Poetry

Coretta’s Journey: The Life and Times of Coretta Scott King by Alice Faye Duncan, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Calkins Creek

Summary:  With alternating pages of poetry and prose, Alice Faye Duncan tells the story of Coretta Scott King, starting with her childhood in Alabama.  Her parents were determined to give their children an education and worked hard as farmers and small business owners, starting over again when both their home and their lumber mill were burned by segregationists who didn’t want to see them succeed.  Coretta went on to study education at Antioch College, then to Boston to pursue her love of music.  It was there that she met Martin Luther King, Jr.  The two of them found much in common with their passion for justice, and even after they were married with four children, they supported each other’s work.  After Martin’s death, Coretta continued this work, focusing on the establishment of the King Center in Atlanta to teach nonviolence and the campaign to get Martin’s birthday made a national holiday.  Includes a timeline, author’s note, photos, and bibliography.  48 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  Duncan writes in the introduction that she chose to tell some of Coretta Scott King’s story in poetry because of Coretta’s love of music and lyrical voice.  It works well, interspersed with the lengthy prose pieces.  There were a lot of rich details about her early life which showed how she got her love of justice and her determination to work for it.

Cons:  Although this has the look of a picture book, the prose pages are so long that this would be difficult to do as a read-aloud.

A Long Time Coming: A Lyrical Biography of Race in America from Ona Judge to Barack Obama by Ray Anthony Shepard, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Calkins Creek

Summary:  Six Black Americans are profiled in five chapters: Ona Judge, Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass together, Ida B. Wells, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Barack Obama.  Their stories are told in verse, weaving together scenes from their lives to paint engaging portraits of their work, their dreams, their discouragements, and their successes and failures.  Each section begins with an illustration and a bit of personal history from the author, connecting his life to his subjects’.  Includes a timeline, additional resources, a bibliography and source notes for each section, and an index.  336 pages; ages 12 and up.

Pros:  Ray Anthony Shepard has written a masterful poetry collection, telling stories that will immediately engage readers.  He doesn’t shy away from telling both the terrible events his subjects witnessed and the less-than-great choices they sometimes made to fully portray their humanity.  Definitely deserving of some serious Coretta Scott King Award recognition.

Cons:  I wish there had been some information on the poetry and poetic forms used.

My Head Has a Bellyache and More Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and Immature Grown-Ups by Chris Harris, illustrated by Andrea Tsurumi

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Summary:  A companion to I’m Just No Good at Rhyming, this book of poems begins with “World, Watch Out!” where the narrator is ready to conquer the world…until he trips down the stairs after forgetting to tie his shoes.  The poems cover all kinds of topics like families (“Sometimes Dads Are No Help At All”), holidays (“Valentine Poem for Someone You Don’t Care About”), books (“Help! I’m Trapped in ‘Happily Ever After’!”), and so much more.  Many of the page numbers have fun facts next to them that also form rhymes: “78: one right through twelve added up all the way, 79: a really bad year to have been in Pompeii.”  Includes a glossary of terms (written as a 14-verse poem); somewhat unconventional indexes by title and subject; and a list of books by (and not by) the author and the illustrator.  192 pages; grades 1-5.

Pros:  The back cover cautions that, “extreme laughter while reading this book may give your belly a headache.”  It’s a fair warning, as the book is packed with funny and clever poems and illustrations.  Just the first few pages gave me ideas for sharing with various age groups.  I wouldn’t try to read the whole book at once but to savor it a few pages at a time.

Cons:  I prefer a bit more color variety in illustrations.

You Are My Pride: A Love Letter from Your Motherland by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by E. B. Lewis

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Astra Young Readers

Summary:  “I am the mother of all humanity.  I have a long history and a longer memory,” begins this poem that is addressed to humans from the continent of Africa.  The narrator traces time from the first cells that evolved into the first humans.  “Child, you are mine as much as Mount Kilimanjaro, as much as the Serengiti and the Sahara, as much as the baobab and the bush.”  And although those children are her treasure, she sends them around the globe to let their gifts shine.  Includes additional information about human evolution, specifically in Africa, and a timeline of key species and developments in early human evolution.  40 pages; grades K-5.

Pros:  This loving poem with beautiful illustrations celebrates all of humanity, but especially those with roots in Africa.  The additional information makes it a resource that older kids will find useful as well.

Cons:  No additional resources.

Remember by Joy Harjo, illustrated by Michaela Goade

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Random House Studio

Summary:  Former U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo’s poem celebrates life: the cosmos, the Earth, the plants and animals, and people, especially parents.  “Remember you are the universe.  And this universe is you.  Remember.”  Caldecott Medalist Michaela Goade’s illustrations depict a child traveling through the universe, with images inspired by traditions from her Tlingit culture.  Includes an author’s note about poetry that encourages readers to write their own poems and an illustrator’s note with additional information about her inspirations for the pictures.  40 pages; ages 5 and up.

Pros:  This beautiful book created by two Indigenous American artists celebrates the complexity of life and the universe, reminding the reader to stop and pay attention.  A Caldecott contender for sure.

Cons:  Young readers will need some adult guidance to fully appreciate both the text and the illustrations.

Champion Chompers, Super Stinkers and Other Poems by Extraordinary Animals by Linda Ashman, illustrated by Aparna Varma

~ Janet Dawson ~ 1 Comment

Published by Harry N. Abrams

Summary:  Using mask poems (poems in which the writer speaks in the voice of someone or something else), Linda Ashman has animals give hints as to what they are and what superlatives (fastest, biggest, stinkiest, etc.) they hold in the animal world.  Each poem has an illustration showing part of the animal to give an additional clue.  Turn the page, and the animal is pictured in full, along with a paragraph of information.  Opening and closing poems introduce the contest.  Includes additional information about protecting endangered animals, measurements, and mask poems, as well as a glossary, and lists of websites and books.  48 pages; grades 1-4.

Pros:  I do love a good guessing book to keep kids engaged, and this one lets readers guess both the animals and the records they hold.  The illustrations are cute and offer hints to go with each poem.  Kids can try their hands at mask poems after reading these.

Cons:  It may be a little long for primary kids to get through all of these in one sitting.

Garvey’s Choice: The Graphic Novel by Nikki Grimes, illustrated by Theodore Taylor III

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Wordsong

Summary:  Nikki Grimes’s 2016 novel in verse has been turned into a graphic novel that is quite faithful to the original.  Garvey’s interested in chess and astronomy, while his dad wishes he would play sports, leading to ongoing conflict between the two.  When Garvey joins the school chorus, he discovers a talent for singing that eventually leads to a reconciliation with his dad (you can read a more detailed summary in my original review).  Includes additional information about tanka, the poetic form used by Nikki Grimes to write the book.  144 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Turning this into a graphic novel is a stroke of genius, since it will bring a lot more readers to this excellent book.  The original was short enough that it is mostly preserved intact (I’m taking reviewers’ words for this, as I didn’t do a comparison myself), creating a story that many kids will relate to.

Cons:  Although Garvey lost a little bit of weight (one size), he wisely focused on developing healthier habits; however, the illustrations made him look like almost a different person in the last few pages.

Maribel’s Year by Michelle Sterling, illustrated by Sarah Gonzales

~ Janet Dawson ~ 2 Comments

Published by Katherine Tegen Books

Summary:  Maribel tells about her first year in the U.S. after moving from the Philippines with her mother.  Papa is still back home, and Maribel misses both him and her home.  English is confusing, and the cold, snowy weather feels unfamiliar.  But as the year goes on, there’s the promise of a new friend and exciting new experiences like learning to ride a bike, swimming at the beach, and trick-or-treating.  By the time the snow falls again, it’s time for Papa to join them, and final pages see the family celebrating Christmas together.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Maribel tells her story in verse with slightly muted illustrations showing her experiences.  The ups and downs of the immigrant experiences are well expressed, and readers will enjoy sharing the year with Maribel.

Cons:  I was curious to know if this is based on a real-life family, but there was no author’s note.

How the Sea Came to Be (And All the Creatures In It) by Jennifer Berne, illustrated by Amanda Hall

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Eerdmans Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Rhyming quatrains describe the history of the sea in three parts: the birth of the sea, the birth of life, and the sea from then until now.  All are accompanied by colorful illustrations that sometimes show the sun-dappled waters of the sea and other times take readers down into the black ocean depths.  Includes notes from the author and illustrator; two pages of ocean creatures that include illustrations and a paragraph of information about each; a four-panel gatefold timeline showing seven eras of the Earth’s history; key terms and concepts with definitions; and two pages of additional resources. 56 pages; grades 1-5.

Pros:  A spectacular nonfiction book that should be considered for a Sibert award.  The rhyming text is both catchy and impressive, making this a great choice to read aloud, and the illustrations are truly spectacular, conveying both the powerful forces that created the seas and the incredible diversity of life within them.  The timeline is a masterpiece, and the rest of the back matter makes this an excellent resource for research.

Cons:  I would have liked the timeline to have also been incorporated into the text to show the eras of each of the three parts.

The Red Ear Blows Its Nose by Robert Schechter, illustrated by S. Federico

~ Janet Dawson ~ Leave a comment

Published by Word Galaxy Press

Summary:  This little poetry book contains 99 poems, most of them fitting on one page and one (“Question”) only two lines long (“When livestock salesmen cannot sleep, do they lie in bed discounting sheep?”).  Many are accompanied by black and white line illustrations.  There’s a wide range of topics, including how people see colors, the relative size of things in the universe, a horse who wants to moo, and many, many more.  The author has published poems in quite a few magazines, but this is his first collection.  118 pages; grades 1-5.

Pros:  Fans of Jack Prelutsky and Shel Silverstein will love this deceptively simple collection, with poems that can be read by first graders but discussed in depth by middle schoolers, and that contain equal parts humor and humanity.  Perfect for National Poetry Month.

Cons:  I could have enjoyed a few more illustrations.