscuit Brown" by Joyce Carol Thomas from The Blacker the Berry, illustrated by Floyd Cooper, Harper Collins Publishers, New York, 2008.
Intro: Ask students to name various types of berries. If possible, display several jars of various jams and jellies. Show students the book with the poem and the illustrations. Explain that the author is describing all the skin tones of African-American children and comparing them to various color shades in our world.
Tell students to compare their skin tones with the friends around them and pick the ones they feel are the color of a baked biscuit.
Read the poem and have students listen to how the speaker compares his/her skin to the color of a biscuit.
Biscuit Brown
I gather loganberries
From the trailing bush
Dancing prickly sweet
In my sunny backyard
I am biscuit brown
Brown as a biscuit
All warm and waiting
For berries
That I carry
To the kitchen and can
When the berries in the jar
Are biscuit ready
I fix a cup of tea
Then spoon out biscuit jelly
For biscuit brown me
Extension:
Set up a taste testing table with biscuits and jam and jellies to try. Let students compare their biscuit to their skin tones. Also let students vote on their favorite jam or jelly.
"Biscuit Brown" by Joyce Carol Thomas from The Blacker the Berry, illustrated by Floyd Cooper, Harper Collins Publishers, New York, 2008.
Intro: Ask students to name various types of berries. If possible, display several jars of various jams and jellies. Show students the book with the poem and the illustrations. Explain that the author is describing all the skin tones of African-American children and comparing them to various color shades in our world.
Tell students to compare their skin tones with the friends around them and pick the ones they feel are the color of a baked biscuit.
Read the poem and have students listen to how the speaker compares his/her skin to the color of a biscuit.
Biscuit Brown
I gather loganberries
From the trailing bush
Dancing prickly sweet
In my sunny backyard
I am biscuit brown
Brown as a biscuit
All warm and waiting
For berries
That I carry
To the kitchen and can
When the berries in the jar
Are biscuit ready
I fix a cup of tea
Then spoon out biscuit jelly
For biscuit brown me
Extension:
Set up a taste testing table with biscuits and jam and jellies to try. Let students compare their biscuit to their skin tones. Also let students vote on their favorite jam or jelly.
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