Poetry Break - NCTE Award Poet

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Grimes, Nikki. 2007. When Gorilla Goes Walking. Ills by Shane Evans. New York: Orchard Books. ISBN 9780439317702

INTRODUCTION: Begin this poetry break by sharing with the students a time when you got in trouble as a child. If you have no experience of being in trouble, share a story about a sibling or your own children. Children will most likely relate to your experience, as many of them will have done something they shouldn’t have at some point.

The Doghouse
By Nikki Grimes

Mom says I’m in the doghouse.
Gorilla’s in here, too.
Which of us made the bigger mess?
I’ll leave that up to you.

I made a finger painting
and left it on the floor.
Gorilla walked across it
and tracked paint to the door.

EXTENSION: Discuss what the phrase “in the doghouse” means. See if they can identify clues in the poem that help them with the meaning. Have the students share with a neighbor about a time that they were “in the doghouse.” If time allows, have the students create their own “doghouse poems.”

Poetry Book Review - Yum! ¡MmMm! ¡Qué Rico!: America's Sproutings

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Mora, Pat. Yum! ¡MmMm! ¡Qué Rico!: Americas’ Sproutings. 2007. Ill. by Rafael Lopez. New York: Lee & Low Books, Inc. ISBN 9781584302711

REVIEW
Pat Mora has combined a Japanese form of poetry, haiku, with Hispanic American content in this delightful collection of poems about food originating in the Americas (North, South, and in between). She writes about blueberries, tomatoes, chocolate, and more; each poem filled with imagination and a clear expression of excitement for these yummy foods. In addition to the charming haiku, each poem is accompanied by concise and interesting information about the food, its origin, what it is used for, and even sometimes how it got its name. An author’s note indicates that there is still some debate on some of the various plants’ origins, but all information is verified by some research.

What makes Mora’s work stand out in this collection is the presence of powerful figurative language found in each poem. With words like, “leaves sprout silk-snug house” (corn), and “salt and pepper clouds” (potatoes), the descriptions of each food allow readers to taste the flavor. Each page is illustrated in vivid colors that add meaning to the abundant figurative language found in each poem. Young readers will enjoy the playfulness of the pictures and the aspects of fantasy included. Each poem is more abstract, but it also has some concrete meaning mixed in as well. However, even with the large amount of metaphors, younger readers will not have difficulty in gathering the meaning of Mora’s work. This book is a great way to teach the use of figurative language and teach a lesser-known form of poetry.

SELECTION
Pineapple
Pat Mora

A stiff, spiky hat
on thick prickly skin, inside
hide syrupy rings

AWARDS AND REVIEW EXCERPTS
Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee, Texas Library Association, 2009
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Teachers will find this a welcome addition to their social-studies units, but it should also win a broad general audience for its inventive, fun-filled approach to an ever-popular topic: food.”
Starred review in BOOKLIST: “This inventive stew of food haiku celebrates the indigenous foods of the Americas.”

CONNECTIONS:
* After reading this book, have children choose a food and write their own haiku.
* Students can further their information literacy skills by conducting research about the food subject in their own haiku, or they can conduct research to find out more about one of the foods written about in the poetry collection.
* Read selected poems to the students (without showing them the illustrations) and have them draw their own pictures from the imagery Mora has created with figurative language.

Poetry Break - Douglas Florian

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Florain, Douglas. 1994. Beast Feast. San Diego: Harcourt Brace & Company. ISBN 0152951784

INTRODUCTION: This poem would support many components of the science curriculum, especially a unit/lesson on adaptations of animals how they survive in the natural environment. To introduce this poem, you can show several pictures of chameleons in their various shades and talk about how camoflauge can help an animal survive in its environment. If you have access to one, showing the students a real chameleon would be exciting, and they may get to see their color change!

The Chameleon
By Douglas Florian

Although it may seem very strange,
The colors on a chameleon change
From mousy browns to leafy greens
And several colors in between.
It’s very long and sticky tongue
On unsuspecting bugs is sprung.
It lashes out at rapid rates
On unaware invertebrates,
Then just as quickly will retract
With flabbergasted fly intact.
So bugs beware this risky reptilian -
The clever everchanging chameleon.

EXTENSION: Show the students several pictures of other animals in their natural habitat. Have them tell you of adaptations they see that might help them survive. Examples may include webbed feet, eyes on the side of their head, more camoflauge, sticky tongue, etc.

Poetry Book Review - Lee Bennett Hopkins

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hopkins, Lee Bennett. Yummy! Eating Through a Day. 2000. New York: Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN 068981755X

REVIEW
This anthology compiled by Lee Bennett Hopkins celebrates delicious food from each meal. Starting with breakfast all the way through dinner and dessert, readers will read about cereal, macaroni and cheese, noodles, cookies, and even using manners. Younger readers will be familiar with and relate well to each of Hopkins’ selections as they are written about child-friendly foods that most will encounter at home or even in their school cafeteria.

The poems are written in various forms, each with a strong beat and the majority written in a rhyming pattern. The varying length of the poems would be ideal for the younger poetry readers and listeners. Each page, with the layout of text in the poems and the vividly colored illustrations make this anthology visually stimulating, drawing on each of the five senses (particularly taste!). The meaning within most of these poems is concrete, with a small amount of abstract connotations, as it is meant for lower elementary or preschool children. There is a plethora of figurative language; in a poem about potato chips by Tony Johnston “its crisp tongue tells me salty secrets.” Readers just may be a bit hungry after reading this playful poetry anthology!

SELECTION
Ketchup
Anonymous

When you tip
and tip
the ketchup bottle-

A little will come
and then
a lot’ll

REVIEW EXCERPTS
SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “Hopkins's mastery of the art of creating a delectable anthology is quite clear. A book to be savored in many delicious bites.”
BOOKLIST: “Teachers and children will enjoy these poems for their diverse styles and universal subjects.”

CONNECTIONS:
* After reading this anthology, have children write a poem about their favorite food and create a class/group anthology.
* Choose a familiar food and have students practice using/creating figurative language about the food. Write this on chart paper or a similar display.

Poetry Book Review - My Man Blue

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Grimes, Nikki. My Man Blue. 1999. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0803723261

REVIEW
Nikki Grimes’ collection of poems begins with a poetic description of Blue, an African American adult, and the day he and Damon, a younger child, first met in Harlem. Each poem following shows the development of their friendship; a bond made over Blue’s child he “lost to the streets” and the absence of Damon’s father. Blue acts as a mentor and a friend to the boy, as Grimes writes about the many lessons and precious moments the two share, such as shooting hoops, learning to stand up to a bully, and more. Blue teaches Damon how to thrive and not fall victim to the stigma of urban life.

Many of these poems are written in free verse form while others have varying rhyming patterns. Colorful and slightly blurred illustrations complement the poems by showing various moments in Blue and Damon’s lives. The meaning of Grimes’ work is mostly concrete, however there are a few more abstract verses that would not be lost on middle-elementary or naive readers. Her use of figurative language really gives them a clear image of what Blue was like and what he meant to the young boy with words like “At times I think actually Blue’s some gold-tooth angel guarding me [Damon].” Each of these poems evokes an emotion and allows readers to view from another perspective different life circumstances, some being very tough or seemingly more mature, or learn to appreciate the challenges that people face. However Grimes does this in a more encouraging, and occasionally solemn but peaceful manner. Readers just may find themselves identifying their own “Blue” present in their lives.

SELECTION
Like Blue
By Nikki Grimes

One day
I’ll be like Blue
Not fierce
In black leather
Or built like
A heavyweight
Boxing machine
But like that
Other Blue I’ve seen
The one who
Says he cares
And shows it
The one who
Flashes gold
Every time he smiles


AWARDS AND REVIEW EXERPTS
Booklist Editor's Choice
Starred review in BOOKLIST: “A great picture book for older readers.”
Newsweek Best Children's Picture Books of the Year
PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY: “Though each of these accomplished poems could easily stand alone, together they form an enticing story arc.”

CONNECTIONS:
* After reading one or more of these poems aloud, discuss with students the ways that Blue sets a good example for Damon.
* Have students write a poem about someone in their life that makes a difference in the same way Blue impacts Damon’s life.
* Teachers may use several of these poems individually to teach students about challenges children may encounter and then facilitate a discussion on the best ways to handle these situations. Many of these poems have a healing quality to them.

Poetry Break - Libraries/Books

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bagert, Brod. 2002. Giant Children. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0803725566

INTRODUCTION: This poem lends itself to quickly teaching or reviewing different sections of the library. Before reading this poem aloud, show the students “section eight-one-one” and what they can find there - poetry! This will be helpful to them later when they are looking for great poetry books, but the poem also references section 811.

The Buffalo in the Library
By Brod Bagert

At school, in the library,
In section eight-one-one,
I saw a big brown buffalo
Who was having lots of fun.

His nose was in a book of poems
About trees and grass and birds,
But that buffalo wasn’t reading,
He was eating up the words.

I like you, Mr. Buffalo,
And I know you have to feed,
But please don’t eat my poetry books,
I need those books to read.

I’ll take you to the playground
And give you grass instead,
But poetry is the food I need
To feed my hungry head.


EXTENSION: Have the students turn to a partner and tell them which section of the library they would least like a buffalo to be feasting on. Once everone has shared with someone, allow a few students (preferably students that discussed various sections in the library) and point to the area of the library they are talking about. This is a quick way to review where popular sections of the library are located.