A Very First Book of Poetry<\/a><\/strong><\/em>
Collected by Jane Yolen<\/a><\/strong> and
Andrew Fusek Peters<\/a><\/strong>
Illustrated by Polly Dunbar<\/a><\/strong>
Candlewick<\/a><\/strong>
February 2007
(library copy)<\/center><\/p>\n
Divided into four sections (“Me, Myself, and I”; “Who Lives in My House?”; “I Go Outside”; and “Time for Bed”), the anthology — in large part thanks to Dunbar’s illustrations — radiates warmth and one whole heapin’ dose of zest. There are nonsense poems (David McCord’s “Bananas and Cream”<\/a><\/strong>), poems about animals (Bobbi Katz’s “Cat Kisses”<\/a><\/strong> and Eric Finney’s “Chicks”), thoughtful poems (Berlie Doherty’s “Grandpa”), tongue twisters (Mary Ann Hoberman’s “Brother”<\/a><\/strong> and Tony Mitton’s “Rickety Train Ride”), multicultural — for lack of a better word — poems (John Agard’s “The Older the Violin the Sweeter the Tune”<\/strong><\/a>), some bedtime joys (Dennis Lee’s “Silvery”), poems that are a joy to read aloud and slide right off the tongue (John Cunliffe’s “Soggy Greens”<\/a><\/strong>: “Oh, soggy greens, I hate you, \/ I hate your sloppy slush; \/ And if my mum would let me, \/ I’d throw you in a bush . . .”), and so much more. Dunbar’s mixed media illustrations leap off the page, showing children from all parts of the globe playing and dreaming and imagining and cuddling with families and pets. Here’s an excerpt from Margaret Wise Brown’s “Bumble Bee” (I think Ms. Brown’s children’s poetry gets overlooked for all the Goodnight Moon<\/em> and Runaway Bunny<\/em> love and such. I must quickly add that the posthumous publication of an anthology of some of her children’s poetry illustrated by Teri L. Weidner, Give Yourself to the Rain<\/strong><\/em><\/a>, published by Margaret K. McElderry Books<\/a><\/strong> in 2002, is well-worth seeing):<\/p>\n Black and yellow If you have children or work with them and you give them a copy of this title, expect it to get well-worn. It’s a winner all-around. A bright, shiny gem. <\/p>\n (And go here<\/a><\/strong> to read Elaine Magliaro’s much better review from April of this year).<\/p>\n This is an anthology of original poetry by Sidman, divided into two major sections: Apologies and Responses. The introduction explains, in the voice of fictional sixth-grader Anthony K., serving as Editor, that the anthology in your hands is composed of “Sorry” poems, written by his fellow sixth-graders as a project in Mrs. Merz’s class at Florence Scribner School. “We liked {them} so much that we decided to put them together into a book . . . Then I had the idea of making a second part . . . where the people we wrote poems to get to write poems in response.” The poem that inspired them all, he tells us, is William Carlos Williams’ “This Is Just to Say,”<\/a><\/strong> and another student, talented in art, “took our poems and made the illustrations with the help of Mr. Willow, the art teacher, using her own sketches and some computer art.” Anthony adds in the end, “{b}ecause of this book . . . a bad thing that was going to happen didn’t. And a mystery was solved.” <\/p>\n Thus the anthology begins, Sidman’s poems covering a wide range of mood and tone — from silly (“This Is Just to Say” for Mrs. Garcia in the office from Thomas: “I have stolen\/ the jelly doughnuts\/ that were in\/ the teachers’ lounge . . .”) to ashamed (“Fashion Sense” to Mrs. Merz from Carmen: “I am so sorry for my rude words,” it begins, as a student apologizes for making a rude comment in the classroom about the teacher’s dress) to deeply regretful (“The Black Spot” from Alyssa to her sister, Carrie, in which she apologizes for stabbing her sister in the hand with a pencil, leaving a “nugget of darkness . . . It never goes away” that refers to both the pencil mark and the “something small and black inside her” for doing it) to somber (“It Was Quiet” from Tenzin to his dog, in which he apologizes for having to put him to sleep). There are also some pretty heart-rending poems, particularly in “Spelling Bomb” from Anthony to his mother, in which he apologizes for disappointing his mother by losing a spelling bee. Here’s but an excerpt:<\/p>\n I saw it in your face when I misspelled. I saw you turn away from me (Amusingly enough, Sidman adds an Author’s Note at the bottom of this entry, still written in the fictional voice of the student who penned it: “This is my favorite poem form, called a pantoum. The second and fourth lines of each stanza are repeated as the first and third lines in the next stanza. It is also supposed to rhyme, but Mrs. Merz says rhymes are not as important as meaning.” I love it). <\/p>\n The response poems are just as eye-opening and moving (how I wish I had permission to show you “What Girls Want” in its entirety — written by fictional sixth-grader Maria, whose apology poem from Bobby was all about the juvenile behavior of a middle-schooler crushing on a girl — but you’ll just have to go get the book and read it for yourself, now won’t you?). And remember Carrie, who stabbed her sister’s hand with a pencil during a fit of anger? Her sister’s response? A spot-on riff of the traditional, time-honored “Roses Are Red” verse that manages to be both funny and sad. <\/p>\n Zagarenski’s mixed-media collage illustrations are a joy. She makes effective use of school-related materials (notebook paper, newspapers, graph paper, etc.) and manages to capture the essence of each poem with her free-spirited line drawings — elegant when they need to be yet downright goofy when necessary, too. <\/p>\n The School Library Journal<\/em> review writes, “{Sidman’s} skill as a poet accessible to young people is unmatched.” She is<\/em> developing herself quite the track record<\/a><\/strong>, yes? There is so much a creative teacher or librarian could do with this anthology in a poetry unit, what with its various poetic forms and subject matter and the wide-ranging tone throughout the book. Here’s to whatever excellent batch of children’s poetry Sidman will bring us next time . . . <\/p>\n {For more on Sidman, go here<\/a><\/strong> once again to Elaine’s wonderful Wild Rose Reader<\/em>}. <\/p>\n Speaking of apologies . . . This anthology brings us parodies of twenty-three poems from English and American literature — with “apologies to” which ever poet wrote the poem that Shapiro’s copies. “Imitation is sometimes called the sincerest form of flattery–and though parodies are often written to make fun of something, these poems spring from deep respect. (And maybe just a little silliness),” she writes in her opening. There’s “‘My Mouth Closed Twice’: With apologies to Emily Dickinson,” a parody of “My Life Closed Twice Before Its Close,” opening with:<\/p>\n My mouth closed twice before it shut.![](\"http:\/\/blaine.org\/jules\/blackbullet.gif\")
STAR, STAR, STAR. I’m giving this book a huge STAR! I. love. this. anthology (and my goodness, isn’t Jane Yolen prolific? I know we all know this, but the amount of good books this woman churns out amazes me so much that I have to mention it again). Here we have a first book of poetry for the wee-est of children, the poems having been collected by Yolen and the very tall poet<\/a><\/strong> Andrew Fusek Peters. And the anthology is graced with illustrations by POLLY DUNBAR, one of my favorites (who has one of the best illustrator websites EVER<\/em><\/a><\/strong>). Yes, I’m yelling a lot here, ’cause I’m tellin’ ya, this is one very handsome and entertaining book that works on every single level — completely engaging poetry for young children, excellent design, and Dunbar’s captivating, exuberant illustrations. There are over sixty poems here, including poetry from Langston Hughes, Lilian Moore, Lee Bennett Hopkins, Gertrude Stein, Jack Prelutsky, Michael Rosen (the latest and fifth British children’s laureate<\/a><\/strong>; thanks to Big A little a for the link<\/a><\/strong>), Robert Louis Stevenson, Rosemary Wells, Myra Cohn Livingston, and much more (including poetry from our compilers and a traditional British street rhyme thrown in for good measure). <\/p>\n
\nLittle fur bee
\nBuzzing away
\nIn the timothy
\nDrowsy
\nBrowsy
\nLump of a bee
\nRumbly
\nTumbly
\nBumbly bee<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Poems of Apology and Forgiveness<\/strong><\/em><\/a>
Written by Joyce Sidman<\/a><\/strong>
Illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski
Houghton Mifflin<\/a><\/strong>
April 2007
(library copy)<\/center><\/p>\n
\nI saw you turn away from me.
\nEven though I study hours and hours,
\nI never seem to be your champion.<\/p>\n
\nand in that moment would have given anything
\nto be your champion.
\nTo see your bright, triumphant pride.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
And Other Poems<\/a><\/strong><\/em>
Written by Karen Jo Shapiro<\/a><\/strong>
Illustrated by Judy Love
Charlesbridge Publishing<\/a><\/strong>
January 2007
(library copy)<\/center><\/p>\n
\nIt yet remains to hear
\nIf grown-ups will say, “QUIET DOWN!”
\nAgain into my ear . . .<\/p><\/blockquote>\n