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Scien-Trickery: Riddles in Science The creators of Arthme-tickle: An Even Number of Odd Rhymes have once again compiled a collection of kid-friendly poems. In Scien-Trickery: Riddles in Science, complex subjects like gravity, germs and electricity (reminiscent of the format of SchoolHouse Rock) become readily accessible to a younger reader. Each poem is a riddle with the answer written upside down on the page; “my father’s the arc – my mother’s the spark – without them you would – be left in the dark”. (What am I – electricity). Playful illustrations rally around equally whimsical text and the red cover pops the book off the library shelf saying “Attention, Read me!” Each poem is written on notebook paper nestled into an illustration of the topic or theme. Notes at the back provide the reader with more information on each scientific term introduced in the poems. Either read alone or out loud, Scien- Trickery: Riddles in Science is a great way to introduce both science topics and poetry in a fun and non-threatening way.
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Shrinking Days, Frosty Nights: Poems about Fall Do Buses Eat Kids? Poems about School And Then There Were Eight: Poems about Space Tiny Dreams, Sprouting Tall: Poems about the United States Seed Sower, Hat Thrower: Poems about Weather All written by Laura Purdie Salas If an elementary classroom could have access to only one set of poetry books, this series by Laura Purdie Salas should be it. Designed to be read independently by an early reader or read aloud to someone younger, each book also provides marvelous and accessible examples of literary and poetry styles that could easily be used by older students. Purdie Salas plays with free verse, acrostic, haiku, couplet and limerick poems. In Seed Sower, Hat Thrower: Poems about Weather, fog tells us “I gulp headlights/blanket bridges/seep under your skin/until slices of sun/sizzle me away”. Her language dances with alliteration, rhyme and imagery: a locker is a treasure chest, a clock the minute-master of the day. Simple, descriptive titles like “Winter Blooms”, “Me, Me, Me”, or “Ice Writers” coupled with the accompanying photographs tell the reader exactly what the poem is about. The images in each book are captivating, like coffee table picture books pulling you through their pages. The irresistible, brilliant colors and shapes capture panoramic and close-up shots, historic images and those from everyday life. All the people featured, except where highlighting an historic figure, are children. The back of the book provides a plethora of additional resources. “The Language of Poetry” section gives a brief description of the literary or poetic device used in each poem, a glossary provides definitions and pronunciations for difficult words and “Read More” refers to other books on the topic. These outstanding poetry books by Laura Purdie Salas are not just for those interested in poetry but are also full of endless tie-ins to core curricula. Writing classes can use the poems to begin thinking about ordinary things in new ways. Simple glimpses into complex ideas like nebulas, the Northern Lights and the planets in And Then There Were Eight: Poems about Space are a great way to introduce scientific topics. Geography and History classes can use Tiny Dreams, Sprouting Tall: Poems about the United States to begin discussion about the Grand Canyon, Native Americans or Dr. Martin Luther King. Any school would benefit from having these exceptional books in their library. |
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Got Geography! The cover flap reads: “Geography is more than maps and globes, more than latitude and longitude lines, more than continents, oceans, islands and your own neighborhood. It isn’t just about finding your way. It’s the jumping off point for dreams and imagination.” That is an apt description of the poems Lee Bennett Hopkins has selected for Got Geography! In Patrick Lewis’ poem Mapping the World he observes that “geography is like our own / room with a view we can’t forget.” Global warming is an issue we hear about every day. “The earth is unsettled/ever in motion/a global dance” (Awesome Forces, Joan Bransfield Graham). Students studying geography get a good introduction in Rebecca Kai Dotlich’s The wonder of… and Francisco X. Alarcón takes us to an island in his bilingual poem Island/Isla. Philip Stanton’s detailed graphite pencil illustrations jump to life with watercolor, acrylic and graphite crayon details and the colors splash across the page. He is a well-known illustrator in Europe but this is his first publication in the USA. “Maps are the keys/to secret places/vast new worlds/and unknown faces”. (A Map and a Dream by Karen O’Donnell Taylor). Got Geography! offers a variety of poems that are perfect jumping off points to learn about the world and our place in it. |
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Opposites, More Opposites and a Few Differences Through silly rhymes, riddles and often twisted logic, Pulitzer Prize winner and former US Poet Laureate Richard C. Wilbur helps the reader look at words and their relationship to each other in a brand new way. First published in 1973, Opposites, More Opposites and a Few Differences has not lost its charm or appeal to readers of all ages. This is word play at its cleverest. Have you ever considered the connection between “kites” and “yo-yos” or “dragons” and “a goose”? Did you know that a “rat” becomes “tar” when viewed in reverse? What do words like “duck,” “bat,” and “well” really mean? Wilbur plays with multiple meanings of words and makes connections in unique and hilarious ways. At the end of the book he’s added “a few differences” in poems about a “cake of soap,” a jester, and a dunce. The black-and-white line drawings add a simplicity and sassiness that lend themselves to the atmosphere of merriment Wilbur creates with his text. Opposites, More Opposites and a Few Differences would be a great tool for teaching about simile and metaphor. For example, poem #22 talks about a cloud as “a white reflection in the sea” or “huge blueness in the air caused by a cloud’s not being there.” Words twist and turn around each other as the clever relationships between them comes out (i.e., doe is to buck (the animal) as dough is to buck (the money)). Have you thought much about the word “white”? The obvious opposite is “black,” but what if you were an egg? Then you would say “yolk.” Full of possibilities for writing exercises, this book is a must for any literary library. —Heidi Grosch |
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