Genre 3: Poetry

1.       Bibliography

Hopkins, Lee Bennett. I am the Book. New York: Holiday House, 2011.

2.       Plot Summary

I am the Book is a beautiful collection of thirteen poems by various authors that celebrate the joy of reading.  The collection would be most enjoyable for children ages preschool to fourth grade. The various uses of land and sea themes serve as descriptive metaphors for the feelings evoked after reading a great book.

3.      Critical Analysis

The easy rhythm of most of the poems in the collection is readily identifiable, making the poems easy to engage younger audiences.  The matching sounds and expert use of consonance in A Poem Is, “humming, thrumming, drumming, strumming…,” creates movement and encourages the progression of thought.  The language inspires imagery and sparks imagination, as seen in the metaphor When I Read, “…the ebb and flow of tidal words easy under me.”  The illustrations lend a visual element to the text, by capturing the fantasy and whimsy of the words, alluding to the idea that reading a great book will take a person to a fantastic or majestic place.

4.      Review Excerpts

Lee Bennett Hopkins is the recipient of the NCTE Poetry Award.

Lee Bennett Hopkins is the founder of the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award (1993).

“Fun for sharing with preschoolers, this will spark discussion in grade school writing and art classes.” –Booklist

5.      Connections

More poems from NCTE award winning poets:

Another Jar of Tiny Stars

Other books of poetry that celebrate reading:

The Boy Who Loved Words by Roni Schotter, PARENTS CHOICE AWARD

BookSpeak!:  Poems about Books by Laura Purdie Salas

All of these selections would be ideal for teaching onset and rime in the early grades, and fostering a love of reading.

1.       Bibliography

Lewis, J. Patrick. The Bookworm's Feast. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1999.

2.       Plot Summary

The Bookworm’s Feast is a delightful book of poems arranged by appetizers, sherbets, entrees, side dishes and desserts, with random topics ranging from animals, to travels, to reading and love.  The collection is a celebration of life, expressed through poetry, with a culinary theme.

3.      Critical Analysis

Throughout each poem in the collection, language takes the reader on a journey of movement.  In Autograph Verse, the word progression from top to bottom, then bottom to top mimics the imagery of rain coming down and the sun coming up. In Green Willy, Lewis uses figurative language to describe a green onion stalk named Willy, a carrot named Dick, and an island of Broccoli Trees.  The illustrations are vivid and colorful; they support the text by inciting fantasy and imagination.

4.      Review Excerpts

J. Patrick Lewis was named the third U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate (2011-2013) by the Poetry Foundation.

“…a whimsical confection of poems and drawings in a format just as enjoyable as the poems themselves.” –Publishers Weekly

“A smorgasbord of poetic forms and moods.” –School Library Journal

5.      Connections

Other J. Patrick Lewis poetry books:

Everything is a Poem

Please Bury Me in the Library

Face Bug, 2014-15 Texas Bluebonnet Award

Gather other award-winning poetry collections:

Where the Sidewalk Ends, Shel Silverstein

ALA Notable Book Award, 1974

Outstanding Book Award, 1974

A Light in the Attic, Shel Silverstein

Best Book Award, 1981

1.       Bibliography

Hemphill, Stephanie. Wicked Girls. New York: HarperCollins, 2010.

2.       Plot Summary

Wicked Girls is a novel written in verse, which gives a fictitious account of the Salem Witch Trials.  Nicknamed “The Seers,” three teenage girls find themselves thrust into the spotlight when they begin wrongfully accusing various townspeople of witchcraft.  Each of the girls has her own agenda, and these agendas reveal common issues teenage girls face, like petty jealousy, the need for acceptance, boredom, female rivalry, control, and attention and affection-seeking.  In the end, the girls’ dishonesty spirals completely out of control, and they begin turning on each other to save themselves.

3.      Critical Analysis

The use of language in Wicked Girls is indicative of the time period, which enhances the feeling of anticipation and suspense, yet begs the patience of a slow and deliberate plot.  Modern-day teens that enjoy the Twilight Saga series would find this novel interesting if or when they are able to get past the period language and the text in verse.

4.      Review Excerpts

“Teens may need encouragement to pick up this book, but it deserves a place in most high school collections.” –School Library Journal

“Hemphill offers a fresh perspective on an oft-told tale by providing lesser known Salem accusers with a variety of compelling motivations that will resonate deeply with contemporary teens.”

 –Kirkus

5.      Connections

Gather other verse novels by award winning authors:

Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai

New York Times Bestseller

Newberry Honor

National Book Award

#3 in Children’s Historical Fiction, Amazon.com

The Secret of Me:  A Novel in Verse by Meg Kearney

Gather other books by Stephanie Hemphill:

Your Own, Sylvia:  A Verse Portrait of Sylvia Plath

Things Left Unsaid:  A Novel in Poems

Printz Honor, 2008

YALSA Best Books for Young Adults (Top 10), 2008