Bibliography
Hess, Karen. 1977. Out of the Dust. New York, NY: Scholastic Press. ISBN 9780590360807
Plot Summary
Out of the Dust is a novel about a young girl and aspiring pianist named Billie Jo. Written in free-verse poems, Billie Jo narrates the tumultuous story of her life. Raised in the Oklahoma Panhandle during the Dust Bowl Era, we follow Billie Jo from the time she was “born at home, on the kitchen floor.” As a series of unfortunate events unfold, Billie Jo begins to wonder if life will ever afford her a break. Left with the scars of losing her mother, Billie Jo begins to lose what she holds most dear in life, playing the piano. Billie Jo’s adventures take her on a journey of self-discovery where she learns that true strength lies in perseverance.
Critical Analysis
Karen Hesse’s novel about fourteen-year-old Billie Jo transports the reader to the Oklahoma Panhandle during the Great Depression. Hesse’s poetry wraps us in the sandy gusts of the bleak Dust Bowl. Engulfed in stark images of perpetual desolation and dust-carrying winds, readers may find themselves taking a deep breath for unadulterated oxygen: “It wasn’t until the dust turned toward the house, like a fired locomotive, and I fled, barefoot and breathless, back inside, it wasn’t until the dust hissed against the windows, until it ratcheted the roof, that Daddy woke.”
Hesse writes the novel in free-form verse, and each poem is crafted in succession to tell the chronological story of Billie Jo. The voice of the novel is given to Billie Jo, and she begins her story with her mother giving birth to her on the kitchen floor: “Ma crouched, barefoot, bare bottomed over the swept boards.” Hesse quickly gives the impression that Billie Jo’s world consist of Billie Jo, her mother, her father, …and dust. Hesse writes with eloquent prose that is rich in imagery: “The wind snatched the snow right off the fields, leaving behind a sea of dust.” The use of free-form verse allows Billy Jo to tell her story with an artful beauty that only poetry can convey.
An accidental fire that leads to the crippling of Billy Jo’s hands and the death of her mother is a pivotal point in the story. A deep despair falls heavy upon the characters as Billie Jo notes that “It rained a little everywhere but here.” Hesse lets the reader know that the drought has withered up more than the landscape. The limits of the human spirit are taunted, and Billy Jo must choose to stand strong or blow away with the Oklahoma winds.
Review Excerpts
Newbery Medal Winner
Starred review in Publishers Weekly: "This intimate novel, written in stanza form, poetically conveys the heat, dust and wind of Oklahoma."
Children's Literature Review: "The novel is harsh and ugly, strong stuff that made my eleven-year-old cry when read aloud."
Kirkus Review: "Hesse presents a hale and determined heroine who confronts unrelenting misery and begins to transcend it."
Connections
*Would make an excellent required reading for older students.
*Could be used to in association with a history lesson about the Great Depression or the Dust Bowl.
*Could be used as an introduction to novels and to poetry novels.
*Students could think of a trying time in their lives and write a poem or series of poems about it.
Showing posts with label Poetry. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Poetry. Show all posts
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Review of DINOTHESAURUS by Florian Douglas
Bibliography
Florian, Douglas. 2009. Dinothesaurus. Ill. by Florian Douglas. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9781416979784.
Plot Summary
In his humorous and surprisingly factual collection of poems, Douglas Florian pens fun-loving odes to the prehistoric creatures of the Cretaceous period. The book begins with "The Age of Dinosaurs," which serves as an introduction to the next seventeen poems. At the turn of each page, the reader is introduced to a different dinosaur where Florian playfully provides historical facts: "Stegosaurus, Herbivorous, dined on plants inside the forest." With the concluding poem “The End of Dinosaurs,” Florian asks the reader, "What made the dinosaurs die out? Why don’t they still parade about?" His thought provoking questions are sure to spark the readers’ imaginations, both young and prehistoric!
Critical Analysis
Douglas Florian writes and illustrates his homage to primordial reptiles in his vividly inventive book of poems, Dinothesaurus. Florian’s rhymes are rhythmically inviting as the meters whimsically play off the tongue: "One hundred million years before us, lived the gig-not-o-saurus. Gigantic, titanic, enormous, colossal—what once was humongous is now just a fossil." He also cleverly wraps historical facts in a package of humorous wordplay and irreverently funny stanzas: "A fine meal of mollusk taste jolly delicious. But we aren’t vicious, we’re very polite—We always say please before we might bite."
The illustrations are an integral part of Dinothesaurus, as they play off of the poems and mirror their cheeky humor. In a stanza from "Gigantosaurus," Florian writes: "When it was hungry or got into fights, it opened its jaws and took giga-bites." Accompanying this poem is an illustration of a bionic-looking dinosaur. This brightly painted gigantosaurus fittingly spans the length of two pages. Tumbling from his mouth is a collage of modern electronics including a cell phone, calculator, and laptop computer. Parts of the dinosaur’s flesh are cut out to reveal an anatomy composed of computer chips and wires. Florian’s illustrations are creatively crafted from a variety of mediums, including watercolors, chalk, paper bags, and magazine clippings. The viewer will also pleasingly find irony in many of the pictures. For example, in the illustration of a micropachycephalosaurus, Florian places the tiny 20-inch dinosaur under a gigantic collage of letters that spell out its long, tongue-twisting name (Florian mercifully provides pronunciations below the name of each dinosaur).
Keeping in line with his fact-filled poems, Florian thoughtfully includes a "glossarysaurus," a list of dinosaur museums and fossil sites, and suggestions for further reading. With its ingenious mix of facts and fun, Dinothesaurus is sure to educate and entertain children for years to come.
Review Excerpts
Starred review in Publishers Weekly: “Florian's free-flowing, witty collection of poems and collages about dinosaurs is a giganotosaurus delight—perhaps his best work ever.”
Starred review in School Library Journal: “This smart marriage of dinosaurs and poetry will delight a wide audience.”
Kirkus review: “A set of dinophile-pleasing verses penned by a poet with a rare knack for wordplay and silly rhymes finds apt visual setting fronting playful images of monsters rearing up from extinction to grin toothily at young viewers.”
Connections
*Could be used to introduce children to dinosaurs or prehistoric times.
*Could be used to introduce children to poetry.
*The illustrations would be great examples for children to see how different methods of art can be used (i.e. collage, painting, and drawing).
*Students could write a poem about their favorite animal and make a collage to illustrate the poem.
Florian, Douglas. 2009. Dinothesaurus. Ill. by Florian Douglas. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9781416979784.
Plot Summary
In his humorous and surprisingly factual collection of poems, Douglas Florian pens fun-loving odes to the prehistoric creatures of the Cretaceous period. The book begins with "The Age of Dinosaurs," which serves as an introduction to the next seventeen poems. At the turn of each page, the reader is introduced to a different dinosaur where Florian playfully provides historical facts: "Stegosaurus, Herbivorous, dined on plants inside the forest." With the concluding poem “The End of Dinosaurs,” Florian asks the reader, "What made the dinosaurs die out? Why don’t they still parade about?" His thought provoking questions are sure to spark the readers’ imaginations, both young and prehistoric!
Critical Analysis
Douglas Florian writes and illustrates his homage to primordial reptiles in his vividly inventive book of poems, Dinothesaurus. Florian’s rhymes are rhythmically inviting as the meters whimsically play off the tongue: "One hundred million years before us, lived the gig-not-o-saurus. Gigantic, titanic, enormous, colossal—what once was humongous is now just a fossil." He also cleverly wraps historical facts in a package of humorous wordplay and irreverently funny stanzas: "A fine meal of mollusk taste jolly delicious. But we aren’t vicious, we’re very polite—We always say please before we might bite."
The illustrations are an integral part of Dinothesaurus, as they play off of the poems and mirror their cheeky humor. In a stanza from "Gigantosaurus," Florian writes: "When it was hungry or got into fights, it opened its jaws and took giga-bites." Accompanying this poem is an illustration of a bionic-looking dinosaur. This brightly painted gigantosaurus fittingly spans the length of two pages. Tumbling from his mouth is a collage of modern electronics including a cell phone, calculator, and laptop computer. Parts of the dinosaur’s flesh are cut out to reveal an anatomy composed of computer chips and wires. Florian’s illustrations are creatively crafted from a variety of mediums, including watercolors, chalk, paper bags, and magazine clippings. The viewer will also pleasingly find irony in many of the pictures. For example, in the illustration of a micropachycephalosaurus, Florian places the tiny 20-inch dinosaur under a gigantic collage of letters that spell out its long, tongue-twisting name (Florian mercifully provides pronunciations below the name of each dinosaur).
Keeping in line with his fact-filled poems, Florian thoughtfully includes a "glossarysaurus," a list of dinosaur museums and fossil sites, and suggestions for further reading. With its ingenious mix of facts and fun, Dinothesaurus is sure to educate and entertain children for years to come.
Review Excerpts
Starred review in Publishers Weekly: “Florian's free-flowing, witty collection of poems and collages about dinosaurs is a giganotosaurus delight—perhaps his best work ever.”
Starred review in School Library Journal: “This smart marriage of dinosaurs and poetry will delight a wide audience.”
Kirkus review: “A set of dinophile-pleasing verses penned by a poet with a rare knack for wordplay and silly rhymes finds apt visual setting fronting playful images of monsters rearing up from extinction to grin toothily at young viewers.”
Connections
*Could be used to introduce children to dinosaurs or prehistoric times.
*Could be used to introduce children to poetry.
*The illustrations would be great examples for children to see how different methods of art can be used (i.e. collage, painting, and drawing).
*Students could write a poem about their favorite animal and make a collage to illustrate the poem.
Review of THANKS A MILLION by Nikki Grimes
Bibliography
Grimes, Nikki. Thanks a Million. Ill. by Cozbi A. Cabrera. New York, NY: HarperCollins. ISBN 978068817293
Plot Summary
Nikki Grimes pens a lovely book of poems that softly exalt the virtue of appreciativeness. The book contains many endearing poems that warm the heart: "The turkey lies waiting while we bow for grace, to offer up thanks, for this time and place." But, the book does not limit itself to catchy and charming rhymes, many profound verses are situated among the lighter poems. One such poem is titled “Shelter”. In this poem, we hear the voice of a young boy who lives at a shelter with his mother and young brother: “Things could be worse, I know. At least, I’m not alone. My mom and brother hold me tight when I cry late at night.” Touching and heartfelt, Thanks a Million reminds us to be grateful and to find the good in every situation.
Critical Analysis
Thanks a Million is a charming book dedicated to evoke an attitude of gratefulness. Nikki Grimes gracefully presents her poetic gratitude journal in the form of eighteen poems. Each poem is unique from the others in style and form, yet the common theme of thankfulness resonates from cover to cover. The titles of the poems are fittingly unpretentious, spanning topics such as “Reward”, “Weekends”, and “Lunch Box Love Notes.” The diversification of poetic forms play to the reader’s need for variety. This is especially essential when a solitary theme permeates every poem. Poems such as “The Lunchroom” and “Shoe Surprise” ascribe to longer verse while “Even the Trees” is a haiku that is celebratory in its simplicity. Thanks a Million has a simmering effect and provides a soothing read. That said, its reclined pace may not hold the attention of younger children.
Contrasting the often-delicate ripple of endearing words, Cozbi Cabrera paints the pages of this book with bold colors and beautifully haunting images. The cover of the book depicts a young boy who is the color of warm, dark chocolate. His ebony skin tone is starkly highlighted against a bright yellow backdrop. In his possession are a single flower and a gentle smile. The celebration of multiculturalism is beautifully apparent as children from disparate ethnicities are painted in inspiring harmony. Reminding us of the power of a simple “thank you”, Grimes and Cabrera succeed in showing us the beauty of gratefulness.
Review Excerpts
Children’s Literature: “I think of books like this as enhancing basic life lessons—good for all of us.”
School Library Journal: “A lovely book for reflection and discussion.”
Kirkus Review: “One can envision this collection stimulating discussions about the need to say "thank you," as well as encouraging young writers to try their hand at expressing their thoughts in poetry. Good job.”
Connections
*Can be used to begin a discussion about thankfulness.
*Teachers can ask children to write a poem about something that they are thankful for.
*The wide representation of ethnicities makes this book a perfect addition to promote multiculturalism in the classroom.
Grimes, Nikki. Thanks a Million. Ill. by Cozbi A. Cabrera. New York, NY: HarperCollins. ISBN 978068817293
Plot Summary
Nikki Grimes pens a lovely book of poems that softly exalt the virtue of appreciativeness. The book contains many endearing poems that warm the heart: "The turkey lies waiting while we bow for grace, to offer up thanks, for this time and place." But, the book does not limit itself to catchy and charming rhymes, many profound verses are situated among the lighter poems. One such poem is titled “Shelter”. In this poem, we hear the voice of a young boy who lives at a shelter with his mother and young brother: “Things could be worse, I know. At least, I’m not alone. My mom and brother hold me tight when I cry late at night.” Touching and heartfelt, Thanks a Million reminds us to be grateful and to find the good in every situation.
Critical Analysis
Thanks a Million is a charming book dedicated to evoke an attitude of gratefulness. Nikki Grimes gracefully presents her poetic gratitude journal in the form of eighteen poems. Each poem is unique from the others in style and form, yet the common theme of thankfulness resonates from cover to cover. The titles of the poems are fittingly unpretentious, spanning topics such as “Reward”, “Weekends”, and “Lunch Box Love Notes.” The diversification of poetic forms play to the reader’s need for variety. This is especially essential when a solitary theme permeates every poem. Poems such as “The Lunchroom” and “Shoe Surprise” ascribe to longer verse while “Even the Trees” is a haiku that is celebratory in its simplicity. Thanks a Million has a simmering effect and provides a soothing read. That said, its reclined pace may not hold the attention of younger children.
Contrasting the often-delicate ripple of endearing words, Cozbi Cabrera paints the pages of this book with bold colors and beautifully haunting images. The cover of the book depicts a young boy who is the color of warm, dark chocolate. His ebony skin tone is starkly highlighted against a bright yellow backdrop. In his possession are a single flower and a gentle smile. The celebration of multiculturalism is beautifully apparent as children from disparate ethnicities are painted in inspiring harmony. Reminding us of the power of a simple “thank you”, Grimes and Cabrera succeed in showing us the beauty of gratefulness.
Review Excerpts
Children’s Literature: “I think of books like this as enhancing basic life lessons—good for all of us.”
School Library Journal: “A lovely book for reflection and discussion.”
Kirkus Review: “One can envision this collection stimulating discussions about the need to say "thank you," as well as encouraging young writers to try their hand at expressing their thoughts in poetry. Good job.”
Connections
*Can be used to begin a discussion about thankfulness.
*Teachers can ask children to write a poem about something that they are thankful for.
*The wide representation of ethnicities makes this book a perfect addition to promote multiculturalism in the classroom.
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