Florian, Douglas. 1994. Beast Feast: Poems and Paintings. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace.
Recommended age levels 4-10
1. Summary of book
This is a brilliant, amusing, imaginative collection which has twenty-one original animal poems and paintings. The unique features of each creature were depicted in each poem. Each new creature was introduced and represented on two pages, which included one text poem, as well as one painting of the new creature. The creatures from the sea or ocean included the walrus, the barracuda, the lobster, the whale, and the toad. The birds included the pigeon, the kiwi and the rhea. The insects included the firefly, ants, the grasshopper and the caterpillar. Some mammals on the land included a camel, kangaroo, mole, anteater, bat and armadillo, and there was also one reptile, a boa.
2. Review excerpts/awards
*Harcourt Brace Children’s Books 1994.
*1995 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award,
*BEAST FEAST.
The School Library Journal issued the following review:“Each brief poem employs an Ogden Nashian twist of language… The book's design is as appealing as the verses themselves, pairing each selection with a full-page, splashy, bordered watercolor”
On Wordtrade.com, the author believed that the book is inventive and verbally playful while the colorful illustrations offer fanciful interpretations of the animals.
On AD author.com, M.J. Hollingshead wrote that Douglas Florian’s brilliant imaginative notions set down in individual rhymes coupled with an dependable flair for alliteration is highly engaging.
Publishers Weekly wrote that the book is a cheerful collection of brief, bouncy poems describing an eclectic roundup of animals. Each focusing on a single "beast," the entries range from snappy two-liners ("The rhea rheally isn't strange-- / It's just an ostrich, rhearranged") to relatively longer poems of cleverly rhymed couplets.
3. Questions to ask before reading
Invite the children to discuss the following:
*What do “beast” and “feast” mean for you? Do you know any synonyms that are similar to the two words? Look at the book’s cover and guess about the book’s content.
*Share your experiences with any creatures and what their characteristics are.
* How many animals have you seen? Could you share a story about your favorite animal and tell us what characteristics that animal has? Why do you love these animals?
* What is prose or poetry? Have you ever read any poetry about animals? What needs to be included in poetry?
4. Suggestions for reading poems aloud
*In the book, Beast Feast,-invite each child in the class to read a poem.
*Invite several volunteers to read one of their favorite poems in the book.
*Divide the class into three small groups, and each group takes turns reading couplets from each page as they go from group to group. One group can point to another child in one of the other groups to read next. Children could also change the order and beat and speed for fun when the teacher points to them to read or invite one leader to make the order or change the beat and speed of the poem.
*Sing the poem using a familiar melody instead of reading it. Each group member could sing two lines of the poem and the next member sings the next two lines, and so on. Then the next group does the same with the next poem or the groups could sing together in harmony.
5. Follow up activities (writing, art, science, etc.)
*Art activity
Teachers could invite children to draw their favorite creature in the book, as well as talk about the uniqueness of the creature and why they like it.
*Cooperative Initial Poem writing
Teachers could invite one or two children to share their favorite creature not mentioned in the book. Let them talk about their favorite animals and the characteristics these animals possess. Later, encourage other children to create one poem together for a favorite animal based on the characteristics they have discussed.
*Science observations and individual writing
Teachers could ask children to bring either pictures or a real pet to the class. Give them time to observe and discuss these animals. Then teachers could let students draw and write a small description of their favorite animal then share their drawings and stories with the class. Children could either work in pairs to create their poems or work alone to create their own poem.
6. Related web sites/blogs
* The author’s own blog is: http://floriancafe.blogspot.com/. This is where anyone can read the author’s introduction and book lists.
* Rainbows Bridge: http://rainbowsbridge.com/stories.htm. Look here for various Pet Poems and Stories which are posted by visitors to Rainbows Bridge.
*Joyce Sidman’s blog: http://www.joycesidman.com/. Look here for useful animal poetry information for teachers and young children.
*ETTC (Educational Technology Training Center): http://ettcweb.lr.k12.nj.us/forms/newpoem.htm. Look here for poetry introductions, poetry lesson plan ideas, guidelines and examples of various types of writing poetry.
*Kenn Nesbitt’s Poetry4 kids. com: http://www.poetry4kids.com/. Look here for many funny poems and poetry books, games, lessons, discussion forums, journals, rhyming dictionaries, and poetry podcasts for children.
7. Related books (poetry, nonfiction, fiction)
*Same author, but different poetry about animal
Florian, Douglas. 2005. Zoo's Who: Poems and Paintings. Orlando : Harcourt.
Florian, Douglas. 2001. Lizards, Frogs, and Polliwogs. San Diego, CA: Harcourt.
Florian, Douglas. 2002. Insectlopedia : Poems and Paintings. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace.
Florian, Douglas.2004. Mammalabilia. San Diego, Calif.: Harcourt.
Florian, Douglas. 2007. Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars: Space Poems and Paintings. Orlando : Harcourt.
*Different authors’ poetry about animals:
Harrison, Michael & Stuart-Clark, Christopher. 1997. The Oxford Book of Animal Poems. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Foster, John. 2007. My First Oxford Book of Poems. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Hughes, Langston. 1997. The Sweet and Sour Animal Book. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
2011年3月23日 星期三
2011年3月9日 星期三
Diamond Willow
1.BIBLIOGRAPHY
Frost, Helen. 2008. DIAMOND WILLOW. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 0374317763
2.PLOT SUMMARY
A 12 year-old-girl named Willow had a close dog friend named Roxy. Her father is a science teacher and her mother is of Athabasca descent. The spirits of their ancestors inhabit animals nearby them and protect them. One day she convinced her parents let her go with her dog to mush alone leading three dogs to her grandparents’ house. After a long time to consider the proposition, she started her exploration with three dogs. It was a good journey on the way to her grandparents’ house; however, after she went home, her father’s favorite dog, Roxy, accidentally hurt her eyes. She was so sorry for Roxy and did not know how to face her father with the bad news. She blamed herself and felt so guilty for Roxy. Her parents decided to euthanize Roxy because it cost a lot of money and they could not afford the treatment, besides it could not run and lead sleds again as a leading dog. After Willow heard the decision her parents made, she asked her best friend, Kaylie, if she could bring Roxy to her grandparents’ house for protection. Unfortunately, they encountered a terrible storm and got lost on the way to their destination. They shared a scary long, cold, dark, snowy night out of the house. After the long night, she discovered a family secret that she had a twin sister who died a few days after she was born. In the end, the magical things happened and things turned out much better.
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This is one of the best narrative verse novels that I have ever read. Honestly, I was not a fan of poetry and poems; however, I could not stop reading it until I finished because the book was so good. The plot of the verse novel made me fall in love with the story and create a strong version of each plot. The story is so powerful and magical. I could not imagine how much I would enjoy reading novels and poetry. I believe young adults and students will love this book the way that I did. I found several strengths in this book, including the story design, complex points of view, and emotional expressions, as well as one small weakness.
The fiction novel is very concise and well-designed. The story was told in diamond-shaped poems, with a hidden message for the reader printed at the center of each one. Readers can see the words in bold that conveys a secret message that the author gave to the readers of this great story. The special design matches the title of the book, Diamond Willow. Young readers will be attracted by the layout with the diamond designs. The arrangement of lines and verses gave readers a visually vivid mental picture of what a diamond willow would look like and what action could be taken through these images.
The story was narrated from different points of view, including Willow, her ancestors, and the animals. The book was most based on the twelve-year-old Willow's first-person point of view, so the story could convey more of her thoughts and feelings. For instance, on page 105, the bold message said that I (Willow) am actually enjoying this; on page 104, we dream the same dream together; on page 107, Roxy makes me laugh. All of these short messages expressed what she felt and thought. Furthermore, the author also employed some third-person points of view to present the perspective of her spirits and her ancestors themselves. For example, on page 17, from Willow’s great-great-grandfather (Red Fox) John, "Old time, they would not let a girl go off alone like that, and I have been watching him teach Willow how to run the dogs". On page 25, based on her great-great-great grandmother Jean's (Spruce Hen) speech, "But I have seen what is ahead, broken limbs are sticking out all over it. Willow won’t have time to stop her dog". Using these different voices with the special layout and line format, the author gave readers more hints to connect to a broader understanding. Before the accident, readers were alerted that something will happen later.
The emotional expression is so powerful and touches readers. The narration allows readers to strongly feel her love for her dog Roxy, as well as the situation she has been facing. When I read the book, I felt I was in her same shoes because the narrative words appeals to my emotional senses. For instance, on page 26, "I stumble; a branch jobs into my leg. Oww!", it is my own voice I hear, like the fault line of an earthquake, with everything breaking around it. Roxy sticks her face in the snow and the snow turns red. The plot expressed the accident and how hurt she felt. Even though the author did not mention that Roxy got hurt, the snow turning red gave readers a powerful imagery. I would say that the plot is very powerful with high emotional expression. Readers could absolutely feel when Willow began to panic. For example, on page 48, when she and her friend got lost; she said "I am not sure where we are. I don’t know which way to go from here. I taste panic rising in my throat. I swallow it. And then I a spruce then burst out in front of my face". I found the language so gorgeous and the noble expressions in the narrative poem provided a deep imaginative expression of feeling.
The felt that illustrations would have enhanced the story even more, so that is the one weakness I believe would have made the book even better. I enjoyed reading this book; however, I did not understand what a diamond willow stick was or what it looked like when I first read it, so illustrations would have made that clear. After searching on-line and reading further, I got more of an understanding about what the tree would look like. If the book provided some illustrations for young readers, especially those readers who do not have a large vocabulary, such as ESL students and young children, they may love this book and be willing to read it even more.
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
The book earned several honors and awards, including the 2009 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, the 2008 Mitten Award--Michigan Library Association, The Lion and the Unicorn Award for Excellence in North American Poetry: 2009 Honor Book, 2009 Winner of Best Books of Indiana, Children and Young Adult Book, and 2009 CCBC Choices List (Helen Frost, 2011).
On the Amazon’s website, Marilyn Taniguchi reviewed that Helen Frost’s poems offer thoughtful imagery and strong emotion. This elegant novel was a powerful drama with multifaceted characters (Amazon, 2011).
Hazel Rochman's review stated that Willow’s bond with Roxy is the heart of the tale, as well as the poems reflect how precious jewels of wisdom can grow around painful scars.
Marcia Calhoun Forecki wrote that Diamond Willow was such a beautiful book. She wanted to share the book with her ESL students (The reading Zone, 2011).
5.CONNECTIONS
I found another book that is also about love and a dog, entitled Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner. It is a relative book with a powerful and emotional ending. This book describes the special love for a dog, similar to the love Willow had for Roxy in DIAMOND WILLOW.
Gardiner, John Reynolds. 1992. Stone Fox. New York, Harper Collins. ISBN: 0064401324
References
Amazon. com., accessed March 7, 2011, http://www.amazon.com/Diamond-Willow-Frances-Foster-Books/dp/0374317763
Helen Frost blog, accessed March 7, 2011, http://www.helenfrost.net/item.php?postid=25
The reading Zone, assessed March 7, 2001
http://thereadingzone.wordpress.com/2008/12/23/diamond-willow-by-helen-frost/
The article was created on March. 7, 2011
Frost, Helen. 2008. DIAMOND WILLOW. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 0374317763
2.PLOT SUMMARY
A 12 year-old-girl named Willow had a close dog friend named Roxy. Her father is a science teacher and her mother is of Athabasca descent. The spirits of their ancestors inhabit animals nearby them and protect them. One day she convinced her parents let her go with her dog to mush alone leading three dogs to her grandparents’ house. After a long time to consider the proposition, she started her exploration with three dogs. It was a good journey on the way to her grandparents’ house; however, after she went home, her father’s favorite dog, Roxy, accidentally hurt her eyes. She was so sorry for Roxy and did not know how to face her father with the bad news. She blamed herself and felt so guilty for Roxy. Her parents decided to euthanize Roxy because it cost a lot of money and they could not afford the treatment, besides it could not run and lead sleds again as a leading dog. After Willow heard the decision her parents made, she asked her best friend, Kaylie, if she could bring Roxy to her grandparents’ house for protection. Unfortunately, they encountered a terrible storm and got lost on the way to their destination. They shared a scary long, cold, dark, snowy night out of the house. After the long night, she discovered a family secret that she had a twin sister who died a few days after she was born. In the end, the magical things happened and things turned out much better.
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This is one of the best narrative verse novels that I have ever read. Honestly, I was not a fan of poetry and poems; however, I could not stop reading it until I finished because the book was so good. The plot of the verse novel made me fall in love with the story and create a strong version of each plot. The story is so powerful and magical. I could not imagine how much I would enjoy reading novels and poetry. I believe young adults and students will love this book the way that I did. I found several strengths in this book, including the story design, complex points of view, and emotional expressions, as well as one small weakness.
The fiction novel is very concise and well-designed. The story was told in diamond-shaped poems, with a hidden message for the reader printed at the center of each one. Readers can see the words in bold that conveys a secret message that the author gave to the readers of this great story. The special design matches the title of the book, Diamond Willow. Young readers will be attracted by the layout with the diamond designs. The arrangement of lines and verses gave readers a visually vivid mental picture of what a diamond willow would look like and what action could be taken through these images.
The story was narrated from different points of view, including Willow, her ancestors, and the animals. The book was most based on the twelve-year-old Willow's first-person point of view, so the story could convey more of her thoughts and feelings. For instance, on page 105, the bold message said that I (Willow) am actually enjoying this; on page 104, we dream the same dream together; on page 107, Roxy makes me laugh. All of these short messages expressed what she felt and thought. Furthermore, the author also employed some third-person points of view to present the perspective of her spirits and her ancestors themselves. For example, on page 17, from Willow’s great-great-grandfather (Red Fox) John, "Old time, they would not let a girl go off alone like that, and I have been watching him teach Willow how to run the dogs". On page 25, based on her great-great-great grandmother Jean's (Spruce Hen) speech, "But I have seen what is ahead, broken limbs are sticking out all over it. Willow won’t have time to stop her dog". Using these different voices with the special layout and line format, the author gave readers more hints to connect to a broader understanding. Before the accident, readers were alerted that something will happen later.
The emotional expression is so powerful and touches readers. The narration allows readers to strongly feel her love for her dog Roxy, as well as the situation she has been facing. When I read the book, I felt I was in her same shoes because the narrative words appeals to my emotional senses. For instance, on page 26, "I stumble; a branch jobs into my leg. Oww!", it is my own voice I hear, like the fault line of an earthquake, with everything breaking around it. Roxy sticks her face in the snow and the snow turns red. The plot expressed the accident and how hurt she felt. Even though the author did not mention that Roxy got hurt, the snow turning red gave readers a powerful imagery. I would say that the plot is very powerful with high emotional expression. Readers could absolutely feel when Willow began to panic. For example, on page 48, when she and her friend got lost; she said "I am not sure where we are. I don’t know which way to go from here. I taste panic rising in my throat. I swallow it. And then I a spruce then burst out in front of my face". I found the language so gorgeous and the noble expressions in the narrative poem provided a deep imaginative expression of feeling.
The felt that illustrations would have enhanced the story even more, so that is the one weakness I believe would have made the book even better. I enjoyed reading this book; however, I did not understand what a diamond willow stick was or what it looked like when I first read it, so illustrations would have made that clear. After searching on-line and reading further, I got more of an understanding about what the tree would look like. If the book provided some illustrations for young readers, especially those readers who do not have a large vocabulary, such as ESL students and young children, they may love this book and be willing to read it even more.
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
The book earned several honors and awards, including the 2009 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, the 2008 Mitten Award--Michigan Library Association, The Lion and the Unicorn Award for Excellence in North American Poetry: 2009 Honor Book, 2009 Winner of Best Books of Indiana, Children and Young Adult Book, and 2009 CCBC Choices List (Helen Frost, 2011).
On the Amazon’s website, Marilyn Taniguchi reviewed that Helen Frost’s poems offer thoughtful imagery and strong emotion. This elegant novel was a powerful drama with multifaceted characters (Amazon, 2011).
Hazel Rochman's review stated that Willow’s bond with Roxy is the heart of the tale, as well as the poems reflect how precious jewels of wisdom can grow around painful scars.
Marcia Calhoun Forecki wrote that Diamond Willow was such a beautiful book. She wanted to share the book with her ESL students (The reading Zone, 2011).
5.CONNECTIONS
I found another book that is also about love and a dog, entitled Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner. It is a relative book with a powerful and emotional ending. This book describes the special love for a dog, similar to the love Willow had for Roxy in DIAMOND WILLOW.
Gardiner, John Reynolds. 1992. Stone Fox. New York, Harper Collins. ISBN: 0064401324
References
Amazon. com., accessed March 7, 2011, http://www.amazon.com/Diamond-Willow-Frances-Foster-Books/dp/0374317763
Helen Frost blog, accessed March 7, 2011, http://www.helenfrost.net/item.php?postid=25
The reading Zone, assessed March 7, 2001
http://thereadingzone.wordpress.com/2008/12/23/diamond-willow-by-helen-frost/
The article was created on March. 7, 2011
Red Sings from Treetops a year in colors
1.BIBLIOGRAPHY
Sidman, Joyce. 2009. Red Sings from Treetops a year in colors. Ill. by Pamela Zagarenski. New York: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN: 0547014945
2.PLOT SUMMARY
Poet and author Joyce Sidman portrayed four seasons with six or seven different poems using various colors, containing normal colors that people expect to see each season, such as yellow for spring, green for summer, brown for fall, white for winter, as well as some unexpected colors, such as blue in the springtime, gray for the summer night, purple for fall, and pink for winter. The poems made the four seasons come alive like a real person using different colors to express their characteristics. For example, in spring, red sings from treetops: Cheer-cheer-cheer, each note dropping like a cherry from the sound of a bird’s whistle. In spring, white sounds like storms (lightening). In summer, white clinks in drinks (ice) and yellow (the sun) melts everything. In the fall, yellow grows wheels and lumbers down the block (school bus). In the winter dawn, pink blooms powder-soft over pastel hills (the sun shining on the snow).
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This is a very creative and innovative poetry picture book describing colors and seasons. I could not imagine that seasons could combine all of these different colors revealing various magical senses through these colorful illustrations. When I read it, the magical power of tone and language in the book inspired me to read it over and over again. I really loved the paragraphs that show the unique, beautiful language the author uses to describe each season. For instance, “Where is blue? Humming, shimmering, snoozing in the lazy haze Dancing on water (waves) With yellow and Green In summer, Blue grows new names: Turquoise, azure, and cerulean”. Colors dances from spring to winter though the whole year. The author uses beautiful and powerful language and imagery; however, some of the language may be slightly advanced for young children. The poetry book possesses other strengths that make the book attractive to readers, including creativity, the rhythm of the poetry, personification, organization and arrangement, the unique usage of beautiful language, and the colorful illustrations.
First of all, poet Joyce Sidman employed her superior observational abilities to depict new perspectives of the four seasons. The four seasons merge with some common colors revealing a beautiful and imaginational view for people who appreciate the circle of life. The author used her unique play on words and language expression to convey a new image for readers. For example, on page 2, the author said that red sings from treetops: Cheer-cheer-cheer, each note dropping like a cherry into my ear. The red color symbolizes the bird whistling from the treetops. Another example on page 5, in spring, white sounds like storms: snapped twigs and bouncing hail, blink of lightning and rattling BOOM! Normally, people would not connect spring with the color white; however, the author offers a different perspective creating a new interpretation. By reading these descriptions of the seasons, readers can construct their own pictures that remind them of each season.
Personification is the other strength I found in the book. The author personified colors with human traits that acted like human beings or animals. All colors come to life and have unique characteristics in the book. For example, green is new in spring. Shy, purple hold hands, Green is queen; Black holds secrets in summer; in fall, green is tired, dusty, and crisp around the edges; in winter, red, orange, and yellow have all gone home. The author also implied metaphors comparing them with other images to express feeling and construct more imagination for readers to enjoy. For instance, yellow melts everything it touches… smells like butter, tastes like salt. White sounds like storms.
The organization and layout arrangement are other strengths I found. By reading through the whole book over and over again, readers would discover that the author put a lot of effort in the layout of the book though the organization and work design. In the beginning and end of book, the author utilizes the same descriptions that make the book complete. For example, in the opening part, Cheer-cheer-cheer, each note dropping like a cherry represented by the color red, and at the end thump-thump-thump is the red color of one’s heart. Furthermore, the author uses bold, colorful words, and shadow colors to emphasize the color more so that young readers can distinguish them easily.
Sometimes, the author applied a different layout format expressing the feature of the word. For example, “floats” was separated in different lines so that the word actually appears to float as shown below.
Ex.
F
lo
a
t
s,
Moreover, the repeating pattern is presented throughout the whole book. Readers can easily locate the same colors repeating over and over again in all of the seasons with different descriptions.
In summary, this is well-designed poetry picture book. Illustrations help the poetry come alive. However, I am concerned that the author’s play on words might confuse the very young reader and the book would probably be much more enjoyable for older children. As an adult reader, I felt I could really see and touch these colors via reading the poems. The lyrical lines evocative images were matched with illustrations expressing the beauty of the various colors of the four seasons. .
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
The book is a 2010 Caldecott Honor Book.
On the Amazon website, Kirkus reviews stated that it is charming inspiration to notice colors and the correlated emotions; and the Bulletin review expressed that this book has freshness and visual impact.
When I shared this book with my friend’s seven-year-old son, he loved it. He was so excited to show me that he could distinguish those colors from the book. He would yell out the colors, such as green, orange, and yellow when he saw them in the book. He also enjoyed the illustrations.
5.CONNECTIONS
I found another famous picture book about colors entitled, A Color of His Own. I love this book so much because the book not only talks about colors, but also indicates that people need to accept each other no matter what color they are. Even though this book did not mention seasons, it is a good relative book teachers could share with children.
Lionni, Leo. 2006. A Color of His Own. New York: Knopf Books. ISBN: 0375836977.
The other relative book I have found is SEASONS. The book mentioned the four seasons and provides rich colors and simple imagery together like the book Red Sings from Treetops a year in colors. The difference is the book also describes the activities that happen in each season.
Blexbolex. 2010. Seasons. New York: Enchanted Lion Books. ISBN: 1592700950
Another relative book entitled, Why Do Leaves Change Color? also talks about seasons and colors. It is a good supplement book for teachers. It would be a good science book for children after reading the Red Sings from Treetops a year in colors.
Maestro, Betsy. 1994. Why Do Leaves Change Color? New York, Collins. ISBN: 0064451267
References
Amazon. com., accessed March 8, 2011, http://www.amazon.com/Red-Sings-Treetops-Year-Colors/dp/0547014945
Amazon. com., accessed March 8, 2011, http://www.amazon.com/Color-His-Own-Leo-Lionni/dp/0679887857
Amazon. com., accessed March 8, 2011,
http://www.amazon.com/Seasons-Blexbolex/dp/1592700950/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=U
The article was created on March 8, 2011
Sidman, Joyce. 2009. Red Sings from Treetops a year in colors. Ill. by Pamela Zagarenski. New York: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN: 0547014945
2.PLOT SUMMARY
Poet and author Joyce Sidman portrayed four seasons with six or seven different poems using various colors, containing normal colors that people expect to see each season, such as yellow for spring, green for summer, brown for fall, white for winter, as well as some unexpected colors, such as blue in the springtime, gray for the summer night, purple for fall, and pink for winter. The poems made the four seasons come alive like a real person using different colors to express their characteristics. For example, in spring, red sings from treetops: Cheer-cheer-cheer, each note dropping like a cherry from the sound of a bird’s whistle. In spring, white sounds like storms (lightening). In summer, white clinks in drinks (ice) and yellow (the sun) melts everything. In the fall, yellow grows wheels and lumbers down the block (school bus). In the winter dawn, pink blooms powder-soft over pastel hills (the sun shining on the snow).
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This is a very creative and innovative poetry picture book describing colors and seasons. I could not imagine that seasons could combine all of these different colors revealing various magical senses through these colorful illustrations. When I read it, the magical power of tone and language in the book inspired me to read it over and over again. I really loved the paragraphs that show the unique, beautiful language the author uses to describe each season. For instance, “Where is blue? Humming, shimmering, snoozing in the lazy haze Dancing on water (waves) With yellow and Green In summer, Blue grows new names: Turquoise, azure, and cerulean”. Colors dances from spring to winter though the whole year. The author uses beautiful and powerful language and imagery; however, some of the language may be slightly advanced for young children. The poetry book possesses other strengths that make the book attractive to readers, including creativity, the rhythm of the poetry, personification, organization and arrangement, the unique usage of beautiful language, and the colorful illustrations.
First of all, poet Joyce Sidman employed her superior observational abilities to depict new perspectives of the four seasons. The four seasons merge with some common colors revealing a beautiful and imaginational view for people who appreciate the circle of life. The author used her unique play on words and language expression to convey a new image for readers. For example, on page 2, the author said that red sings from treetops: Cheer-cheer-cheer, each note dropping like a cherry into my ear. The red color symbolizes the bird whistling from the treetops. Another example on page 5, in spring, white sounds like storms: snapped twigs and bouncing hail, blink of lightning and rattling BOOM! Normally, people would not connect spring with the color white; however, the author offers a different perspective creating a new interpretation. By reading these descriptions of the seasons, readers can construct their own pictures that remind them of each season.
Personification is the other strength I found in the book. The author personified colors with human traits that acted like human beings or animals. All colors come to life and have unique characteristics in the book. For example, green is new in spring. Shy, purple hold hands, Green is queen; Black holds secrets in summer; in fall, green is tired, dusty, and crisp around the edges; in winter, red, orange, and yellow have all gone home. The author also implied metaphors comparing them with other images to express feeling and construct more imagination for readers to enjoy. For instance, yellow melts everything it touches… smells like butter, tastes like salt. White sounds like storms.
The organization and layout arrangement are other strengths I found. By reading through the whole book over and over again, readers would discover that the author put a lot of effort in the layout of the book though the organization and work design. In the beginning and end of book, the author utilizes the same descriptions that make the book complete. For example, in the opening part, Cheer-cheer-cheer, each note dropping like a cherry represented by the color red, and at the end thump-thump-thump is the red color of one’s heart. Furthermore, the author uses bold, colorful words, and shadow colors to emphasize the color more so that young readers can distinguish them easily.
Sometimes, the author applied a different layout format expressing the feature of the word. For example, “floats” was separated in different lines so that the word actually appears to float as shown below.
Ex.
F
lo
a
t
s,
Moreover, the repeating pattern is presented throughout the whole book. Readers can easily locate the same colors repeating over and over again in all of the seasons with different descriptions.
In summary, this is well-designed poetry picture book. Illustrations help the poetry come alive. However, I am concerned that the author’s play on words might confuse the very young reader and the book would probably be much more enjoyable for older children. As an adult reader, I felt I could really see and touch these colors via reading the poems. The lyrical lines evocative images were matched with illustrations expressing the beauty of the various colors of the four seasons. .
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
The book is a 2010 Caldecott Honor Book.
On the Amazon website, Kirkus reviews stated that it is charming inspiration to notice colors and the correlated emotions; and the Bulletin review expressed that this book has freshness and visual impact.
When I shared this book with my friend’s seven-year-old son, he loved it. He was so excited to show me that he could distinguish those colors from the book. He would yell out the colors, such as green, orange, and yellow when he saw them in the book. He also enjoyed the illustrations.
5.CONNECTIONS
I found another famous picture book about colors entitled, A Color of His Own. I love this book so much because the book not only talks about colors, but also indicates that people need to accept each other no matter what color they are. Even though this book did not mention seasons, it is a good relative book teachers could share with children.
Lionni, Leo. 2006. A Color of His Own. New York: Knopf Books. ISBN: 0375836977.
The other relative book I have found is SEASONS. The book mentioned the four seasons and provides rich colors and simple imagery together like the book Red Sings from Treetops a year in colors. The difference is the book also describes the activities that happen in each season.
Blexbolex. 2010. Seasons. New York: Enchanted Lion Books. ISBN: 1592700950
Another relative book entitled, Why Do Leaves Change Color? also talks about seasons and colors. It is a good supplement book for teachers. It would be a good science book for children after reading the Red Sings from Treetops a year in colors.
Maestro, Betsy. 1994. Why Do Leaves Change Color? New York, Collins. ISBN: 0064451267
References
Amazon. com., accessed March 8, 2011, http://www.amazon.com/Red-Sings-Treetops-Year-Colors/dp/0547014945
Amazon. com., accessed March 8, 2011, http://www.amazon.com/Color-His-Own-Leo-Lionni/dp/0679887857
Amazon. com., accessed March 8, 2011,
http://www.amazon.com/Seasons-Blexbolex/dp/1592700950/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=U
The article was created on March 8, 2011
Pond Circle
1.BIBLIOGRAPHY
Franco, Betsy. 2009. Pond Circle. Ill. by Stefano Vitale. New York, Margaret K. McElderry. ISBN 1416940219
2.PLOT SUMMARY
The book is about the food chain focusing on lives in the water pond near a girl’s house. The author introduced several creatures and what they ate. The book started from the water pond by a girl named Anna’s house, and then introduced the jade green algae, the mayfly nymph, the diving beetle, the loud bullfrog, and up the food chain to the howling coyote. At the end of the book, the girl named Anna gave an overview of all of the animals, insects, and plants that the author mentioned earlier, such as where algae grows, mayflies dart, frogs spring, snakes swim, skunks shuffle, raccoons rummage, and coyotes howl. She also gave the connection between the book and the real world out of her window.
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This is very fun, rhythmic poetry picture book. After reading through this book, the other book I read earlier entitled “The Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly” just came to my mind because they have similar sentence structure and story plot. There are several strengths of this book, including science, cognitive development, language, as well as rhythm.
The book is a good science supplement for students to understand how the food chain works in nature and improve language ability and fluency. The illustrations also help readers to understand the concepts and the author adds some rare names of animals, insects, and plant to enhance young reader’s vocabulary. As a person who is new English speaker where English is not the first language, the illustrations helped me to guess what the creature would look like and what actions the creatures used. For example, I did not know a nymph, beetle, skunk, or a coyote, until I saw the illustration of these creatures. Furthermore, the author used some action verbs that I was not familiar with, such as nibbled, gobbled, stalked, and dart. The illustrations helped me to understand the action that these verbs represented. Based on my personal experience, I believe this poetry picture book would be a good teaching supplement to expand children’s language learning, science concepts and enhance their imagination. With the illustrations, young readers could recognize and realize the names of the animals together.
The other strength I noticed was sentence structure and organization. Sentence structures are parallel, the same or similar, enabling readers to easily read aloud and memorize as they would a song. For instance, at the beginning of each new paragraph, as well as at the end of each paragraph, the author utilized the same sentences to emphasize rhythm and pattern. The first two lines are repeated in each new paragraph from the preceding one to create the meter of a poem. For instance, on page 11 to 12, the first two lines were “this is the snake, the garter snake”; on page 15-16, the first two lines were “This is the owl; the great horned owl.” At the end of each paragraph would be the line from the first page that said, “that filled the pond by Anna’s house’. Each new page, the author started with a new animal, plant, or insect, such as “this is algae, nymph, beetle, frog, owl, raccoon and coyote.” It is very well-designed and well-organized book. Each new page introduces new creatures presented in colorful illustrations that would catch the previous creature. In addition, readers could be intrigued to explore what creatures might become prey next.
Language and Rhyme
The author made language more vivid and actively used some powerful sensory adjectives emphasizing different animals, such as hungry raccoon, great horned owl, shy striped skunk, loud bullfrog, and the diving beetle. Furthermore, the author also employed some action verbs to construct the imagery for readers. For instance, on page 21to22, “Where algae grows, mayflies dart, beetles dive, frogs’ spring, snakes swim, skunks shuffle, owls swoop, raccoons rummage, and coyotes howl” These action verbs make the poem have a rhythm with vivid mental action pictures. Moreover, some expressions are funny and make people laugh, such as that “hungry raccoon, that stole the eggs, that dived for the skunk, that caught the snake, that swallowed the frog, that gobbled the beetle, as well as, that ate the nymph.”
In summary, the well-designed poetry is so amazing with many action verbs and colorful adjectives to emphasize the powerful language usage. Young readers not only can learn science knowledge, but also could enlarge their vocabulary and language fluency. I would highly recommend students to read it, especially ESL students. I have learned a lot of new knowledge and vocabulary from this book. It is a very interesting poetry book.
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
The author indicated that this is a rhythmic, cumulative story with rich, luminous paintings that capture the bold beauty of nature. It presented a short journey from the backyard experiences of all these different creatures.
On Amazon.com, one consumer, D. Fowler, had similar thoughts as me. She indicated that she thoroughly enjoyed the storybook format of a pond food chain adventure. She believed that it is a great way to introduce children to ecology. The rhythmical text was a lot of fun and reminded me a lot of the song "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly" because the text is repetitive and cumulative. (Amazon, 2011).
From the customer’s review on Amazon.com, Z. Hayes pointed out that the illustrations are so vivid and she was delighted by the rhythmic and flowing prose. She highly recommended that this book would be a great teaching supplement for the ecosystem in a pond and could be used for reading aloud.
5.CONNECTIONS
One relative book I have found is Hummingbird Nest by Kristine George. This poetry is an observant verse about hummingbirds. Through describing the observation, readers could closely see how the tiny birds emerge from the cracked eggshells. Pond Circle also provides a close view of the food chain cycle of life of the creatures in the pond. Both of them could be a good supplement for science and language courses.
George, Kristine O'Connell. 2004. Hummingbird Nest: A Journal of Poems. Orlando, Harcourt. ISBN 0152023259
The other relative book is a Caldecott Honor book entitled, In the Small, Small Pond. The author is both the writer and illustrator. The gorgeous illustrations and rhyming text were presented throughout the book. The book described the life cycle in a small pond.
Fleming, Denise. 1950. In the Small, Small Pond. New York, Henry Holt. ISBN 0805059830
Reference
Amazon. com., accessed March 5, 2011, http://www.amazon.com/Pond-Circle-Betsy-Franco/dp/1416940219
Google Book, accessed March 5, 2011, http://books.google.com/books
The article is created on March. 5, 2011
Franco, Betsy. 2009. Pond Circle. Ill. by Stefano Vitale. New York, Margaret K. McElderry. ISBN 1416940219
2.PLOT SUMMARY
The book is about the food chain focusing on lives in the water pond near a girl’s house. The author introduced several creatures and what they ate. The book started from the water pond by a girl named Anna’s house, and then introduced the jade green algae, the mayfly nymph, the diving beetle, the loud bullfrog, and up the food chain to the howling coyote. At the end of the book, the girl named Anna gave an overview of all of the animals, insects, and plants that the author mentioned earlier, such as where algae grows, mayflies dart, frogs spring, snakes swim, skunks shuffle, raccoons rummage, and coyotes howl. She also gave the connection between the book and the real world out of her window.
3.CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This is very fun, rhythmic poetry picture book. After reading through this book, the other book I read earlier entitled “The Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly” just came to my mind because they have similar sentence structure and story plot. There are several strengths of this book, including science, cognitive development, language, as well as rhythm.
The book is a good science supplement for students to understand how the food chain works in nature and improve language ability and fluency. The illustrations also help readers to understand the concepts and the author adds some rare names of animals, insects, and plant to enhance young reader’s vocabulary. As a person who is new English speaker where English is not the first language, the illustrations helped me to guess what the creature would look like and what actions the creatures used. For example, I did not know a nymph, beetle, skunk, or a coyote, until I saw the illustration of these creatures. Furthermore, the author used some action verbs that I was not familiar with, such as nibbled, gobbled, stalked, and dart. The illustrations helped me to understand the action that these verbs represented. Based on my personal experience, I believe this poetry picture book would be a good teaching supplement to expand children’s language learning, science concepts and enhance their imagination. With the illustrations, young readers could recognize and realize the names of the animals together.
The other strength I noticed was sentence structure and organization. Sentence structures are parallel, the same or similar, enabling readers to easily read aloud and memorize as they would a song. For instance, at the beginning of each new paragraph, as well as at the end of each paragraph, the author utilized the same sentences to emphasize rhythm and pattern. The first two lines are repeated in each new paragraph from the preceding one to create the meter of a poem. For instance, on page 11 to 12, the first two lines were “this is the snake, the garter snake”; on page 15-16, the first two lines were “This is the owl; the great horned owl.” At the end of each paragraph would be the line from the first page that said, “that filled the pond by Anna’s house’. Each new page, the author started with a new animal, plant, or insect, such as “this is algae, nymph, beetle, frog, owl, raccoon and coyote.” It is very well-designed and well-organized book. Each new page introduces new creatures presented in colorful illustrations that would catch the previous creature. In addition, readers could be intrigued to explore what creatures might become prey next.
Language and Rhyme
The author made language more vivid and actively used some powerful sensory adjectives emphasizing different animals, such as hungry raccoon, great horned owl, shy striped skunk, loud bullfrog, and the diving beetle. Furthermore, the author also employed some action verbs to construct the imagery for readers. For instance, on page 21to22, “Where algae grows, mayflies dart, beetles dive, frogs’ spring, snakes swim, skunks shuffle, owls swoop, raccoons rummage, and coyotes howl” These action verbs make the poem have a rhythm with vivid mental action pictures. Moreover, some expressions are funny and make people laugh, such as that “hungry raccoon, that stole the eggs, that dived for the skunk, that caught the snake, that swallowed the frog, that gobbled the beetle, as well as, that ate the nymph.”
In summary, the well-designed poetry is so amazing with many action verbs and colorful adjectives to emphasize the powerful language usage. Young readers not only can learn science knowledge, but also could enlarge their vocabulary and language fluency. I would highly recommend students to read it, especially ESL students. I have learned a lot of new knowledge and vocabulary from this book. It is a very interesting poetry book.
4.REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
The author indicated that this is a rhythmic, cumulative story with rich, luminous paintings that capture the bold beauty of nature. It presented a short journey from the backyard experiences of all these different creatures.
On Amazon.com, one consumer, D. Fowler, had similar thoughts as me. She indicated that she thoroughly enjoyed the storybook format of a pond food chain adventure. She believed that it is a great way to introduce children to ecology. The rhythmical text was a lot of fun and reminded me a lot of the song "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly" because the text is repetitive and cumulative. (Amazon, 2011).
From the customer’s review on Amazon.com, Z. Hayes pointed out that the illustrations are so vivid and she was delighted by the rhythmic and flowing prose. She highly recommended that this book would be a great teaching supplement for the ecosystem in a pond and could be used for reading aloud.
5.CONNECTIONS
One relative book I have found is Hummingbird Nest by Kristine George. This poetry is an observant verse about hummingbirds. Through describing the observation, readers could closely see how the tiny birds emerge from the cracked eggshells. Pond Circle also provides a close view of the food chain cycle of life of the creatures in the pond. Both of them could be a good supplement for science and language courses.
George, Kristine O'Connell. 2004. Hummingbird Nest: A Journal of Poems. Orlando, Harcourt. ISBN 0152023259
The other relative book is a Caldecott Honor book entitled, In the Small, Small Pond. The author is both the writer and illustrator. The gorgeous illustrations and rhyming text were presented throughout the book. The book described the life cycle in a small pond.
Fleming, Denise. 1950. In the Small, Small Pond. New York, Henry Holt. ISBN 0805059830
Reference
Amazon. com., accessed March 5, 2011, http://www.amazon.com/Pond-Circle-Betsy-Franco/dp/1416940219
Google Book, accessed March 5, 2011, http://books.google.com/books
The article is created on March. 5, 2011
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