Module 2/Major Poets and Awards

NCTE Award Poetry

Hoberman, Mary Ann. Ill. Emberly, Michael. You Read To Me, I’ll Read To You, Very Short Stories To Read Together.  New York:  Little Brown and Company.  2001.  ISBN  0316363502

SUMMARY:   This book of poems, or very short stories, is made to be read aloud.  The book is arranged so that there are “two voices” that alternately read.  There are also parts that are to be read together.  The poems are humorous and lighthearted.  The subjects are animals, family, and friends.  The book is a fun and unique way to help beginning readers learn to read aloud. 

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:  This book of poetry contains an author’s note, but no table of contents.  There is an introduction which is written like the stories contained in the book, so you can see how the book is to be read.  Each short, rhymed story in this book is like a play for two voices.  One voice is in Purple font, the other in Red.  Blue Font represents where both readers read together.  This makes it easy for beginning readers to see where they need to read.  The font also alternates from the left to the right, when different readers should read.  When both readers read, the font is centered. The book uses rhyme, repetition, and rhythm to make inviting stories for children to read aloud.  The poems, or stories, are about friendship, family, and animals.  Some are quite humorous. The vocabulary is mostly sight words, so this makes it perfect for children 6-8. The illustrations by Michael Emberly are cheerful and lighthearted, which makes them a perfect accompaniment for this book.  They were created by ballpoint pen, watercolors, and dry pastel.  The end of the book contains a poem called “The End.”  This poem tells the reader the book is over, but reinforces reading by stating that there are many more books to be read.  This is a very unique and fun concept for a book. 

POEM EXCERPT: 

New Friends

“My birthday’s here!                                And mine is, too!

How old are you?                                      How old are you?

I asked you first.                                        

You’ve got to say.                                      All right, I’m six.  I’m six today.

Why, I am, too!

We’re just the same!

We both are six!                                         Well, what’s your name?

Well what is yours?                                   You’ve got to tell.  I asked you first.

It’s Annabelle.

Now what is yours?                                   Why don’t you guess?

You’ve got to tell.                                       All right, it’s Jess.

Where do you live?                                   I live quite near.  Where do you live?

A block from here.                                     It’s funny that we never met.

                                                                        I’ve walked right by your house, I bet.

I bet I’ve walked right by yours,

Too, and yet we never even knew.       Well, let’s be friends.

I’d like that fine.                                         Now you’re my friend.

And you are mine.                                     Do you know how to read?

Do you?                                                        I asked you first.

I can.                                                              Me, too.

                        Well, if we both can read,  let’s do!

                        You can read to me!  I’ll read to you!”(Hoberman) 

EXTENTION ACTIVITY:   This would be a great book to use for peer reading.  Have 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th grade students pair up with 1^st and 2^nd graders and read the book together. 

They could also try and co-write a conversation using words that rhyme, along with repetition.  They could read it together and practice the poem.  The different groups could meet and have each pair read the poem that they created. 

Multicultural Poetry

Mora, Pat.  Ill. Jenkins, Steve. This Big Sky. New York:  Scholastic Press.  1998.  ISBN  0590371207

SUMMARY:  There are fourteen lyrical poems by Pat Mora.  They bring to life the  people, animals, and landscape of the American Southwest.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:  This Latino poet has obviously chosen a subject that she loves.  The book contains no introduction or table of contents.  The author uses some Spanish words that readers might be unfamiliar with, so she does include a glossary of those terms at the end of the book.  Putting those terms at the beginning of the book would have been more useful, because I don’t think children will look at the back of the book until they have finished it.  This makes the poems lose some of their meaning if there is vocabulary that is not understood. 

The poems use rhyme and repetition which makes the poetry appealing to children.  Some vocabulary might be difficult for beginning readers, so I would recommend this to 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th grades.  The poet also uses beautifully descriptive language which makes us feel, hear, see, and smell life in the Southwest.  The added bonus to this book of poetry is the beautiful textured cut paper illustrations by Steve Jenkins.  They evoke the power of this wonderful part of our country.  Together, the illustrations and words make us wish we lived in America’s Southwest region.  

POEM EXCERPT:   

Desert Snow 

“Coyote spies

New moon, slight

Grin, high

In the sky. 

Coyote licks

Cold, white

Shine, mouthful

Of stars.

Coyote serenades

Moon, grinning slyly

At hills sleeping in starry blankets,

And music rising, “Halloooooooooo!” 

EXTENTION ACTIVITY:  I would have students write about the landscape in their area using descriptive language.  They could also research another area of the country and write about its terrain.  Then, I would have them use torn or cut colored paper to make pictures of what they’ve written, using Steve Jenkins technique.

Florian Poetry

Florian, Douglas.  Mammalabilia.  New York:  Harcourt, Inc.  2000.  ISBN  0739821997

SUMMARY:  This book of poetry’s theme is to describe all different kinds of mammals.  Douglas Florian’s poems are short (most are 4-8 lines), humorous, and use vocabulary that beginning readers will be able to master.   

CRITICAL ANALYSIS:    This book of poetry is great for beginning readers. The book contains a Table of Contents, but no introduction. The poet uses rhyme, repetition, alliteration, and word play to give readers a humorous view of twenty-one different mammals.  These poems are short, most are four to eight lines. Some of the poems are written on the page so that they actually take the shape of the animal they describe.  The illustrations, also done by Douglas Florian, are unusual and primitive.  They were done by painting on brown paper bags.  They are simple like the poems, which makes them a perfect match.  Younger readers will love the humor, the descriptions, and the paintings of their favorite mammals.

POEM EXCERPT: 

The Tiger

“I am a cat---come hear me purrrr.

I’ve many stipes upon my furrrr.

I speed through forests like a blurrrr.

I hunt at night---I am tigerrrr.” (Florian)

EXTENTION ACTIVITY:  I would print out various animal shapes on paper, so students could choose one, then I would have them write a description of the animal putting the word s along the outline of the animals making the words into the shape of the animal.  Older students could first create a poem, then transfer to the paper.