A POCKETFUL OF POEMS

1.  Bibliography

Grimes, Nikki. 2001. A Pocketful of Poems.  Ill. by Javaka Steptoe. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 9780395938683

2.  Plot Summary

A Pocketful of Poems is a collection of poems by Nikki Grimes which tells the story of a young girl who loves to have fun with words.  Tiana has a “pocketful of words” with which she plays and creates haiku poetry, a poem of just seventeen syllables.  She ponders words like “spring,” “caterpillar,” “pumpkin,” and “snow,” with clever thoughts and whimsical wonderings.  “Harlem” is a special word to Tiana, as is the word “Africa,” and these words are tucked together in her pocket with her daddy’s advice to hold them close. She views each season, holiday, and everyday happening as a poetic opportunity that will inspire children all year long.

 

3. Critical Analysis

Nikki Grimes has created interest and intrigue in Haiku poetry through her playful collection of poems.  Tiana is a loveable character bursting with positivity, curiosity, and energy.  Children will identify with her childlike whimsy and her creative view of the world.  Each time the page is turned a new pairing of free verse and haiku poetry is waiting to be discovered, inspiring countless children to create poetry of their own.  The poetry of simple, ordinary words woven into a “sort of painting in miniature” is mimicked in the collage style illustrations crafted from paper cutouts and ordinary objects like straws, paperclips, and aluminum pie plates.  Masterfully, Javaca Steptoe captures the essence of the poetry in picture form, drawing the reader into the page for a near tangible experience with the poetry.  Especially noteworthy are the gilded letters that are scattered throughout the book, giving the impression that poetry is always at one's fingertips. The Author's Note at the end of the book provides beautiful insight into Haiku poetry, describing it as "a poetry of brushstrokes."  Combining haiku poetry with contemporary images that [she] could relate to" makes A Pocketful of Poems a delightful book where poetry is fun and alive with possibility. 

4.  Review Excerpts

 "There's so much vibrant energy and freshness in this collaboration, the book will dance into the hearts of children right away. “ Booklist, starred review

 “Tiana's bubbling personality shines forth from each verse, and Steptoe...in an extraordinary feat, sculpts each of his character portraits from construction paper in a single, uninterrupted linear outline. ...Readers can only hope that this dynamic duo has many more pockets full of poems."  Publishers Weekly, starred review

5.  Connections

*Play some of the clips of Nikki Grimes’ reading of her books to intrigue children about the other books in her collection.  These audio clips are available on her website http://www.nikkigrimes.com/readings/readings.html.

*Teach children to play Nikki Grimes’ word game “The Golden Shovel,” in which she takes a line from a favorite poem and writes a new poem with each line ending with a word from the starter phrase.  

THE WILD BOOK

1.  Bibliography

Engle, Margarita. 2012. The Wild Book. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. ISBN 9780547581316

2.  Plot Summary

The Wild Book is the story of a young girl Fefa who has been diagnosed with “word blindness” and whose struggle to read becomes a journey of triumph both personally and for her family.  Fefa’s mother rejects the doctor’s conclusion that her daughter will never read and begins to encourage Fefa with kind words about patience, saying that “seeds of learning grow slowly.”  She also gives her daughter a book of blank pages on which Fefa is to write, a wild diary of her growing words.  The daughter follows her mama’s instruction and proceeds to slowly but surely fill the clean, white pages of her wild book with words and details of her life.  Fefa’s reading and writing skills grow and ultimately save her and her family from harm’s way. 

3. Critical Analysis

The setting is the Cuban countryside, 1912, a time of chaos, lawlessness, and terror.  Margarita Engle has taken pages from her maternal grandmother’s story and from its inspiration created a rich fictional story written in poetic verse of a girl whose reading challenges were overcome through patience, practice, and a mother’s love.  Though words came slowly for Fefa, Engle masterfully uses them to invite the reader to experience the struggle, ridicule, and shame felt by children who have dyslexia.  “Never Give Up” is the anthem of one verse, but throughout the book a variety of emotion that connects deeply with the reader is expressed as Fefa experiences fear, heartbreak, hope, loss, and ultimately victory over a feared enemy.  The imagery of  the "Word Hunger" verse is beautiful and enticing, as Fefa says, "When I consider the happy possibility that maybe someday I will feel smart, I grow a little bit hungry for small, tasty bites of easy words."   The courage displayed in the young heroine’s story is a character trait that all children, regardless of their reading ability, will wish to attain.  The Wild Book is a beautiful opportunity to open up conversations about the different struggles children face and how simple, daily acts of courage can bring about great triumphs.  Not to be missed, Fefa’s mother’s role in her triumph over her learning disability is a quiet reminder of the role that adults can play in the success of the children they influence.  Her gentle encouragement and the tool she used to help her daughter begin her journey is a voice of wisdom for adults. 

4.  Review Excerpts

 "The author gives readers a portrait of a tumultuous period in Cuban history and skillfully integrates island flora, fauna and mythology into Fefa’s first-person tale. This canvas heightens Fefa’s determination to rise above the expectations of her siblings, peers and society.  A beautiful tale of perseverance.." --Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

“Whatever the motivation of the reader, after completing The Wild Book, they will be enchanted by the beautiful words, words with which Fefa struggled, but ultimately, with whom she became dearest friends.” –Voya Review

5.  Connections

*Read other books that offer a glimpse into Central or South America:  Martin de Porres: The Rose in the Desert by Gary D. Schmidt.

*Also by Margarita Engle, The Poet Slave of Cuba: A Biography of Juan Francisco Manzano, would be a good companion book to read.   

BIRMINGHAM, 1963

1.  Bibliography

Weatherford, Carole Boston. 2007. Birmingham, 1963. Honesdale, PA. ISBN 9781590784402

2.  Plot Summary

In this moving book, Weatherford gives the tragic account of the hate crimes committed against 1960’s Birmingham from the point of view of the fictional narrator, a young girl whose 10^th birthday was the day of the bombing of 16^th Street Baptist Church.  In August of 1963, the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King moved an audience with his speech, “I Have a Dream,” and the very next month the church was bombed, injuring twenty and killing 4 young girls.  The narrator takes us through her experience of the time leading up to the fateful day, from marching in protest and going to jail, to rehearsing for her church’s Youth Day solo which was to occur the day of the bombing.  The book ends with in memoriam with beautiful words spoken about each girl whose life was lost that day. 

3. Critical Analysis

It takes great skill to write a children’s poetry book about 1960’s Birmingham and all of the tragic events that unfolded during that time.  Weatherford expertly uses the free verse from a child-narrator’s voice to tell the story in a way that is sad and moving, yet still appropriate for children.  The rhythm of the poetry is felt in the simple, yet powerful short sentences that comprise the verse.  There is a subtle anticipation in having few words on each page, a sort of tension that builds as the tragedy unfolds.  Rhyme is not utilized, but it is an appropriate choice by the author due to the serious nature of the content.  Through the repeated phrase, "The day I turned ten," children and adults alike are reminded of the number of young children who were terrorized, injured, or killed in the events of Birmingham, 1963.  Though the narrator is fictional, the reality is all too real.  The emotion conveyed is deep and complex, and will surely provoke many thoughts and conversations long after the book has been read.  Children may not fully relate to the tragic happenings described, but the reality is brought home when the narrator speaks of having no birthday cake, of witnessing her daddy cry for the first time, or when she wonders if she "could ever play outside again" because of the fear the terror has brought.  The photos which illustrate the book were taken from the pages of history itself and further concrete the reality of the racism and hate crimes that abounded during that regrettable time.  Photos of the civil rights demonstrators, photos of marchers being hosed down, photos of the church, photos of the devastation left in the wake of the bombing create a clear picture for the reader of times that can never be forgotten, no matter how painful the reality was.  The tribute written in memoriam for each child who lost her life in the bombing is especially moving.  Each tribute is covered in a 2 page spread with a photo of the child and special details about her personality and contributions to the world, and the reader feels as if the victim would have been a friend. The black background behind each picture is a somber reminder of the pain of loss.  This book will create awareness, the desire to learn more, and the resolve to remove injustice from the world. 

4.  Review Excerpts

 "Exquisitely understated design lends visual potency to a searing poetic evocation of the Birmingham church bombing of 1963. The unnamed fictional narrator relates the events of ''[t]he year I turned ten,'' this refrain introducing such domestic commonplaces as her first sip of coffee and ''doz[ing] on Mama's shoulder'' at church...It's a gorgeous memorial to the four killed on that horrible day, and to the thousands of children who braved violence to help change the world." --Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review

“An emotional read, made even more accessible and powerful by the viewpoint of the child narrator." --School Library Journal, Starred Review

5.  Connections

*Read Christopher Paul Curtis' novel The Watsons Go to Birmingham 1963 (1995) as well as the histories of the role of children in the civil rights movement of that time. 

*Read Larry Dane Brimner’s Birmingham Sunday (Orbis Pictus Honor for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children (Awards)).  

BEAUTIFUL BLACKBIRD

1.  Bibliography

Bryan, Ashley. 2003. Beautiful Blackbird. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0689847319

2.  Plot Summary

Ashley Bryan retells the story from the Ila-speaking people of Zambia about a blackbird that is praised by all the pretty African birds of color as “the most beautiful one” of all.  Ringdove, the other prominent bird in the group, admires Blackbird so much that he asks Blackbird to paint him black too.  Blackbird is happy to oblige, but only with the understanding that “color on the outside is not what’s on the inside.”  The other birds quickly follow suit and asked to be painted too, singing all along, “Black is beautiful.” 

3.  Critical Analysis

Beautiful Blackbird is retold with wonderful language and phrasing in a sing-song sort of style.  Blackbird is a beautiful bird to all the other birds, and they greatly admire him.  His gentle message to the other birds is that beauty is all about being yourself.  However, he is willing to share his outward beauty with the others by decorating them with his “blackening brew,” as long as they understand that it is not color on the outside that will make them truly beautiful.  It seems that Blackbird is admired not just for being beautiful, but for his leadership, individuality, and perhaps even his dance moves. Blackbird seems to know this better than his flock of admirers. They are very excited about their new black embellishments, and it is unclear whether or not they have truly learned Blackbird's lesson. This is a great story to reinforce the concept of self-esteem in children as it celebrates diversity and the beauty of being different. Winner of the 2004 Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration, the book features Bryan's art made of paper cutouts created with his mother’s old sewing scissors, and they are a colorful representation of this artful folktale. The touch of sentimentality seen in the author's choice to include his mother's scissors on the endpapers is a wonderful detail in which observant readers will delight. Beautiful Blackbird is an exuberant reading experience that is sure to please readers young and old.   

4.  Review Excerpt(s)

School Library Journal review:  “This unusual and little-known pourquoi tale may supplement larger collections and serves as a thoughtful and entertaining addition to units on self-esteem.”

Kirkus review:  “[T]he rolling language and appealing illustrations make this a must." 

5. Connections

*Read The Colors of Us by Karen Katz as a part of a lesson on “What is beautiful?”  Discuss the differences and similarities that connect all people. 

*Have students create cut paper pictures like Ashley Bryan did for Beautiful Blackbird.  Encourage students to create a story with their cutouts.  

DUST DEVIL

1.  Bibilography

Isaacs, Anne. 2010. Dust Devil. Ill. by Paul O. Zelinsky. New York: Schwartz & Wade Books. ISBN 0375867224

2.  Plot Summary

Dust Devil is a companion book of the Caldecott Honor Book Swamp Angel.  It is the folktale of how Angelica Longrider (Swamp Angel) had grown so big she needed to move to Montana, and how she met her horse Dust Devil and was the champion over the outlaw Backward Bart.  Throughout the story, the legend is told of how Angel moved mountains to suit her fancy, tamed her giant dust storm horse, and carved the Grand Canyon with her feet as she rode him. When Backward Bart and his Flying Desperados fly into town on giant Montana-sized mosquitoes, Angel is willing and ready to hunt them down and save the day. 

3.  Critical Analysis

Swamp Angel is a strong, larger-than-life female protagonist in Dust Devil, but boys and girls alike will enjoy this folktale by Anne Isaacs.  The writing is clever and witty, and children are sure to be fascinated by the legends of Swamp Angel and “her” Montana.  Backward Bart with his backward talking, backward boot-wearing, and backward mosquito flying makes for a hilarious villain.  The paintings by Paul O. Zelinsky which illustrate Dust Devil have a primitive wooden backdrop and add to the humor and depth of Isaac’s storytelling.  The close-up view of Backward Bart and his Desperados “splashing happily in wormy oatmeal and rotten eggs” in the pigs’ trough is especially (albeit disgustingly) clever.  Even the nose hairs of Backward Bart can be seen as he face plants into the filth.  The story has a lot of words and may be difficult for younger readers to sit through, but older readers will appreciate this traditional tale.

4.  Review Excerpt(s)

School Library Journal review: “A stunning tour de force and a satisfying continuation of Angel's saga.”

Booklist review: “Once again, Isaacs’ story and Zelinsky’s oil-paint-on-wood artwork create a laugh-out-loud tall tale with folksy phrasing and slapstick exaggeration. There are really two adventures in one here, which makes for a lengthy read-aloud, but children will delight in the deadpan, Old West narration and every gleefully silly, expertly rendered visual detail, from Bart’s steed (a saloon-sized mosquito) to Angel’s full-branched pine-tree knitting needles.”

5.  Connections

*Since this book is a sequel, Swamp Angel would be a great book to read if children want to know Angel’s back story.  Reading Dust Devil first would be a great way to stir interest in more of Isaac’s books.

*Talk to teachers about using Dust Devil as a launch pad for a math lesson.  Students could practice making estimates on Angel’s height, shoe size, etc.  

THE THREE HORRID LITTLE PIGS

1.  Bibliography

Pichon, Lisa. 2008.  The Three Horrid Little Pigs. Wilton, CT: Little Tiger Press.  ISBN 158925077

2.  Plot Summary

The Three Horrid Little Pigs is a retelling of the traditional tale.  Many common elements are present in this version: the wolf, the three types of houses and of course, the three little pigs.  However, in this story, the three pigs are very poorly behaved, so much so, that their mother tells them they must move out of her house to live on their own.  They meet the wolf, but he does not want to blow their house down; he only wants to help them.  In the end, the wolf reforms the pigs through his kindness, which is indeed a twist on the classic tale. 

3.  Critical Analysis

This version of the story of the three pigs is a charming read in which the wolf gets to be the “good guy.”  The lazy pigs are indeed horrid in their behavior, and as the wolf tries to help them, he also notices their poor actions and mutters things like “Oh dear” and “Goodness me!” under his breath.  These soft spoken rebukes are a part of the illustrations, so the reader is able to discover what the wolf is “really” thinking as he is trying to be helpful.  It is a subtle rebuff and does not seem overly critical. The twists and turns of the plot are very enjoyable, because they include known elements of the original folktale incorporated in a new and interesting way. 

The illustrations are done by the author herself, and they play a strong, supporting role in the book.  The pictures are colorful and vibrant, and at times the words themselves, as they wind across the page, are part of the illustration.  Every character in the book seems to have a personality, even the baby chicks as they clamor quickly away from the horrid third pig that is overtaking their coop.   The moral of the story is gently portrayed in the wolf’s kindness which ultimately leads to the pigs' behavior being a lot less horrid. 

4.  Review Excerpt (s)

School Library Journal Review:  “If you think you can't jam another twist on a classic tale into your collection, think again…The full-color cartoon illustrations capture the pigs' bad behavior and comeuppance with a goofy exuberance. The font size shrinks and enlarges to mirror the action and the text works as a fun read-aloud as well as a read-alone.”

Booklist review:  “This fractured take on the Three Little Pigs is infused with humor and lessons about community and compassion.”

5.  Connections

*This story would be an excellent version of the three pigs’ folktale to compare to the original.  Students could make a diagram of similarities and differences and discuss which story they prefer.

*Another version of the folktale is The Three Pigs by David Wiesner, a Caldecott Medal Book.