I Am Phoenix: Poems For Two Voices

Fleischman, Paul. 1985. I Am Phoenix: Poems for Two Voices. Ill. by Ken Nutt. New York: Harper & Row.  ISBN 0060218819

(Image obtained from amazon.com)

Summary

I Am Phoenix: Poems for Two Voices is an anthology of 15 bird-related poems aimed towards children in third through seventh grade.  Each poem showcases a different type of bird. 

Quality and Appeal

I Am Phoenix: Poems for Two Voices is a companion anthology to its predecessor Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices.  Each poem contains a variety of poetic devices such as alliteration, rhythm, repetition and strong imagery.  The illustrations are found spaced out amongst the poetry and are in black and white.  While impressive, they’re rather flat and one dimensional.  They enhance the story but the most interesting component of I Am Phoenix: Poems for Two Voices is that it’s written (as the title indicates) for two voices. 

Poems written for two voices are intended to be read aloud by two different individuals at once.  One reader takes the text on the right and one reader takes the text on the left.  Sometimes the words are spoken alternatively and sometimes they are spoken simultaneously.  This reading style can be somewhat distracting for both younger readers and those unfamiliar with the style.  In fact, this style of poetic performance may be most beneficial for those listening rather than reading aloud. 

Overall, I favored the poetry which was different between each voice (rather than repetitive).  When the text matched on both sides I felt it was forced and had the opportunity to be overly theatrical.  However, by incorporating this style, Fleischman allowed the rhythm of performance poetry to enhance the fluttery style of the birds he writes about and perhaps intentional.

Spotlight Poem

An excerpt from “Owls”

                                                                                                          Sun's down,   
                 Sky's dark                                                                       
                                                                                                           Loons sleeping                                                     

Larks sleeping

Black night                                                                                          Black night

                                                                                                           for them,

Bright noon                                                                                         Bright noon

Because this poetic style is intended for two readers, educators can introduce this style by encouraging students to write separate poems about a singular subject and then construct a combined final product.  This activity encourages collaboration amongst students and the ability to show parallelism. 

Books like I Am Phoenix: Poems for Two Voices

Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices by Paul Fleischman

Running with Trains: A Novel in Poetry and Two Voices by Michael Rosen

Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature

Sidman, Joyce. 2011. Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature. Ill. by Beth Krommes. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.  ISBN 9780547315836

(Image obtained from amazon.com)

Summary

Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature is a poetry picture book which follows the prevalence of spirals in nature.  Spirals are located in animals, plants, waves, and even space.  Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature is intended for children in pre-school through third grade. 

Quality and Appeal

The poems found in Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature mix poetic language with elements of science.  Spirals are described as snuggling, growing, strong, clever, beautiful, and more.  The illustrations are whimsical, flowing, and colorful which will catch the eye of any child.    The illustrations solidify the concepts which Sidman is discussing.  For instance, Sidman writes “A spiral is a snuggling shape. / It fits neatly / in small places.  Krommes supplements this line with a chipmunk and snake coiled up in their holes in the ground.  Sidman goes on to point out other spirals in the world such as the horns on a ram which are used for protection. 

Following the story, Sidman includes scientific explanations for the words she chose.  For example, going back to the excerpt listed above, Sidman explains that a spiral is a snuggling shape as “chipmunks, woodchucks, bull snakes, and other animals curl up in spirals when sleeping or hibernating” which “helps them conserve body heat.”  By making connections between the simplicity of this shape and its purpose, Sidman is allowing readers to learn natural design in a strong and thrilling manner. 

If you follow my reviews on this blog, you'll know that the last Joyce Sidman book I read (Meow Ruff: A Story in Concrete Poetry) was something I really disliked.  I was fearful when I picked up Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature that we may have a repeat under-performer but this poetry picture book was amazing.  Joyce Sidman is redeemed in my eyes!

Spotlight Poem

(Excerpt)

Coiled tight,

Warm and safe,

It waits…

…for a chance

to expand.

This poem could be used to introduce shapes (for younger readers).  Children can be assigned (or choose) a generalized shape and have fun identifying this shape in their environment.

Books like Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature

Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night by Joyce Sidman

Ubiquitous: Celebrating Nature’s Survivors by Joyce Sidman

Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow by Joyce Sidman

Growing Patterns by Richard P. Campbell

Won-Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku

Wardlaw, Lee. 2011. Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku. Ill. by Eugene Yelchin. New York: Henry Holt & Company.  ISBN 9780805089950

(Image obtained from amazon.com)

Summary

Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku is the adoption story of a cat told through a series of haiku poems.  Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku is intended for children in pre-school through third grade. 

Quality and Appeal

Wardlaw manages to craft some very clever haiku poems which really capture the personality and essence of a cat.  Cat owners refer to this as “catitude” and sharing it with children will certainly incite some giggles!  While some children won’t grasp this ingenuity, it makes it a fun read for adults, also.  Yelchin’s Asian-inspired illustrations are arguably simplistic but allow for focus on Won Ton and what he is doing rather than serving as a distraction.

Sometimes the haiku is a bit of a stretch – Wardlaw breaks up lines midsentence to ensure the words still fit within the 5-7-5 syllable count characteristic of haiku which is somewhat cheating.  Nonetheless, the haiku will still serve as an appropriate introduction to the form of haiku.

Spotlight Poem

Your tummy, soft as

warm dough.  I knead and knead, then

bake it with a nap. 

Educators can introduce this type of poetry by inviting students to craft a simple haiku about their family pet.  It’s often an enjoyable topic for children in the target age-level.

Books like Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku

Dogku by Andrew Clements

Guyku: A Year of Haiku for Boys by Bob Raczka

Saving Audie: A Pit Bull Gets a Second Chance by William Munpz

Wicked Girls

Hemphill, Stephanie.  2010. Wicked Girls.  New York: HarperCollins Publishers.  ISBN 978-0-06-185329-6

(Image obtained from amazon.com)

Summary

Wicked Girls is a novel about the Salem Witch Trials, told in verse poetry, told through the fictionalized accounts of Mercy Lewis, Margaret Walcott, and Ann Putman, Jr.    Wicked Girls is intended for children in grade 7 and above.

Quality and Appeal

At the very least, the language found within Wicked Girls is consistent with the 1600s and the characters in Wicked Girls are well-written and well-built, creating a situation where readers are transported into this era.  Because the poetry rotates between all three girls, readers get a genuine feel for a multifaceted storyline.

Concepts of bullying and peer pressure run rampant.  This verse novel tells the story of actual people who played major roles in the Salem Witch Trials but provides a fictionalized account as to (possibly) why these women acted in the manner that they did.  Hemphill manages to provide a unique spin on a topic that much of America knows about.  However, it is worth mentioning that by using free verse poetry, the historical back story is missing which leaves some holes in the overall concept.  Because of this, Wicked Girls could be a great supplemental tool when teaching this section of history. 

The target audience for Wicked Girls is grades 7+.  While I initially worried that this novel may only appeal to females, the historical significance may also pull in male readers. 

Spotlight Poem

An excerpt from Secondhand Girl

I grasp it and she motions me to lie down. 

I press my cheek to her lap,

and she strokes my hair.  "There, there.

Do as I say, and all will be well.

We must be strong now, very strong.

Promise to do as I ask, and I shall protect you."

I nod my head, "I promise."

This poem could be used to introduce appropriate social topics in school:  bullying, peer pressure, group mentality, etc.

Books like Wicked Girls

 Aleutian Sparrow by Karen Hesse

The Surrender Tree: Poems of Cuba’s Struggle for Freedom

Ann and Seamus by Kevin Major

The Trial by Jen Bryant

Self Portrait With Seven Fingers

Lewis, J. Patrick and Yolen, Jane.  2011. Self-Portrait with Seven Fingers: The Life of Marc Chagall in Verse.  Ill. by Marc Chagall. Mankato: The Creative Company.  ISBN 978-1-56846-211-0 (Image obtained from amazon.com)

Summary

Self-Portrait with Seven Fingers: The Life of Marc Chagall in Verse is an anthology picture book which showcases the paintings of Marc Chagall, a Russian Jewish artist.  The poetry is written to describe specific works and titled the same. 

Quality and Appeal

Through research, Lewis and Yolen craft poetry which they feel captures the sentiments expressed in Chagall’s art.  Each poem is coupled with a brief synopsis of the painting, a handful of accepted facts surrounding the content within the painting or the time in which it was painted or direct quotations from Chagall himself. The poetry serves as an acceptable introduction to Chagall and his work.  The poetry selected does an impressive job at providing context to concepts like the Russian Revolution and World War II while tying it into how this history influenced Chagall’s work.  

Mostly free verse and while not entirely difficult to understand, the content is somewhat heavy for the targeted audience. Perhaps those children who already have an interest in art history would be best suited for this book. 

Spotlight Poem

An excerpt from The Fall of Icarus

But Chagall’s Icarus is no seafaring lad,

He falls on the land of rabble gone mad.

Some are happy he’s failed, some unspeakably sad.

Poor Icarus knows that he’s dying.

This poem could be used to introduce fictionalized accounts of otherwise factual historical information.  Students in the target audience can learn to research and separate the facts from the interpretation. 

Books like Self-Portrait with Seven Fingers: The Life of Marc Chagall in Verse

If by Rudyard Kipling

And the Soldiers Sang by J. Patrick Lewis

Forest Has A Song

VanDerwater, Amy Ludwig.  2013. Forest Has A Song.  Ill. by Robbin Gourley. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Pub. Co.  ISBN 978-0-547-68099-6

(Image obtained from amazon.com)

Summary

Forest Has A Song is an anthology picture book which follows a girls and her dog through a forest adventure.  This adventure is told through 26 poems.  The intended audience for Forest Has a Song is grades 1-4. 

Quality and Appeal

The poetry found page by page in Forest Has A Song combines numerous poetic devices such as rhyming, rhythm, onomatopoeia, alliteration, and strong imagery while exploring a wide range of poetic types such as free verse and haiku. 

VanDerwater manages to dictate the beauty in the natural nuances while Gourley paints illustrations that consume the tone and mood.   Through this combination, readers are led through a true sensory experience --- readers feel the forest, hear the sounds, smell the smells, and leave feeling refreshed.  Beautiful, too, is the ability to encourage the target audience to get out of the house, away from technology, to experience nature and it’s playground. 

Spotlight Poem

April Waking

Ferny frondy fiddleheads

unfurl curls from dirty beds.

Stretching stents they sweetly sing

greenest greetings sent to Spring.

This poem could be used to introduce the seasons.  Students can be invited to write a poem about something they feel is characteristic of each season. 

Books like Forest Has A Song

A Strange Place to Call Home: The World’s Most Dangerous Habitats & the Animals That Call Them Home by Marilyn Singer

Insectlopedia by Douglas Florian

Mockingbird Morning by Joanne Ryder