FALLING HARD: 100 POEMS BY TEENAGERS by Betsy Franco

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Franco, Betsy (Ed.). 2008. FALLING HARD:  100 LOVE POEMS BY TEENAGERS.  Massachusetts: Candlewick Press.  ISBN 9780763634377

SUMMARY:

A collection of honest poems from teens.  They express the love hate relationship many experience during those short years of life.  First love can be felt through the poetic words of youth.  Heart aches shared as those first loves don't turn out as we once hoped and dreamed.  Curl up with this great book and be inspired by the hope of love, or comforted during heart breaks.  Find hope for new love as life goes on.

QUALITY & APPEAL:

Age Range:  15 and up

Older students will relate to the raw nature of the poems, and enjoy reading published poems from young adults like themselves.  They will enjoy the humor many of the poems express.  Real issues, real feelings are expressed and shared in many of the poems.  Passion, obsession, anger, and desperation are feelings that are shared.  Young adults will have many of their feelings validated as they read the poetic treasures this book holds.

Teacher will appreciate the authentic poetry found inside this book.  Students will be more engaged as they listen and interact with poetry that relates to them in one way or another.  Sharing the poems and allowing students to use them to inspire their own writing will help struggling students who might be highly intimidated to writing poetry.  Librarians and teachers should be cautious about their target audience's ages and the specific poems they use.  There are some mature subject matters and inappropriate language shared in some of the poems.  

SPOTLIGHT POEM:  (Excerpt from page 83)

THE PERFECT GUY

by Valerie Garcia, age 16

He gives me flowers,

Rings and notes,

Jewelry, makeup,

Other things.

I return the favors;

Anything for him.

I smile with joy --

No girl could ever be so lucky --

Until reality slaps me in the face.

It's fun to pretend,

But I must remember:

It's for her, not me.

CONNECTION:

• Share select poems with older students from Franco's poetry book.
• Read the above poem several times aloud to the whole group.
• Ask students to brainstorm their ideas of the "perfect guy" or the "perfect girl".
• Student will pick out 20-30 key words or phrases that describe their perfect guy/girl.
• They will create a Visual Poem using www.imagechef.com.
• Students will print their Visual Poem out and create a decorative background that reflects them and their poem.
• Select poems will be framed and entered into the local art show and put up for auction during school fundraiser.

LINKS:

• Jaylene Clark performing her poem, "Detrimental to My Success", found on pages 118-119
• http://youtu.be/-aQNktsy2uc

SCARUM FAIR by Jessica Swaim

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Swaim, Jessica. 2010. SCARUM FAIR. ill. Carol Ashley. Pennsylvania:  Wordsong. ISBN 9781590785904

SUMMARY:

Come one!  Come all!  Buy your tickets to the creepiest fair in town.  Get goosebumps from the Ghoul at the Gate.  Join in with the dead and run for your life in the great Coffin Race.  Most of all, don't miss the wedding of the century.  Count Dracula is sending a personal invitation just for YOU!

QUALITY & APPEAL:

Age Range:  9 years and up
Grade Level:  4th grade and up

Students are going to love to spooky poems hidden inside this book.  They will eagerly read one after another.  Some will leave them laughing, running to share with a friend. While others will scare them or even gross them out.  The illustrations will add depth and meaning to the poems that students will enjoy examining.  They provide great visuals as they illustrate the poetic words each poem is expressing.

Teachers can share these poems throughout the month of October.  They serve as great poetry breaks during a day of learning.  They can be read over and over again for enjoyment, or analyzed, studying stanzas, rhyming, line breaks, tone, and mood.  This book is filled with spooky fun that students will enjoy and be engaged in during lessons.  They will definitely get into the Halloween spirit and learn a great deal about poetry along the way.

SPOTLIGHT POEM:  (Excerpt from page 17)

COFFIN RACE

There's no need to have a license.

There's no need to be alive.

The competition's stiff tonight,

'cause dead folks love to drive!

You'll see expensive models

plus some long-forgotten makes.

Reclining seats are optional,

but not a soul needs brakes.

The racetrack spirals downward

to the finish, and no wonder:

the winner gets a floral wreath

and parking six feet under.

CONNECTION:

Lesson for 4th grade and up:

• Share this and other poems from Swaim's poetry picture book.
• Allow student to reread and share their favorite poems in the Poetry Center.
• Ask students to choose one of their favorite poems from SCARUM FAIR by Jessica Swaim, and create their own spooky Halloween poem, using her poem as inspiration.
• Their poem must be 2-4 stanzas and contain some type of rhyming scheme.
• Students need to cite the source of their poem's inspiration on the bottom of their page.
• After students have written their poem and gone through the whole writing process (Revise and Edit), they will publish their poem in the Writing Center by either neatly rewriting their piece or by typing it their final copy.
• Students will attach their poem to an art piece that they created using multiple art supplies that are available.  The art should match the poem and help provide a visual for readers to see.  They can use Ashley's illustrations found in the book for inspiration as well.  
• Finished poems and art will be displayed in the classroom or around school.  

LINKS:

• SCARUM FAIR activities by author, Jessica Swaim
• http://www.jessicaswaim.com/scarum_files/Scarumguide.pdf
• 2012-2013 Bluebonnet Award Nominee
• http://texasbluebonnetaward2013.wordpress.com/scarum-fair/

FIREFLY JULY: A YEAR OF VERY SHORT POEMS by Paul B. Janeczko

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Janeczko, Paul B., comp. 2014. FIREFLY JULY:  A YEAR OF VERY SHORT POEMS.  ill. Melissa Sweet. Massachusetts:  Candlewick Press. ISBN 978763648428

SUMMARY:

Experience the work of art and poetry as you walk through all four season of a year.  The words are few, but the imagery and sensory language used in the poems will land you right in the center of the season you are reading about. Experience the wonders and beauty of that season, savor the moments and the memories each poem brings.  Then, move on to a new season ...

QUALITY & APPEAL:

Age Range:  6 years and up
Grade Level:  1st grade and up
Young students can learn about the four seasons we have in each year though the poems contained in this masterful compiled poetry book.  The selection of poems and the beautiful illustrations will appeal to all ages. The illustrations will catch the viewers eye and the catching poems will make them want to linger on that page as the words reinforce Sweet's artwork.

Educators will find this to be a jewel for any classroom or library.  The poems are short and can be used for quick poetry breaks.  Lesson can be created that center around using one of the gems as a mentor text for reading, writing, or to reinforce science concept.  Artist can express themselves using Sweet's work as a mentor art piece as well.  Students can work with watercolors and mixed medias like the illustrator did.

SPOTLIGHT POEM:  (Excerpt from pages 14-15)

LITTLE ORANGE CAT

by Charlotte Zolotow

Little orange cat,

you prowl

like a small tiger

(stalking what?)

in the field

of white daises

and shining buttercups.

CONNECTION:

Lesson for Pre-k-1st grade:

• Whole group/Circle Time:
• End of spring, beginning of summer, discuss summer and types of things student will see (flowers, dragonflies, etc.).
• Share the above poem with students, rereading it slowly several times while students study the illustrations.
• Discuss what the word "prowl" means.  
• Then, discuss what it means to "prowl like a small tiger".
• Allow students time to share their thoughts verbally.
• Then, allow students to show with their bodies what "prowl like a small tiger" means.  (Example:  Students slowly crawling around on their hands and knees.)
• Discuss that the word "stalking" means?
• Ask students to infer what the little orange cat might be stalking in the field.
• Art Center:
• Students will view pages 14 and 15 and create their own illustration of a little orange cat in a field of flowers.  
• Writing Center:
• With the help of the teacher, students will add to the poem by Charlotte Zolotow and say what they think the little orange cat is stalking in their newly created poem.  
• Students' art and poem will be displayed in the classroom or in the hallway with a blown up copy of pages 14 and 15 displayed in the center citing the source for their inspiration both artistically and for their poetry writing.  

DARK EMPEROR & OTHER POEMS OF THE NIGHT by Joyce Sidman

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Sidman, Joyce. 2010. DARK EMPEROR AND OTHER POEMS OF THE NIGHT. ill. Rick Allen. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. ISBN 9780547152288

SUMMARY:

Slide on your night vision glasses to view the magnificent, creepy, and amazing world that exists when the sun goes down.  Like the owl, you can watch the night-spiders build their webs, bats flipping upside down with a full belly, and listen to the crickets sing.  After reading this book, you will never look at nighttime the same again.

QUALITY & APPEAL:

Age Range:  6 years and up
Grade Level:  1st grade and up
Students will learn about the wonderful, mysterious, and sometimes dangerous nocturnal animals of the night. The author's notes on the right side of the pages make a great addition as they add details and scientific concept information that goes hand-in-hand with the focus poem on the left hand side of the page.  In the middle, students will find a wonderfully dark illustration created by Rick Allen.  The illustrations bring the poem to life and create a visual for students to study, experience, and enjoy.

Teachers will want to add this informational book to their classroom library.  It is a great resource filled with poems that will aid in the learning of science concepts.  The illustrations are a great tool for teachers to use with their ELL students.  All students will thrive with the exposure to the rich vocabulary found within the pages.  Share Joyce Sidman's book trailer to engage students in the learning.  The sounds and visuals are amazing!  http://www.joycesidman.com/books/dark-emperor-and-other/book-trailer-dark-emperor.html

SPOTLIGHT POEM:  (Excerpt from page 16)

NIGHT-SPIDER'S ADVICE

Build a frame

and stick to it,

I always say,

Life's a circle.

Just keep going around.

Do your work, then

sit back and see

what falls in your lap.

Eat your triumphs,

seat your mistakes:

that way your belly

will always be full.

Use what you have.

Rest when you need to.

Dawn will come soon enough.

Someone has to remake

the world each night.

It might as well be you.

CONNECTIONS:

• Watch Joyce Sidman's book trailer.  (link above)
• Show students the book cover, and discuss the video they just watched. 
• Discuss what they could learn from reading a book like this.  (Discuss genre: expository/nonfiction/informational text; Discuss author's purpose:  written to inform)
• To engage students in the learning, let them watch Arachnids video found on www.brainpop.com
• http://www.brainpop.com/science/diversityoflife/arachnids/  (Need a subscription to view.)
• Discuss spiders and begin filling out a graphic organizer (KWL chart), filling in the "KNOW" section. After students have had time to think of questions, add those to the "WHAT I WANT TO KNOW" section.
• Slowly share Night-Spiders Advice from page 16 - Rereading the poem several times.
• Discuss the illustrations on both page 16 and 17.
• Then, read the notes on the right hand side of the page to learn more about spiders.
• Read the poem again.
• Discuss and fill in the "LEARNED" section of the graphic organizer.
• Allow students to create a spider diagram with sentence strips stating facts.  Have some sentences that do not fit or are incorrect in relations to spiders.  Students will need to read all sentences and glue only the ones onto their diagram that describe correct information or characteristics about spiders. 

Joyce Sidman's Reader's Guide:

• http://www.joycesidman.com/books/dark-emperor-and-other/dark-emp-rg.pdf

WATER SINGS BLUE: OCEAN POEMS by Kate Coombs

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Coombs, Kate. 2012. WATER SINGS BLUE: OCEAN POEMS. ill Meilo So. California: Chronicle Books LLC. ISBN 9780811872843

SUMMARY:

Missing the sounds of the ocean?  Put down that seashell and experience ocean life through the artful words of Kate Coombs.  Raise those sails and glide through the pages to experience soaring seagulls, a love-struck sea urchin, jellyfish, jellyfish, and not-really-jellyfish.  Savor every word as the ocean whispers, "I was here, wasss h e r e, wasssss h e r e ..."

QUALITY & APPEAL:

Age Range:  4 years and up
Grade Level:  Pre-K and up
Student, itching for summer break, can take a trip to the beach anytime they want as ocean life springs from each page of this beautiful poetry picture book.  The mental imagery created by author, Kate Coombs, is amazing.  Mysteries from the deep ocean waters come to life through the illustrations created by So.  They are realistic and appealing. Students will enjoy getting to experience the ocean and the animals that reside there.  The poetic rhythm will draw them in.  Some poems will have them grinning from ear to ear, while others will leave them in AWW!

What a wonderful book to add to any classroom library!  This informational text brings science concepts to life.  The poetry aspects are used beautifully.  Teachers can used the enclosed poems to teach students about rhyming scheme, various types of figurative language, metaphors, simile, visualization, tempo, and to pause as needed to hear the full meaning of a poem.  The poems can be read separately over time exposing students to a wide variety of vocabulary.  Read poems slowly and savor each pebble of sand each poem has to offer young readers.

SPOTLIGHT POEM:  (Excerpt from book)

SHIPWRECK

Here lie the bones

of twenty trees,

lost far from home

under gallons of seas.

CONNECTION:

• Slowly read the above poem with young students several times while they can view the print.
• Choral reading - Read the poem in unison with the whole class to help increase fluency and to aid in word-to-word matching while reading and viewing text.
• Discuss items that might be found in the shipwreck.
• Make a list of objects as students share their brainstormed ideas.
• Add words to the list that rhyme with students' responses.
• Circle rhyming words and group them together.
• Guide students in creating a simple poem like the one above using rhyming words to create a ABAB rhyming scheme.

THE FRIENDLY FOUR by Eloise Greenfield

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Greenfield, Eloise, 2006. THE FRIENDLY FOUR. ill. Jan Spivey Gilchrist. New York: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 9780060007591

SUMMARY:

Summer is upon us.  Everything is green.  Flowers are blooming, and so are friendships.  Meet Dorene, Drum, Louis, and Rae. Four friends who experience a wonderful summer together discovering new things as they explore their community.  Like all good things, they all have an end.  Join these four friends as they enjoy all that this magical summer has to offer.

QUALITY & APPEAL:

Age Range:  4 years and up
Grade Level:  1st and up
Students will connect with the youthful characters found within this book's pages.  The dialogue seen throughout the book is authentic in nature.  The setting and obstacles are common, and will be easy for children to relate to. The upbeat rhythm of the poems will keep students engage as they listen and interact with each one.

This is a great book to read and share with younger children who are dealing with relocating to a new community, dealing with the illness of a parent or loved one, or have issues with siblings.  Great discussions can be had before, during, and after reading this book.  With its multiple voices, a play like script, students could easily share poems through performances much like a reader's theater.  Gilchrist's illustrations bring the summer fun to life with bright and lively colors that match the actions of the free-verse poems.

SPOTLIGHT POEM:  (Excerpt from page 47)

GOODBYE TO GOODSUMMER

Drum:  The summer started out with one,

Dorene:  and now there are four, and even though 

one of us is far away,

Drum, Dorene, Louis:  we're still together.

We'll find some fall, winter

and spring things to laugh about,

Louis:  and our town will wait for us.

Drum, Dorene, and Louis:  So, goodbye for now, Goodsummer,

We'll see you next year.

CONNECTION:

Poem and Art:

• Read a few excerpts relating specifically to summer coming to an end at the beginning of the school year. 
• Allow students to discuss some of their favorite memories from their summer.
• After they share and discuss, guide students as needed to write their own summer poem, using one of the book's poems to mentor if needed.  
• Students will share their poems with the teacher and one or two peers to receive feedback.  
• They will then edit and revise as needed.  
• Students will complete their poem by publishing their poem, rewriting it neatly.  
• They will then add it to the bottom of a piece of construction paper. 
• Using Gilchrist's illustrations for inspiration, students will create their own illustration to match their poem, bringing their poem to life through art.  
• Display final poetry/art projects around the room or in the hallway.

Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices From a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Schlitz, Laura A. 2007. GOOD MASTERS! SWEET LADIES! VOICES FROM A MEDIEVAL VILLAGE. ill. Robert Byrd. Massachusetts: Candlewick Press. ISBN 9780763615789

SUMMARY:

Travel back in time and meet a group of young people who are growing up in a medieval village. One of many characters, Pask has run away from his harsh ruler.  His goal, live in the village for one year and one day, and he will become FREE.  He finds refuge hiding in a kennel and survives by eating dog food.  As time goes by and the winter bares down bitterly, will he and the others survive ... read on.

QUALITY & APPEAL:

Age Range:  10 years and up
Grade Level:  5th grade and up
It is written in the form of monologues and dialogues.  This engaging format is perfect for students to "get into character" and perform their set part with interest and enthusiasm.  Village life emerges with each stanza and narrative thread that bind the characters to each other during this savage time period.  Bryd's illustrations help set the stage for each scene.  Students will gain knowledge from the illustrations as they study them and take on characteristics of their chosen character.

Educators will find this text to be a valuable teaching resource when educating students about this time period.  The historical notes that appear in the margins add depth and details to the message the author is trying to convey.  Schlitz, a librarian and historian, wrote this book specifically for students to perform.

SPOTLIGHT POEM:  (Excerpt from page 3)

HUGO

THE LORD'S NEPHEW

... I could smell my sweat, rank with fear,

and then -- it was like my dream --

the underbrush moved, and the sticks shattered.

I saw it -- bristling, dark as the devil,

huge as a horse -- and my bowels turned to water.

My uncle dismounted

and I did the same.

My legs were like straw,

and I walked.

Mouth dry, palms wet,

one hand forward on the spear

and one foot ahead

(to fall would be death).

CONNECTION:

• Allow students to pick a character.
• Allow time for students to read and reread their part and prepare for the class reading, similar to a drama or reader's theater reading.
• Prior to the whole class reading (performance), discuss medieval society, their clothing, medicine, education, jobs, etc.  
• Whole class reading (performance)
• Writing prompt:  What kind of education did people receive during the medieval times?  Compare and contrast their education to your education you receive today.  Which one do you think is best and why?
• Students read their writing to a peer and discuss their thoughts and ideas.