LS 5663 Module 3: 2011 Poetry Book

Requiem: Poems of the Terezin Ghetto

Janeczko, Paul B. 2011. REQUIEM: POEMS OF THE TEREZIN GHETTO. Massachusetts: Candlewick Press. ISBN 978-0-7636-4727-8.

Review:

In this small, but powerful book, poet Paul B. Janeczko gives readers a haunting look into the lives of Jews imprisoned in the Terezin Concentration Camp. Terezin was proudly hailed by Hitler as a sanctuary for artistic Jews. As proof of this refuge, The Red Cross was allowed to tour the camp. Janeczko chronicles this visit in the poem titled SS Lieutenant Theodor Lang found below.

Though most of the characters in Janeczko’s poems are fictional, the poems were informed by research and based on historical events and facts. Janeczko uses the Author’s Note to inform readers on factual aspects of his book. Though not completed yet, there is a section reserved at the back of the book for “English Translations of Foreign Words”. Janeczko also provides readers with additional resources such as books, websites, and DVD’s. Artwork found at Terezin after the war is distributed throughout. These dramatic black and white drawings are a testament to the atrocities experienced by the Jews. In this advance copy, all artwork is not yet finalized.

Paul B. Janeczko provides readers with a moving, lyrical view into the hearts of the imprisoned men, women, and children of Terezin Ghetto as well as German soldiers. It’s this look into the perspective of German soldiers that makes Janeczko’s Requiem: Poems of the Terezin Ghetto one of the more unique books on Holocaust poetry. 

Highlighted Poem (excerpt):

SS Lieutenant Theodor Lang

“Because of the meddlesome king of Denmark

 we were forced

 to allow

 Red Cross inspectors to visit our town.

 We had months to prepare

 our show, a charade

 to show them that there was no truth

 to the pesky rumors about how

 we treated our Jews.”

 The poem details the preparations for the Red Cross visit, and yet, ends with the chilling truth: 

“The inspectors

 were in our town for a short time,

 only long enough to see

 what we wanted them to see.

 No more.

 They saw enough

 to know that we were treating the Jews

 in a civilized and humane manner.

 We waited a few months

 to resume the transports.

 The town was getting crowded

 and the ovens of Auschwitz waited.”

Possible Uses:

Teachers could use this poem in a study of the propaganda used during WWII and Hitler’s use of it for the express purpose of covering up the systematic slaughter of millions of Jewish citizens.

LS 5663 Module 3: Poetic Form

A Poke in the I

Janeczko, Paul B. 2001. A POKE IN THE I. Illustrated by Chris Raschka. Massachusetts: Candlewick Press. ISBN 0763606628.



Review:

A POKE IN THE I is a collection of thirty concrete poems by various poets, including Douglas Florian and Robert Froman. Even the books illustrator, Chris Raschka, gets his hand in the act with his poem "Cat Chair". 

Concrete poems are different from other forms of poetry. In many cases, the font and placement of the page determines the poem. Due to the uniqueness of concrete poems, they each have a rhythm all their own. Readers new to concrete poems may encounter difficulties at first, but with practice, these poems become easier to read. Due to the unusual shapes of concrete poems, one must pay attention to the flow and direction of the words.

Chris Raschka used watercolor, ink, and torn paper to create illustrations that not only enhances each poem, in some cases, the illustration becomes the poem. 

One of the most interesting poems is Monica Kulling's "Tennis Anyone?". Using a full two-page spread, this poem forces the reader's eyes to shift from page to page much like an actual tennis match. 


Highlighted Poem:


Crickets by Aram Saroyan


crickets
crickess
cricksss
cricssss
crisssss
crssssss
csssssss
ssssssss
ssssssts
sssssets
sssskets
sssckets
ssickets
srickets
crickets


Possible Uses:


The format used for the poem "Crickets" could be used in any subject area. Teachers could have students choose an animal or insect to create their own concrete poem. Students would then illustrate their poem using torn paper as Chris Raschka did in this book.

LS 5663 Module 3: Verse Novel

All The Broken Pieces

Burg, Ann E. 2009. ALL THE BROKEN PIECES. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN: 978054508927 


Review:

Two years after being airlifted out of Vietnam, ten year old Matt Pin is desperately trying to recover from the ravages of war. Even with his new life with his "now" mother and father and "now" brother, Matt is haunted by the horrors he experienced during the Vietnam War.

With the encouragement of a Vietnam veteran support group his dad took him to, a love for the game of baseball, and his piano music, Matt, now in seventh grade, is adjusting to his new life. 

Upon arriving in America, he attended adoption classes and meetings to learn to speak English. His new family has worked hard to keep his Vietnamese culture and traditions alive in him. But the Vietnam he hears about in class is not the Vietnam he remembers. 

“I close my eyes./I listen./I try to remember the colors,/but I cannot./I try to form the dragons from dust, /but I cannot./I try again./But I cannot./ My Vietnam/is drenched/in smoke and fog./It has no parks/or playgrounds,/no classrooms/or teachers./It is not on any map/or in any book./ My Vietnam is/only/a pocketful/of broken pieces/I carry/inside me.” (pg.22-23) .

Baseball plays the catalyst for Matt's guilt and the stereotypes that haunt him. Matt misunderstands the reasons his mother had for giving him away and carries with him the guilt of his younger brother's horrific injuries. He is also tormented by teammates who seemingly blame him for the tragedies that occurred during the war. 


In her verse novel, told in the first-person perspective, Ann Burg developed her characters with sparse language and raw emotions. Readers will experience the horrible effects of war not only on soldiers, but also on children, parents, and countrymen. 


Highlighted Excerpt:

Pages 155 - 158


Matt was one of the older kids
airlifted out of Saigon, 
Jeff says.

He's reading a sentence at a time
and then looking up.

He was almost ten, but he looked six.

He was born during the war.


His whole life was the war.


He's got an American father
who left and never came back.


He's got a mother who
entrusted him to us
even though his father, 
an American soldier,
ran out on her.


She gave her child to a bunch
of American soldiers...


Jeff emphasizes the first syllable
in soldiers
as if it were souldiers,


... so we must have done 
something good.


Americans who've never
been to Vietnam
don't understand. 
They spit at us.
They call us baby killers. 
But we can't have been all bad,
or what mother
would have given us her child,
knowing she might never 
see him again?


What kind of faith is that?
What kind of love?


Love?


I thought she wanted 
me to leave because of 
who I was and what 
I'd done.


But did she mean it
when she said she loved me?
Did he mean it 
when he said he loved her?
Was it hard for her to
push me away?
Does she ever wonder 
about me
like I wonder 
about her
and about him?


Does she remember me?


Jeff's words rush through me,
my heart pounds, and
a red hotness spreads 
across my face.


I hadn't ever thought 
she gave me away 
because she loved me.


We lost a big piece 
of ourselves in Vietnam,
and none of us will 
ever be the same,
but we did some good too.
We made a difference.
Don't let anybody tell you 
different.

Jeff looks at everyone in the circle
one by one,
holding their eyes with his eyes
before turning away.


Next time someone stares at you
like you're a freak
because you went to Vietnam,
think about Matt,
and there are hundreds like him,
hundreds of kids we saved.

Possible Uses:


Teachers could use this book in conjunction with a lesson on the Vietnam War. This particular excerpt could be used to introduce students to the Vietnam War and the prejudices faced by the returning soldiers and Vietnamese people. 
While this book covers the Vietnam War, the lessons of this book would hold true with any discussion of prejudice or the effects of war.

LS 5663 Module 2: NTCE Award Winning Poet

The Inner City Mother Goose

Merriam, Eve. 1996. THE INNER CITY MOTHER GOOSE. Ill. by David Diaz. NY: Simon and Schuster. ISBN 0-689-80677-9

Review: 

With her book THE INNER CITY MOTHER GOOSE, Eve Merriam provides readers with an opportunity to observe the reality of the plight of the inner city.  This version of her book, which was originally published in 1969, is the first version published specifically for young adults. Published in 1996, it includes an introduction by poet Nikki Giovanni and illustrations by Caldecott Award-winning artist David Diaz.

While the language in some of Merriam's poems may seem shocking, it, unfortunately, accurately depicts the lives of many of our inner city children. Books such as this may be the best way to bridge the gap between our inner city and suburban youth. 

In an introduction to the book written in 1982, Merriam equates her poems to the political uses of the original Mother Goose rhymes. She is writing about the social and political issues of our times using Mother Goose characters. She gave us over 70 poems relating to issues such as inadequate housing, unemployment, crime and violence, and police corruption, among others.  

Her poems describe rather than endorse a lifestyle. However, Eve Merriam calls her book "just about the most banned book in the country". When the book came under fire in Massachusetts, though, a Baltimore television official defended it by saying, "it deals with the truth. Perhaps this is why it offends some of us."

Caldecott Award-winning artist David Diaz beautifully illustrates the book with ten full-color illustrations of boldly outlined characters. The vivid colors and heavy shading perfectly complement the juxtaposition of Merriam's poetry.

Highlighted Poem:

Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep


Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep

I pray the double lock will keep;

May no brick through the window break,

And no one rob me till I wake.

Possible Uses: 

While it uses Mother Goose rhymes as a foundation, this book is definitely for older children. Middle and High School teachers should use this book as an introduction to political and social injustices or self expression. 

LS 5663 Module 2: Florian Poetry

Insectlopedia

Florian, Douglas. 1998. INSECTLOPEDIA. Ill. by Douglas Florian. San Diego: Harcourt. ISBN 0-15-201306-7


 Review:
 
INSECTLOPEDIA is a collection of twenty-one poems that uses rhymes to describe different types of arthropods such as the inchworm, praying mantis, weevils, and even ticks. Some of Douglas Florian's poems describe the insect’s physical features, while others discuss insect habitats, diet, or natural inclination.
The verse form in Florian's book is as varied as the bugs of which he writes. Florian's use of shaped or pattern poems enhances his writings of the inchworm, whirligig beetles, and termites. He creates a dramatic effect with his use of alliteration, rhythms, and rhyme. Florian incorporates rhymes at the ends of lines. Additionally, he plays with sound and meter, word choice, and even the placement of words on the page to create poems that entertain readers while evoking an emotional response. His use of action words in his description of the whirligig beetles paints a vivid visual image for readers.

The humor in each illustration adds to the overall appeal. As each selection is given its own page, Florian was able to use a large type and provide his readers with full-page watercolors. His portraits incorporate the anthropomorphic qualities he gives his insects, including the daddy longlegs lifting weights, the inchworm inching his way down the highway, and a waterbug reading his Father's Day card. The insects appear engaged in the action of the story and shape the mood with first person dialogue. Florian created his illustrations using collage and watercolor on primed brown paper bags to create effective and engaging visions.

Highlighted Poem:

The Termites

Our

high and

mighty

termite

mound

arises

far above

the ground,

and just as 

deep, grows

underground.

Our nest is 

blessed to be 

immense. It gives

us all a firm

defense, superior

to any fence. It

shields us from our

enemies. It keeps us

cooler, by degrees.

From floods and droughts 

it guarantees. A prize

nobody will assign in

architectural design, but

still our hill suits us just fines.

Possible Uses: 

Teachers  could use this poem to begin a unit on habitats. As students study the habitats of different animals, they could turn their research into a poem. Students could illustrate their poem as well just as Douglas Florian does.

LS 5663 Module 2: Multicultural Poetry

Yum! Mmmm! Que rico! : America's Sproutings


 Mora, Pat. 2007. YUM! MMMM! QUE RICO!. Ill. by Rafael Lopez. NY: Lee & Low Books. ISBN 978-1-58430-271-1



Review:


In this book, Pat Mora gives us a vivid look at fourteen different foods all native to the Americas. From blueberries to vanilla, readers can enjoy a feast of foods and colors that seem to leap from the page. Describing the foods in uncommon ways such as "brown magic" chocolate and chewing the perfume of a papaya. 
In addition to the creative haiku's, Mora also provides readers with a detailed sidebar for each two-page spread. These sidebar's include an informative paragraph that explains the probable origin of the food, it's history, and some trivia related to the poem. One such tidbit of information is that the largest pumpkin grown as of 2006 weighed in at 1,502 pounds. Another is that the potato was the first vegetable grown in outer space. Kids and adults alike are sure to find this information just as intriguing as Mora's poems.


The work of artist Rafael Lopez is just as intriguing. He uses vibrant acrylics on wood panels to give each page a distinctive multicultural feel, as well as a sense of whimsy with his trumpet playing peanut butter and jelly sandwich and dancing pineapple.


Highlighted Poem:
Pecan


We crack hard, brown shells,
family munching, story time, 
crunchy taste of fall.



Possible Uses:

The possible uses for this book are innumerable. Besides the obvious use in a  lesson on writing a haiku, teachers could use this book in a study of native plants, natural resources, or producers versus consumers. 

Also, the sidebar for the poem Pecan tells readers that the pecan is the state tree of Texas. Teachers could use this poem to begin a discussion about our state.

LS 5663 Module 1: School Poetry

There Once Was a Very Odd School

Krensky, Stephen. 2004. THERE ONCE WAS A VERY ODD SCHOOL. Ill. by Tamara Petrosino. NY: Dutton Children's Books. ISBN 978-0-525-46974-2

Review:

THERE ONCE WAS A VERY ODD SCHOOL is a collection of 24 silly limericks that describe life at a very odd school. Topics range from the shy new boy to the principal with x-ray vision. The book is not organized in any particular way but seem to flow one to the other with ease. As with most limericks, this book begs to be read aloud. Younger students will enjoy the wacky humor, but older students may require more sophisticated writing.

From evil jello to jousting knights, Petrosino's comic-book style illustrations enhance the humor of the limericks perfectly.

Highlighted Poem:

To learn spelling is such a big grind.
I'm constantly falling behind.
I hate i before e
Except after c.
Why can't i just make up its mind?

Possible Uses:

Teachers could use this poem to reinforce spelling rules.
This would also be a great book to use as a sponge activity or to introduce poetry to children who might otherwise be resistant to it.