Bibliography
Nelson, Marilyn. 2001. Carver A Life in Poems. Asheville, North Carolina: Front Street. ISBN: 1-886910-53-7
About the Poem Collection
George Washington Carver comes alive in collection of poetry about his life. Most of the narrative poems are not simple verses but they give a great description of various points of Carver’s life. The poems go beyond what the average person knows about Carver they discuss how he overcame poverty, racial boundaries and always pursuing knowledge. The poems are accompanied with photographs of Carver, his family and friends and gives brief descriptions of the important events in his life. The poems are told in such a way that the reader can identify easily with Carver. This book is a must for any library's poetry collection, regardless of whether the collection is for children, young adults or adults.
One Poem
Drifter
Something says find out
why rain falls, what makes corn proud
and squash so humble, the questions
call like a train whistle so at fourteen,
fifteen, eighteen, nineteen still on half-fare,
over the receding landscapes the perceiving self
stares back from the darkening window.
Activities
Bibliography
Volavkova, Hana, ed. I never saw another butterfly: Children’s Drawings and Poems from Terezin Concentration Camp 1942-1944. 1993. New York: Schocken Books. ISBN: 0-8052-4115-9.
About the Poem Collection
Different children who lived in the ghetto of Terezin wrote this collection of poetry and artwork. The poems and paintings depict the everyday life of these young children who were forced to live in this ghetto by the Nazi army. The insight of the poems and pictures are heartbreaking but give a perspective of the war that many may not be familiar with, the perspective from these young children and teenagers. Many of the poems read like a journal entry while others are more in the tradition poem format.
This collection would be a valuable tool for anyone who is studying WWII. The poems are informative, filled with vocabulary and speak about the social movements that were happening during this time.
One Poem
Illness
Sadness, stillness in the room.
In the middle, a table and a bed.
In the bed, a feverish boy.
His mother sits next to him
with a little book.
She reads him his favorite story
and immediately, the fever subsides.
Franta Bass
Activities
*After students read this poetry collection they can try and research the poets and artist to find out what happened to them after WWII.
*The teacher can show pictures of the ghetto of Terezin and ask the students to write down their feelings or thoughts about what they see or how they would feel if they had to live there.
Bibliography
Elliot, David. Ill. By Holy Meade. In the Wild. Margeret K McElderry Books. 2008. ISBN 978-1-4169-1832-5
About the Poem Collection
In this thematic collection of animals David Elliot writes about a variety of wild beast. These lyrical verses are entertaining to read a loud and silently. The short poems provide descriptions and facts about the animals. For example in the poem The Panda Elliot writes “You’re a bamboo bandit” and “you’re cookies and cream”. The clarity of the descriptions will allow for great visualization to the reader.
Many of the poems allow for deeper discussions and thoughts. For example in the poem about a jaguar the poet states “Beware of jungle-raised bouquets. Beware these hidden thorns”, imagine the great discussions that can unfold from just simply asking the students “What does that mean?” Another example can be found in The Polar Bear there is a message about the polar bear disappearing in the snow. This could lead to discussion on the impact of Global Warming. The precise use of language and the ease of the rhymes make this a great collection.
A Poem
The Giraffe
Stilt-walker!
Tree-topper!
Long-necked
show-stoper!
Activities
*Use this book to introduce the study of animals.
*Assign each student or group of students a different animal and have them compile a list of poems about their animal.
*Read part or all of the poems and have the students predict what animal the poem is about.
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