RED SINGS FROM TREETOPS: A YEAR IN COLORS by Joyce Sidman

Bibliography: 

Sidman, Joyce. 2009. RED SINGS FROM TREETOPS:  A YEAR IN COLORS.  Ill. by Pamela Zagarenski.  New York, NY:  Houghton Mifflin.  ISBN 9780547014944 

Plot Summary: 

Readers experience the celebration of each season:  spring, summer, fall, and winter.  Through the poetic words, each season comes to life beautifully.  The explosion of colors, from Zagarenski is magnificent, and takes the viewer on a journey through each season and nature in those seasons.   

Critical Analysis: 

This is a wonderful book to use with preschool and kindergarten age students as they learn the basics about seasons and colors.  Each color is spotlighted throughout the book and can be easily pointed out in the beautiful art work that covers every page.  Through the rhythmic words, the reader follows the colors through the seasons.  Many types of figurative language can be seen throughout, and can easily be pointed out.  Personification as “red sings … turns … squirms …”  The expansion of descriptive words is breath-taking, taking the reader deeper into the simple subject of seasons and colors than ever thought possible.   

Reviews: 

·        2010 Caldecott Honor Book

·        Claudia Lewis Poetry Award

·        Minnesota Book Award

·        CCBC Choice 2010

·        Horn Book:  “A poet known for multi-layered explorations of nature rejoices here in a way colors, and how we perceive them, change with the seasons …. The playfulness of the text and its sense of awe, mystery, and beauty.”

·        New York Times:  “Joyce Sidman’s language is vivid and deft … it draws mystery and magic around the most familiar scenes.”

·        Kirkus:  “Fresh descriptions and inventive artistry are a charming inspiration to notice colors and correlate emotions.” 

Connections:  Age Level:  Pre-K and up

·        Before reading:  Look at the cover of the book and begin adding thoughts and idea to a graphic organizer (For younger students:  Teacher list on the board from student’s responses.  For older students:  Allow them to use Post-It notes for each, tracking their active thinking)

o   Questioning Category

o   Noticed Category

o   Personal Connection Category

·        During Reading:  Discuss each season, animals seen on each page during those seasons, and colors seen on each page for each season.

o   Students add thoughts and ideas to each category, continuing to build on the chart.

·        After Reading:  Brainstorm a list of items and animals that are associated with each season. 

o   Create a chart and think of specific colors that go with those items and seasons. 

o   Students create art work depicting their ideas.

o   Students create poetry depicting their ideas.

§  Combine the two to display in the classroom or in the school hallways.

·        Figurative language:  Personification, metaphors, and similes can be pointed out as they are beautifully modeled throughout the book, and can inspire student’s own personal poetry.