Seeing Sides With Poetry
Seeing Sides With Poetry
by
Kate Marley
Like aspen leaves that
flutter in the barest breeze
showing first one color
then another - back and forth
changing…like trout,
flashing like a meteor
through a stream's interior.
So words can be -
Incredibly
different while the same.
PICTURE BOOKS
Mouse Mess
by Linnea Riley. c 1997, Blue Sky Press.
At night, a rambunctious and capricious mouse capers all over someone's kitchen,
tempted by one goodie after another. Cheerful couplets and colorful cut paper
illustrations by the author will delight young readers up till the last page.
A Small Child's Book of Cozy Poems
illustrated by Cyndy Szekeres. c 1999, Scholastic.
Filled with lots of short poems about everyday things by an assortment of writers, and
illustrated with plenty of adorable mice, bunnies and other cuddly animals, this adorable
red book will be a hit with toddlers who like rhythm & rhyme, short and sweet.
Counting on the Woods
by George Ella Lyon. c 1998, DK Publishing.
This is a poem is an unabashed tribute to the beauty of the Appalachians. Obviously, it
can also be used as a counting book; superb photographs by Ann W. Olson tie it all
together into one beautiful whole.
The Baby Dances
by Kathy Henderson. c 1999, Candlewick Press.
Important stages of a baby's first year are lovingly chronicled in rhythmic verse and with
glowing illustrations by Tony Kerins. Sleeping, rolling over, and the beginnings of
independence are just a few of the tender milestones captured by this beautiful book that
is perfect for lap babies.
TRANSITIONAL BOOKS
The Tale I Told Sasha
by Nancy Willard. c 1999, Little, Brown.
Although technically a picture book, the dreamy, highly imaginative quality of both
words and illustrations is probably more suited for eight or nine year olds on up. A child's
yellow ball is the catalyst for an exploratory quest through what appears to be just a
normal house. Exquisite drawings by David Christiana are a wonderful compliment to
Willard's lyrical fantasies.
This Big Sky
by Pat Mora. c 1998, Scholastic.
The breadth and grandeur of the American southwest was the inspiration for this group of
poems. Horned toads, snakes, wolves, thunderstorms and more are offered up with
impressive collage artwork by Steve Jenkins for a rich sampling of this region.
Poems for Children Nowhere Near Old Enough to Vote
by Carl Sandburg. c 1999,
Knopf.
Only rediscovered among the poet's papers after many years, this collection about
everyday things such as chairs and noses have been coupled with whimsical illustrations
by Istvan Banyai. It's a great way to show children how poetry can be about the most
mundane things and still give it all a really different point of view.
Wish You Were Here (and I wasn't)
by Colin McNaughton. c 1999, Candlewick Press.
Anyone who loves funny poems will enjoy this collection of 'poems and pictures for
glove trotters' as promised by the subtitle. Summer vacations, car rides, strange lands and
even stranger people…it's all here, with silly, giggly details and equally whimsical
illustrations by the author.
Wild Country : Outdoor Poems for Young People
by David Harrison. c 1999, Boyds Mills Press.
This quiet but impressive collection of outdoor poems for young people set in free verse
celebrates the beauty, mystery and power of nature. Whether he is watching something
such as a toad or wolf, or becoming part of the storm or mountain, the author displays
such a love and empathy for the natural world that can't help but pull readers in with him.
FOR OLDER READERS
Relatively Speaking: Poems about Family
by Ralph Fletcher. c 1999, Orchard Books.
Told from point of view of the youngest boy, this charming collection of poems about a
close-knit family takes readers through a year or so of family experiences. A reunion, a
brush with death, teasing by his older sibling, as well as a brand new addition to the
immediate family are all recounted in spare but descriptive free verse. Black and white
drawings are by Walter Lyon Krudop.
How to Write Poetry
by Paul B. Janeczko. c 1999, Scholastic.
Very informal, but very informative, this is a great little book for anyone, but particularly
kids, who want to explore ways to better their poetry. Examples, exercises, and
encouragement from all sorts of poets (not just the author) will make this a very useful
book for aspiring young poets.
Big Talk
by Paul Fleischman. c 2000, Candlewick Press.
These poems for four voices make quite a sweep, ranging from the joys of quiet living, to
the intricacies of seventh grade goings-on, and then to a ghostly appreciation of food.
Kids will have fun making it all come out the way it's supposed to, as well as the reading
out loud - which too many people forget is one of the prime joys of poetry, hearing the
words proudly spoken. Colorful illustrations are by Beppe Giacobbe.
Quiet Storm: Voices of Young Black Poets
selected by Lydia Omolola Okutoro. c 1999,
Hyperion.
A contributor as well as editor, Okutoro was born in Nigeria and raised in the US; she
lives now in Baltimore. She's divided this collection into themed groups, such as home,
family, beauty and so forth, headed each with a selection from a famous poet, and then
filled the rest with poems from young people. They range from Ohio to Haiti, Panama to
Uganda, DC to California, Alabama to Somalia - a powerful collection that looks
unflinchingly at many aspects and variations of black culture. Hopefully this book will
find a wider audience; it certainly deserves to.
All contents © 2000, Kate Marley. All rights reserved.
