Celebrating Poetry

Out of Wonder: Poems Celebrating Poets

Authors: Kwame Alexander, Chris Colderley, and Marjory Wentworth

Illustrator: Ekua Holmes

After meeting Kwame Alexander at a teaching event in New York, I knew he was one of the most creative and thought-provoking people I had ever met. Anytime I have an opportunity to read something he was a part of, I jump at the opportunity. I have read his verse novels but was happy to learn that he had compiled an anthology as well. He has such a special way with words and makes them come alive. He says in the preface of this anthology, “A poem is a small but wonderful thing. It has the power to reach inside of you, to ignite something in you, and to change you in ways you never imagined.” This entire anthology sparks such a desire in me to keep writing and for our students to continue to play with words.

This anthology is a special tribute to twenty of Alexander’s favorite poets that have inspired him and contributed to his writerly life today. He, along with Colderley and Wentworth, wrote original poems that pay tribute to these inspirational poets and celebrate their lives.

My favorite poem in the anthology is “In Every Season” which celebrates Robert Frost. This is such a fresh take on his infamous poem “A Road Less Traveled” where they talk about the new journeys we wander through. One of the most defining lines that stuck out to me is “…life is too much like a pathless wood. Still I have lived so long and traveled far…” I think Wentworth did a great job with creating a new poem and paying tribute to such a class.

I love this fresh perspective of an anthology too! The collage illustrations that go along with each poem are beautiful and capture not just the feeling the poem evokes but also brings excitement. I think this anthology is a beautiful tribute to poetry and has something in it for everyone of all ages to enjoy. This would make a beautiful addition to any library and I can’t wait to share it with my students! It’s just overall STUNNING!

Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl’s Courage Changed Music

Author: Margarita Engle

Illustrator: Rafael Lopez

After learning that Margarita Engle is the current Children’s Poet Laureate and a Newbery Honor Winner, I was interested in reading more of her work.  Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl’s Courage Changed Music shows the poem “Drum Dream Girl” in a beautiful picture book form. Engle’s rich language and impeccable word choice paired with Lopez’s beautiful illustrations made this story so enjoyable. As I was reading, I felt like I was clinging to each stanza and phrase. It reads almost like a song with great attention to rhythm. She uses poetic devices like alliteration (drumbeat dreams), onomatopoeia (boom, boom, booming), repetition (and she practiced…), and precise line breaks. She was very particular about putting strong verbs on lines by themselves or making certain words stand out for greater effect.

When I first read the poem, I read it by itself without the picture book. To be honest, I didn’t care for the poem much at all. It seemed complicated and not very exciting...at least it didn’t peak my interest at all. When I picked up the copy of the picture book, I was immediately hooked. The illustrations bring this poem to life and make it such a vibrant and exciting poem. The poem is about a girl’s dream to drum despite the fact that girls are not supposed to be drummers in her country. She practiced in secret but eventually got to share her music with others and live her dream. This poem is made even more special knowing it is based on a true story.

Historical Fiction Book Review

I normally do not go toward historical fiction when I am looking for a new book, but I am SO glad that this book was selected by my professor. The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley is such a captivating story that I would recommend to everyone!

This story is a coming of age story that takes place during World War II in England. I love a good coming of age story and I instantly fell in love with the main character, Ada. Ada is crippled with a clubfoot and lives locked up in her house. She’s a prisoner in her own home surrounded by her younger brother Jamie and abusive mother who doesn’t even allow her to walk. Her mother is ashamed of her and has kept her locked inside her entire life. When she learns about the chance to join the other children and evacuate to the country, she jumps on the opportunity. She manages to escape her environment with her brother when they joined other London children who are all being evacuated to the countryside. Jamie and Ada are taken in by Susan Smith, a single woman who really didn’t want to take care of them but proved to be far better than their prior circumstances. Under Susan’s care, the siblings grow and change so much, particularly Ada. Ada is a dynamic character who you just can’t help but root for. She goes through a long journey of self-acceptance and realization that the things that have happened in her life are not her fault. This war within herself is happening all while a real war is happening outside. The whole time you are just rooting for a happy ending and you definitely get that with this story. This is a story about love – loving yourself and each other.

The historical fiction picture book I chose is The Book Itch: Freedom, Truth & Harlem’s Greatest Bookstore by Vaunda Micheax Nelson. This story is about a one of a kind bookstore that Lewis Michaux Jr.’s father opened after his “itch” for books. This bookstore, the National Memorial African Bookstore, was the first African American bookstore in Harlem that was more than just a place for books. It was a place for the community to gather, learn, and be a voice for change.

You can feel the pride that his son has for him and his passion for the bookstore. Lewis Michaux believed in his culture and would not stand for hate even when he was denied funding because “black people didn’t need books.” The rhythm in this book makes it such a smooth read. There’s something about the crisp, short sentences that makes you really feel the voice of the writer. The illustrations are also breathtaking and I felt like I was right there in Harlem during the time period, fighting for equal rights and change right along with them.

This story makes for a great read aloud for any grade level and I can’t wait to share it with my students!

Contemporary Realistic Fiction Book Reviews

Speak

Author: Laurie Halse Anderson

This book is about a teenage girl named Melinda who calls the cops on an end of year party and because of that she lost all of her friends. She becomes the high school outcast and becomes depressed. She used to be this happy person but now she is just living inside her own head and she refuses to speak about why she calls the cops on the party…hence the title Speak.

As the book goes on, we begin to find out why she did what she did and everything that happens to her along the way of her freshman year. She’s getting poor grades, has no friends, and everything just falls apart for her. She begins to express herself through her art as opposed to her words. Her character develops so much throughout the book. By the end, she was ready to confront her family, friends, attacker, and also herself. 

I really enjoyed the voice of the character. She doesn’t speak much out loud but she has such a dialogue going inside her own head. She’s very observant but also cynical. She used to be this happy person but now she just tells it like it is. Melinda uses contemporary language and speaks like teenagers talk.

As a coming of age novel, Speak has a strong focus on adolescence and the problems that come with it. This book is written like a diary so that makes it more interesting to read. This book is centered around teenage life, struggling to make friends and fit in, dealing with difficult problems. This book touches topics like feminism, depression, and self-expression. It's a story of inspiration, especially for survivors of domestic and sexual abuse.

Big Red Lollipop

Author: Rukhsana Khan

Illustrator: Sophie Blackall

I loved reading this contemporary realistic fiction picture book! The librarian recommended it to me and it was such a different book. It gives the reader a glimpse into the challenges two sisters face in a new culture.

Rubina has been invited to her first birthday party in America and her mother insists that she brings her little sister Sana with her. This seemed completely unfair to Rubina. She was embarrassed to have to ask and bring her little sister along, knowing that the other party guests weren’t going to be bringing their siblings. When the girls come home with party favors or treats, Rubina wants to save her big red lollipop to eat later, but Sana ends up eating it. Sadly, it is a long time before Rubina is invited to another birthday party. Then one day Sana comes home with her first party invitation. Their mother tells Sana that she also can’t go unless she takes their other sister Maryam with her. Sana begs to not have to take her baby sister, and Rubina actually defends her. Instead of pointing a finger and being petty, she actually is a great big sister. Sana is allowed to go to the party without any sisters and when she gets home, she shares her lollipop with Rubina. Although the storyline is simple, I think this story does a great job highlighting a different culture but also showing sibling issues that everyone with a sibling can relate to.

The illustrations by Sophie Blackall (the same illustrator for the Ivy and Bean series) are also fabulous! There is such a great attention to detail with great use of color and patterns. She makes the characters very expressive and playful and I also love the little details like the laptop at the dining room table. It keeps the story very current and relevant.