Love That Dog
Creech, Sharon. Love That Dog. NY: Harper Collins: Joanna Cotler Books, 2001.
This novel is written in free verse for children and young adults. The book is about a young boy who is not interested in writing poetry at school and believes that writing poetry is for girls. The boy is confused about the concept of poetry as well as the senseless poems his teacher selects to read aloud to the class. Through his imagination, stories of his life happenings, animals, and a well-know poet by the name of Walter Dean Myers, he is able to overcome his mental block on writing poetry and is inspired to create works of his own.
The novel is written in free verse as a dated journal. Many of the peoms give an account of the conversations that take place between the teacher and this child. The boy's poems also give a visual and descriptive image of occurrences that have happened in his life.
As I read the title, I had no idea what the book would entail. As the dated pages unfold, random stories of the boy's life, classroom activities and a dog are told. The dog has been rescued from the Animal Protective Shelter by the boy and his father, his name is Sky. The novel ends with the boy signing his name to a thank you note written to Walter Dean Myers and revealing his name as Jack. Jack then writes a poem inspired by Mr. Myers titled Love That Dog. The back pages of the book contain poems, an apple shape poem and selected verses of poems discussed throughout Jack's journal.
This book is wonderfully written and a must read. It will make you laugh, cry, and bring back childhood memories or remind one of a child that is similar to the character in the book. Children who read the book will realize that this is a different type of poetry with the non-rhyming text. Students will be inspired to pick up a pen or pencil, paper and write their thoughts down.
Extension:
Read from the pages of this book and additional poetry books, pointing out that the words do not rhyme and that not all poetry has to rhyme. Encourage children or youth to copy from the book and create their own works in a dated journal or re-tell the poem in their own words on paper. The children can also illustrate their poems and display these around the school. Have students volunteer to read their poems aloud to an audience. Provide a list with such things as holidays, pets, family, vacation as a starting point for the students to begin their writing.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Poetry Break
Forgotten
by Eric Metzdorf
Introduction:
This poem has been written in an unusual form that is known as free verse. The poem is a combination of short one word lines and longer lines consisting of two to six words. A young child created this poem. It is a wonderful poem written in free verse with descriptive details. The poem does not rhyme but the language used enhances the rhythm. This nine year old child is sending a strong message.
Metzdorf, Eric. "Forgotten," in For the Good of the Earth and Sun, ed. Georgia Heard,146. New Hampshire: Heinemann, 1989.
Forgotten
Long,
brown hair
cascades
over her shoulders.
Shoulders over-burdened
with duty,
or maybe guilt.
I see her face,
pale and tight
with lines of exhaustion
etched in patterns
like artwork.
Her beautiful hair
tied
in an ugly
ball
on the back of her head.
Through gentle wisps of hair,
I see
my mother.
Erik Metzdorf, age 9
Extension: Use this poem as an example to children between the ages of 8 - 10 to demonstrate how a poem sounds without the normal rhythm and rhyme. Beginning writers of poetry could experiment using their own writing techniques and words to put on paper what they are feeling inside or to send a descriptive message. Children would feel more relaxed in creating their own works if they realize that the lines in a poem does not have to always end with rhyming words.
Forgotten
by Eric Metzdorf
Introduction:
This poem has been written in an unusual form that is known as free verse. The poem is a combination of short one word lines and longer lines consisting of two to six words. A young child created this poem. It is a wonderful poem written in free verse with descriptive details. The poem does not rhyme but the language used enhances the rhythm. This nine year old child is sending a strong message.
Metzdorf, Eric. "Forgotten," in For the Good of the Earth and Sun, ed. Georgia Heard,146. New Hampshire: Heinemann, 1989.
Forgotten
Long,
brown hair
cascades
over her shoulders.
Shoulders over-burdened
with duty,
or maybe guilt.
I see her face,
pale and tight
with lines of exhaustion
etched in patterns
like artwork.
Her beautiful hair
tied
in an ugly
ball
on the back of her head.
Through gentle wisps of hair,
I see
my mother.
Erik Metzdorf, age 9
Extension: Use this poem as an example to children between the ages of 8 - 10 to demonstrate how a poem sounds without the normal rhythm and rhyme. Beginning writers of poetry could experiment using their own writing techniques and words to put on paper what they are feeling inside or to send a descriptive message. Children would feel more relaxed in creating their own works if they realize that the lines in a poem does not have to always end with rhyming words.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
Celebrating Black History Month
Black History Month evolved as a week long event beginning the second week of February 1926. A scholar from Harvard by the name of Dr. Carter G. Woodson selected the date because of the birthdays of two important men and their strong impact on the black population. They were known as Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Today the four week celebration continues as Black History Month during the month of February.
http://www.history.com/minisites/blackhistory.
Bibliography:
Grimes, Nikki and Michael Bryant (ill.). 1996. Come Sunday. Michigan: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, ISBN 0802851088
Introduction:
Nikki Grimes is an African-American who grew up in New York. She began writing poetry at the age of six. She has written for children and adults, has read and appeared on an International level. She has received many awards including the Coretta Scott King Honor Book Award, the ALA Notable Award, Bank Street College Book of the Year and NAACP Image Award Finalist in 1993. Her book “Come Sunday” is an ALA Notable.
http://www.visitingauthors.com/authors/grimes_nikki/grimes_nikki_bio.html.
Come Sunday is the story of an African-American young girl around age eight who gives a detailed account of her Sunday encounter at church as she is awakened by her mother to get ready for church and the detailed accounts of activities and people that she encounters at Paradise Baptist Church.
The watercolor illustrations are bright and colorful, flowing well throughout the text giving the reader a visual image of LaTasha’s Sunday life at home and in the church. The pictures are warm and welcoming to anyone who visits Paradise Baptist Church through these poems. The “blue-haired” ladies bring back memories, laughter and visual images of elderly women with blue-hair.
Professional Reviews:
Publishers Weekly
Nikki Grimes recounts LaTasha's Sunday adventures in ParadiseBaptist Church from rising in the
morning, greeting the blue-haired ladies at church, to the soft and powerful voice of the visiting lady preacher, the church offering, a baptism, a church supper and finally home to bed, Grimes brings the experience of Sundays at church to life. Reverent, funny and wildly energetic all at the same time, this is a wonderful book for introducing children to church life. Ages 5-9.
From School Library Journal
Grade 1-4. Fourteen short poems narrated by an African-American girl that concentrate mostly on preparing for and going to church with family and friends. Two poems, "On the March" and "Jubilation," catch the lively musical experience of this traditional black church. The people are of all ages and are dressed in their most colorful best. Light flows through stained-glass windows. Grimes's topical poems are short and down-to-earth enough to engage children and occasionally will sweep them along with a bouncy rhythm or a spark of recognition that brings LaTasha's Sunday to life.
Both the text and pictures evoke a celebration of one ethnic and religious group.
Nikki Grimes additional works of many include:
A POCKETFUL OF POEMS (Clarion)
MY MAN BLUE (Dial)
MEET DANITRA BROWN (Lothrop)
Extension:
In the school, many issues are raised with discussion of spiritual beliefs and the violation of one’s rights.
Children could discuss this book in a Sunday School class or at the Public Library as a comparative analysis of each child’s church life and spiritual encounters of their church denomination. Have the children drawn pictures or describe their church and discuss likeness and differences of each.
Students could extend from the daily Sunday life, giving accounts of life in school and the daily activities associated with teachers, students, families etc. Draw pictures, write poems, discuss how their lives are different at home and school.
Read additional books to the students and discuss Black History Month. A topic that arose on Television discussing Black History Month is famous inventors and the many things invented by African-Americans. The ironing board, oscillating water sprinkler….can you find more??
Black History Month evolved as a week long event beginning the second week of February 1926. A scholar from Harvard by the name of Dr. Carter G. Woodson selected the date because of the birthdays of two important men and their strong impact on the black population. They were known as Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Today the four week celebration continues as Black History Month during the month of February.
http://www.history.com/minisites/blackhistory.
Bibliography:
Grimes, Nikki and Michael Bryant (ill.). 1996. Come Sunday. Michigan: Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, ISBN 0802851088
Introduction:
Nikki Grimes is an African-American who grew up in New York. She began writing poetry at the age of six. She has written for children and adults, has read and appeared on an International level. She has received many awards including the Coretta Scott King Honor Book Award, the ALA Notable Award, Bank Street College Book of the Year and NAACP Image Award Finalist in 1993. Her book “Come Sunday” is an ALA Notable.
http://www.visitingauthors.com/authors/grimes_nikki/grimes_nikki_bio.html.
Come Sunday is the story of an African-American young girl around age eight who gives a detailed account of her Sunday encounter at church as she is awakened by her mother to get ready for church and the detailed accounts of activities and people that she encounters at Paradise Baptist Church.
The watercolor illustrations are bright and colorful, flowing well throughout the text giving the reader a visual image of LaTasha’s Sunday life at home and in the church. The pictures are warm and welcoming to anyone who visits Paradise Baptist Church through these poems. The “blue-haired” ladies bring back memories, laughter and visual images of elderly women with blue-hair.
Professional Reviews:
Publishers Weekly
Nikki Grimes recounts LaTasha's Sunday adventures in ParadiseBaptist Church from rising in the
morning, greeting the blue-haired ladies at church, to the soft and powerful voice of the visiting lady preacher, the church offering, a baptism, a church supper and finally home to bed, Grimes brings the experience of Sundays at church to life. Reverent, funny and wildly energetic all at the same time, this is a wonderful book for introducing children to church life. Ages 5-9.
From School Library Journal
Grade 1-4. Fourteen short poems narrated by an African-American girl that concentrate mostly on preparing for and going to church with family and friends. Two poems, "On the March" and "Jubilation," catch the lively musical experience of this traditional black church. The people are of all ages and are dressed in their most colorful best. Light flows through stained-glass windows. Grimes's topical poems are short and down-to-earth enough to engage children and occasionally will sweep them along with a bouncy rhythm or a spark of recognition that brings LaTasha's Sunday to life.
Both the text and pictures evoke a celebration of one ethnic and religious group.
Nikki Grimes additional works of many include:
A POCKETFUL OF POEMS (Clarion)
MY MAN BLUE (Dial)
MEET DANITRA BROWN (Lothrop)
Extension:
In the school, many issues are raised with discussion of spiritual beliefs and the violation of one’s rights.
Children could discuss this book in a Sunday School class or at the Public Library as a comparative analysis of each child’s church life and spiritual encounters of their church denomination. Have the children drawn pictures or describe their church and discuss likeness and differences of each.
Students could extend from the daily Sunday life, giving accounts of life in school and the daily activities associated with teachers, students, families etc. Draw pictures, write poems, discuss how their lives are different at home and school.
Read additional books to the students and discuss Black History Month. A topic that arose on Television discussing Black History Month is famous inventors and the many things invented by African-Americans. The ironing board, oscillating water sprinkler….can you find more??
Thursday, February 8, 2007
NCTE Poetry Award Recipient
The Excellence in Poetry for Children Award is a lifetime achievement award given by The National Council of Teachers of English beginning in 1977 as an annual award until 1982. In 1982, a decision was made to give the award every three years . Recipients must be living Americans whose poetry has been written for children between the ages of 3 - 13. To learn more about the NCTE visit their website: http://www.ncte.org.
Mary Ann Hoberman was the recipient of the NCTE Poetry Award in 2003. You Read to Me, I'll Read to You is a children's book that contains fourteen short stories written for sharing and reading together. Two people read the rhythm, rhyming and repititous text that has been color coded with one color aligned on the left and another color aligned on the right to easily determine the text to be read by each person. The words to be read together are in blue and centered.
The Snowman
by Mary Ann Hoberman
Hi Ho! Hi Ho!
The world is white!
Were fast asleep.
The ones for snow.
The first of all?
On the ground.
For each eye.
An apple slice.
Icy, too.
Be good,
I think.
[from You Read to Me, I'll Read to You (Little, Brown and Company, 2001)]
Extension
This is wonderful for children to group together in twos and read to their class. They have fun, develop reading skills and become more comfortable standing in front of a group and speaking.
Mary Ann Hoberman was the recipient of the NCTE Poetry Award in 2003. You Read to Me, I'll Read to You is a children's book that contains fourteen short stories written for sharing and reading together. Two people read the rhythm, rhyming and repititous text that has been color coded with one color aligned on the left and another color aligned on the right to easily determine the text to be read by each person. The words to be read together are in blue and centered.
The Snowman
by Mary Ann Hoberman
Hi Ho! Hi Ho!
The world is white!
Hi Ho! Hi Ho!
It snowed last night!
It snowed while weIt snowed last night!
Were fast asleep.
It's nice and high.
It's very deep.
Put on your clothes.It's very deep.
The ones for snow.
Pull on your boots
And then let's go!
What shall we doAnd then let's go!
The first of all?
Let's build a snowman.
Roll a ball.
I'll roll the bottomRoll a ball.
On the ground.
I'll make the middle
Nice and round.
I'll find a pebbleNice and round.
For each eye.
And if he starts to melt,
He'll cry!
His mouth can beHe'll cry!
An apple slice.
An apple slice
Will turn to ice.
I'm getting prettyWill turn to ice.
Icy, too.
You do look icy.
So do you. Let's go inside
And get a drink.
Some cocoa wouldAnd get a drink.
Be good,
I think.
And while we're in,
What shall we do?
What shall we do?
You read to me.
I'll read to you.
I'll read to you.
[from You Read to Me, I'll Read to You (Little, Brown and Company, 2001)]
Extension
This is wonderful for children to group together in twos and read to their class. They have fun, develop reading skills and become more comfortable standing in front of a group and speaking.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Poems selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins
More Surprises is a collection of poems selected by Lee Bennett Hopkins as an “I Can Read” book. This book consists of thirty-five short poems with a touch of humor, imagination and added twists. The poems offer a variety of topics for young children with topics including witches, animals, body parts, insects, seasons and school. The book is illustrated by Megan Lloyd (published by Harper & Row, 1987). Listed below are samples of the poems in the book.
This Tooth
by Lee Bennett Hopkins
jaggled it
jerked it.
I pushed
and pulled
and poked it.
But—
As soon as I stopped,
and left it alone,
This tooth came out
on its very own!
Worm
by Sara Perkins
rests in his chair.
He’s nibbled his rooftop
and eaten his stairs.
He’s gnawed off his kitchen,
the chimney’s not there.
When his front porch is swallowed,
he’ll go on to pears.
by N. M. Bodecker
Said little Ruth Luce
to little Bruce Booth:
“Lithen,” said Ruth
“I’ve a little looth tooth!”
Said little Bruce Booth
“Tho what if you do?
that’th nothing thpethial—
I’ve a looth tooth too!”
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