Module 2: Major Poets And Awards

                                                                  

                                                      NCTE Award Winning Poet

Bibliography

Grimes, Nikki. 2004. WHAT IS GOODBYE?. Ill. by Raul Colon. New York: Hyperion Books for Children. ISBN 0786807784

Summary

Two siblings, Jesse and Jerilyn, are given the unexpected news of the death of their older brother, Jaron. Told through alternating voices, this short novel told in poetic form, expresses the emotional rollercoaster each sibling experiences as they process the loss. Jesse, the younger of the two, lashes out in anger and violence; while Jerilyn, taking on the role of caregiver, internalizes her emotions. The book follows each child and the interaction they encounter with family and friends on a yearlong journey through the grieving process.

Quality and Appeal

Nikki Grimes has written a book that offers hope to anyone, especially youth, having to experience the painful process of grief. Having lost her own father at fifteen years old, Grimes has written twenty-six powerful poems from the perspective of each sibling. The poems are titled in blue for Jesse and red for Jerilyn to distinguish between the two. At the end of the book, are author’s notes that provide an honest expression about the grieving process. Ultimately, there is no right way to grieve and we must each proceed through the pain at our own pace. Following the author’s notes is the acknowledgement to several people who assisted Ms. Grimes in her research for grief counseling, support for her vision behind this work, and guidance for writing.

Raul Colon creates the surreal like images for the poems. The illustrations add to the bewilderment that each child is forced to confront each day. A powerful display of a family trying desperately to heal is seen in the illustration for the poem, “Connection.”

A daughter is longing for a mother’s squeeze of her hand in church, the way she used to be before Jaron’s death. The illustration shows the mother’s hand reaching for Jerilyn’s hand and the choir singing in the background as the last lines of the poem are quoted, “and squeeze her love into it the way – Oh, yes! The way she did today.” Another display of this longing to hold hands can be seen in the poem, “Rush.” Jerilyn longs for the days when she and her mother would sit on the couch watching television and holding hands. The illustration depicts both Jerilyn and her mother with their hands clasped in their laps. Jerilyn sadly looks at her mother while her mother is staring off in another direction. The top of the illustration shows both mother and daughter’s hands reaching out for the other, a memory that has yet to be recreated again.

The author skillfully writes the perspective of each child in a contrasting poetic form, although each poem mirrors itself in title only. Jerilyn, the older of the two siblings, processes her feelings through a series of free verse poems that lean more towards expressive, reflective thought. Vivid imagery and figurative language are evident in lines from the poem, “Getting the News,” where Jerilyn speaks, “her eyes dull coins peeking from the pockets of her lids” and “Daddy told me in a whisper sharp as a switchblade.” Figurative language can also be seen in “His Name” with the line,“His bass, sweet as chocolate, melted through the walls.” Jesse’s poems are written in rhyme and offer a more rhythmic simplistic, flow, although the poems’ tones are still representative of an angry, rebellious, complex child. In the poem, “First Day Back,” Jesse’s anger is evident.

One stupid word

Echoes through my day:

Sorry. Sorry. SORRY.

I hate that word!

I punch the air

And storm away.

This poem is not only suggestive of the difference in maturity level for each child, but also in how each one deals with grief.

Grimes has written a book that penetrates the many levels of the grieving process and allows the reader to see more than one perspective of how grieving occurs. The book speaks to the fact that grieving is a personal process that when one is exposed to the harshness of its bite, there is no normal. What one can hope to learn through the writing of this powerful book is that there is no time constraint on one’s grief, but that eventually you will get to the other side a little stronger and wiser.

Spotlight Poem

Photograph ~ Poem for Two Voices

Jesse                                              Jerilyn

It’s time

                                                      It’s time

for a new photograph                    for a new photograph

                                                      Squeeze in close.

Say “cheese.”                               

                                                      Don’t laugh.

Hold that pose!                             Hold that pose!

Wait till you see it,                       Wait till you see it,

Mom and Dad

                                                      Jesse and me,

a new kind of family.                    a new kind of family.

                                                      One piece.

One piece.

                                                      One piece missing, but

we’re whole again.                       we’re whole again.

Whole again.

                                                     While again!

Smile!                                           Smile!

I chose these poems because I thought they were a beautiful and fitting tribute to the final stage of the grieving process – healing and acceptance. Throughout the book, Ms. Grimes has given a unique voice to both Jesse and Jerilyn. With the poems, “Photograph ~ Poems for Two Voices,” she has reversed the written form for each. Now Jesse presents his story in free verse, while Jerilyn offers glimpses of rhythm and rhyme. It is as if the two siblings have been fused together. Their words are interchangeable except for the two lines where Jerilyn, the more reflective and mature of the two, mentions herself and her younger brother, where as Jesse mentions his Mom and Dad. Another significant message in the poem is the mention of Jaron by Jerilyn saying, “One piece missing, but we’re whole again.” Jesse only says, “One piece,” referring to his family now.

Connections

1.Introduction to this poem can start with a discussion about losing someone close and the process that each person must go through to help heal. Since this poem has two voices, one part could be assigned the teacher and the other part to the whole class. Eventually the two parts can be share by students.

2. Discuss the point of view of Jesse and Jerilyn.

3. Discuss the five stages of grief. Discuss what actions Jess and Jerilyn might have done to get to the stage they are at in the poem.

3. Have students write about a time they experienced the loss of a loved one or pet.

                                                         Multicultural Poetry

Bibliography

Soto, Gary. 1992. NEIGHBORHOOD ODES. Ill. by David Diaz. Orlando: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich. ISBN 0152568794

Summary

Reminiscing of childhood memories, Gary Soto takes the reader back to the everyday experiences of a child growing up and living in a Hispanic neighborhood. Joy and simplicity find their way through poems about the fresh, hot tortillas, eating chicharrones and pomegranates, to Sunday afternoon cookouts at the local park. Though the theme is centered on childhood memories within the Mexican-American community, one needs only to recall their own childhood and a connection will soon be established.

Quality and Appeal

Neighborhood Odes is written as twenty-one free verse poems. The poems are arranged with a table of contents at the beginning of the book. It is evident that family traditions have had a lasting impact on Mr. Soto. The poet fondly recalls making tortillas in “Ode to La Tortilla” with the lines, “The tortillas are still warm, In a dish towel, warm as gloves just taken off, finger by finger. Mama` is rolling them out.” In “Ode to Fireworks,” the poet and his brother have no patience for nightfall and set off all their fireworks before dusk. The poet says, It’s not yet dark. We’re mad for not waiting. I punch him in the arm. And he punches me back. We climb onto the roof, My brother first, And we watch the sky.” These words and actions arouse feelings from one’s own childhood and the special bonds we formed.

Within each poem is the interlingual use of both Spanish and English: “I am a diablito with a sparkler,” or  “Mi perrito rolls His tongue for the taste of a dropped chicharron.” This infusion of dual languages adds enjoyment to the reading of each poem. To assist the reader with understanding of these Spanish words and phrases, there is a glossary located at the back of the book.

David Diaz provides black and white illustrations, which are scattered throughout the book. Each illustration is complimentary of the poem in detail and emotion. An example of detail can be seen in the illustration that accompanies the poem “Ode to El Molcajete,” where a young child has flames shooting out his mouth after licking a spoon sitting in the molcajete where Fresno chiles have just been grinded.

Neighborhood Odes abounds the descriptive imagery. In “Ode to La Tortilla” the tortillas are described as “flutes When rolled in butter Dripping down my elbow.” In “Ode to Los Raspasdos” the delight of eating a refreshing snow cone is described as “Grape that stains The mouth with laughter, Orange that’s a tennis ball of snow you could stab with a red-striped straw.”  It is as if you could actually taste the sweetness of the snow cone. In “Ode To The Sprinkler” you can sense the contentment that is felt with lawn sprinklers when no pool is available. Soto writes, “Only sprinklers On lawns, The helicopter of water slicing our legs. We run through the sprinkler, water on our lips, water dripping from eyelashes.”

Tone and mood range from lightheartedness to ominous. In the poem “Ode To Senor Leal’s Goat” humor is evident as Senor Leal’s goat grabs a lit pipe from the gentleman’s hand and runs through the yard. A comical plea is witnessed with the poem, "Ode To The Mayor," when a child writes to the Mayor for assistance, “Not about my sister But about Danny. He’s bothering everybody.” In the haunting poem, “Ode to La Llorona,” the weeping woman will “point a long finger, gnarled root of evilness, And stare a soft Hole in your lungs.”

Gary Soto’s Neighborhood Odes is an engaging ensemble of poetry infused with remembrances of days gone by. The book will appeal to both children and adults alike with its universal themes of family and community. The addition of dual languages will enhance the reading and promote an appreciation of diverse cultures within the classroom.  Familiarity of topics will delight the youngest to the oldest of readers.

Spotlight Poem

Ode to Family Photographs   

This is the pond, and these are my feet.        

This is the rooster, and this is more of my feet.

Mama was never good at pictures.

This is a statue of a famous general who lost an arm,

And this is me with my head cut off.

This a trash can chained to a gate,

This is my father with his eyes half-closed.

This a photograph of my sister

And a giraffe looking over her shoulder.

This is our car’s front bumper.

This is a bird with a pretzel in its beak.

This is my brother Pedro standing on one leg on a rock,

With a smear of chocolate on his face.

Mama sneezed when she looked

Behind the camera: the snapshots are blurry,

The angles dizzy as a spin on a merry-go-round.

But we had fun when Mama picked up the camera.

How can I tell?

Each of us laughing hard.

Can you see? I have candy in my mouth.

I selected this poem because it made me think of the thousands of pictures my parents took when my sister and I were younger. I grew up in the age of the Kodak camera with the flashing bulb that blinded you a good fifteen seconds after the photo was taken. There was no instant photo to look at. You had to wait to have your film developed. My dad was the king of the slide show. We would have evenings where all we did was view the slides from family vacations, school presentations, holidays, etc. It was inevitable that several slides would have a headless body, out of focus shot, or a half shot of a national monument. The poem elicited happy memories from when I was a child. I felt as if Mr. Soto and I shared a childhood experience across cultures.

Connections

1. Introduce the poem by bringing in a special family photograph and sharing the story  

    behind the photo.

2. Have children bring a photo of their family to share.

3. Have a discussion about imperfections as seen in the poem, "Ode To Family

    Photographs." Does everything in our lives need to be perfect to enjoy it? Think of a    

    time in your life when you were able to accept imperfection and still be happy.

                                                            Florian Poetry

Bibliography

Florian, Douglas. BOW WOW MEOW MEOW: IT’S RHYMING CATS AND DOGS. 2003. San Diego: Harcourt. ISBN 0152163956

Summary

An assortment of twenty-ones poems that detail the mannerisms of selected breeds from the dog and cat families. From poodles and pointers to Persians and panthers, these short poems will delight any pet owner or entice the reader to be one.

Quality and Appeal

Douglas Florian has written a whimsical book using an array of poetic elements to introduce to the reader the unique qualities that are distinct to each canine and feline breed. The arrangement of the book begins with a table of contents in which the dog breeds are listed on the left hand side and the cat family is listed on the right. The dog breed section opens with the poem, “Dog Log,” which briefly describes a day in the life of a dog with short rhyming lines like “Got in a spat with a cat” and “Chewed a shoe-Table, too.” The cat section begins with “Cat Chat,” detailing what makes a cat a cat such as “You have sharp claws But velvet paws” and “You nap all day Then wake to play.” Each poem flows with rhythm and rhyme which will entice the reader to turn each page.  

In the poem, “The Sheepdog,” the element of alliteration can be seen and heard with such lines as “the sheepdog is shaggy,” “as shaggy as sheep,” and “shaggy as shaggy can be.” Alliteration is also present in the line “it’s four furry feet” from the poem, “The Cheetah.”

Several poems incorporate the use of onomatopoeia in a lighthearted, spirited way. With examples of “purrrsian,” and "scentsational," and “s t r e t c h.” Adding to the witticism of the poems are playful words like “pet-igree,” Chi-hua! hua! hua! hua! hua! hua! hua!” and “jaguarondi-wear.”

Florian has cleverly included examples of concrete poems. The text layout in the poem, “The Poodle,” is written in an open circle formation to match the words “oodles and oodles of curls.” In the poem, “Dalmatians,” which are known for their famous spotted fur, the poet has creatively blacked out all of the  “o” letters to resemble a spot, just like a Dalmatian. “The Ocelot” poem is one simple line in the shape of a question mark asking about its spots.

To add to the enjoyment of each poem are the corresponding watercolor illustrations on the opposite page of each poem. In the poem, “The Bloodhound,” known for its ability to pick up scents, the illustration shows the face of a bloodhound and on the tip of its nose there is another face of a bloodhound to emphasize its remarkable scent ability. The pictures themselves are humorous additions that compliment the verses of each poem.  

BOW WOW MEOW MEOW: It’s Rhyming Cats and Dogs will appeal to the animal lover in most readers, especially children preschool to elementary. The simplicity of each poem and its illustration will engage and entice the reader to discover more about each breed and that creature’s unique personality.

Spotlight Poem

                                                     The Dachshund

Short up front

And short behind

But so long in-between.

The fleas all ride

Upon my side

In my  s  t   r e  t  c  h  limousine.
  
Illustration credit: (c)Douglas Florian, Bow Wow Meow Meow: It's Rhyming Cats And Dogs, Harcourt

I chose to spotlight “The Dachshund” because of its simplicity and the way the author plays with the word “s  t r e t c h.” For any nonfluent reader this poem would be a confidence builder in one’s ability to practice their fluency without getting caught up on the process of decoding. The poem offers an example of onomatopoeia and could be used as an introduction to the playful words. The poem is also an excellent example of how to see imagery within the poem and illustration. In describing the dachshund as "short up front And short behind," and fleas riding in “my

s t r e t c h limousine,” along with the illustration of the dog transporting fleas on its body with a cityscape in the background. The silly illustration will grab the reader’s attention.

Connections

1. Introduce the poem by beginning a discussion about the unique characteristics of different breeds of dogs and cats. What makes them unique? Describe the characteristics.

2. Read the poem to children and tell them listen for the qualities that are special to the dachshund breed.

3. Make a list of different dog breeds and list the qualities of each.

4. Have children chose a breed of dog and brainstorm the characteristics of that breed.

5. Students can write a poem about the breed chosen and illustrate their poem.

6. Compile poems into a class book on dogs.

Module 1

                                                                      

                                                                    School Poetry

Bibliography

Dakos, Kalli. 1999. THE BUG IN TEACHER’S COFFEE AND OTHER SCHOOL POEMS. Ill. by Mike Reed. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 9780060279400

Summary

The Bug in the Teacher’s Coffee is a variety of 23 poems composed by Kalli Dakos that humorously bring to life inanimate objects in a school setting. Subjects include a pencil taken hostage, a sneezing front school door, a gym floor with an aching headache, and a bug in the teacher’s coffee caught off guard to an inevitable (GULP) demise. This I Can Read Book will capture the attention and hearts of primary grade students with its easy to read text and playful illustrations.

Quality and Appeal

The Bug in Teacher’s Coffee is an easy to read book of poetry that is suitable to a young reader. The layout of the book begins with a table of contents for the reader to choose which poem they wish to select first. Each poem is no more than two pages in length, one side offers appropriate font size for young readers and the other page captures the poem’s topic with an amusing illustrations. The overall mood of the poems is comical and will delight its audience with plausibility of such happenings occurring within a school. The poems offer an extensive introduction into various elements of poetry. Repetition and rhyme, which give the poems a musical quality, can be heard throughout the book. Examples include the poem, "Good Morning," in which the title is repeated all through the poem and rhyming words new, too, and you, which lend themselves to the rhythm. Another repetition is in the poem, "Flying Around the Classroom." This poem has speaking parts for Fly 1,2, 3, and 4. Each fly tells another fly of a kid in the class who eats flies. Repeating lines are “A kid in here eats flies. Pass it on. Oh my!” These lines also add to the rhythm of the poem.

The poems, "Front Door," "Bee," "Slide," and "Gym," introduce figurative language with onomatopoeia. These sound words include achoo, buzz, whee, and bong. In the poem, "The Class Goldfish," which is repeated three times in the book, the author plays with the letters in the words fast and slow. With the words he italicized fast to give the impression of quickness, while he chose to space the letters of the word slow far apart. This play of words lends credibility to the subject of the poem swimming in its fishbowl. This play on words can also be seen in the poem, "Gym," with the word bong bouncing all over the page and the poem, "Slide" where the word whee is exaggerated with additional “e”s going down the page just like a slide.

Illustrator Mike Reed has done a noteworthy job of applying humor with the pictures to coordinate with the text. In the poem, Math Test, the numbers 1+ 1 look on fearfully at number 3, who has a fierce, angry scowl. The poem, Jack’s Pencil, has the pencil surrounded by a darkened background to represent the inside of a desk with ghoulish eyeballs staring him down. The book will appeal to lower grade levels for the easy text recognition, including many sight words. The poems are short in length and will hold the attention of youngsters. The subject matter is engaging and is a good introduction to poetry. 

Spotlight Poem

 Front Door

Keep me shut,

I have the flu,

A

   c

      h

         o

            o         

               ooOO!       

                              

                 hooooOOO!

        A   c

A

   c

      h

         o

            o         

               ooOO!      

       

                hooooOOO!

        A  c

Keep me shut,

I have the flu.

I chose this poem because it exhibits the quality of a sound poem that shows onomatopoeia. This poem is a good example of how to have fun with words and introduce an element of poetry that children will find entertaining. The poem also has rhyme and repetition with give it a nice rhythm. The poem’s format is not laid out in a typical lined poem, which will show young readers that you can write poetry suitable to the subject and can also offer more of a visual appeal.

I also chose this poem as a way to highlight the importance of hygiene. We all know that some students think a Kleenex is their hand or are oblivious to the notion of washing their hands to fight the spread of germs. This poem would be a fun way to show the effects of spreading germs.

Connections

1. Use the book as an introduction to poetry. Choose a particular skill to focus on, such as onomatopoeia. Spotlight "Front Door" with examples of the skill. Have students write their own poem with examples of onomatopoeia.

2. Students can select other areas of the school and write a poem, choosing words that reflect the poetic element of onomatopoeia for that particular area.

                                                          Hopkins Collection

Bibliography

Hopkins, Lee Bennett. 2010.  AMAZING FACES. Ill. by Chris Soentpiet. New York: Lee & Low Books. ISBN 9781600603341

Summary

Amazing Faces is an anthology of 16 poems selected by Lee Hopkins Bennett to emphasize the importance of diversity. The poems represent a variety of people, mostly children, from many cultures, socioeconomic statuses, and communities. The subject’s age of each poem range from infant to the elderly. The focus of the book is to recognize our individuality, cultural heritage, and uniqueness.

Quality and Appeal

Lee Bennett Hopkins has complied a collection of poems that will evoke a wide range of emotions from the reader. Mr. Hopkins has done an exceptional job of selecting poems that represent our diverse cultures; yet binds us together through the common thread of emotions. A quality that stands out and supports the theme of diversity is the choice of poets. Each poet brings his or her own style of writing either through free verse or rhyme, yet the common theme of all the poems is how each person has their own identity. Each poem, through word choice and illustrations, enhance the emotional impact through tone and mood that effectively draws the reader to have a personal connection to a select poem. In the free verse poem, "Amazing Face" by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, the writer is overcome with love and hope of what the future holds for her child. The words “You will” set the tone and mood for endless opportunities and experiences this young life will encounter.

Figurative language is exhibited through personification in the poem, "My Chinatown, "as a small child personifies his mother’s sewing machine by saying “the needle on her sewing machine gobbles up fabric” and “the soft chatter of the hungry needle.” The abstract poem, "Miss Stone," plays on the emotions of a small child, new to school, who is feeling left out at recess. Her teacher, Miss Stone saves the day with her comment, “Will you keep me company? I’m feeling all alone.” This act of inclusion reminds the reader that one deed of kindness can turn around a person’s day. This poem also offers an example of a simile with the word, “My wishes gathered like ants.” An added compliment to the poem is the illustration, which puts the teacher and new student at the forefront, yet still depicts the other children laughing, smiling, and playing together. The child’s final comments of “You made my unhappy thoughts scamper away” compliment the illustration and also create a strong visual image.

The quality of the poems is exceptional. Mr. Hopkins has compiled a book of poems from a list of well respected poets including Joseph Bruchac, Nikki Grimes, Langston Hughes, Pat Mora, and Janet Wong to name a few. Although these poets have each brought their own style of writing to Amazing Faces, the content focuses on emotions that each of us experience on a daily basis. The illustrations, the work of Chris Soentpiet, are an integral part of why this book is so relatable. Each illustration, created in watercolors, is extraordinarily realistic and compliments the message of each poem. Having a diverse population represented throughout the book enhances and broadens the audience. This book would work well with elementary children due to the inclusion of many children represented throughout the book, inclusion of many cultures, and subject matter that is not only understood, but also provides teachable moments. The repetition and rhyme will engage children and command their attention.

Spotlight Poem

I’m The One

I’m the one

You turn your

Back on,

Never asking me

To play.

I’m the one

You heard crying

Walking home

From school

Today.

You’re the one

Who could erase

Sadness

Traced

Upon my face.

If only one day

You could see,

What fun

You’d have

Being

Friends

With

Me.

Jude Mandell

I selected this poem because it is the only poem that does not end on a happy note. The poem is about a boy who is bullied and ostracized at school. The expression of sadness on the young boy’s face tugged at my heart. The abstract theme is powerful not only in the writer’s use of language such as the solitary lines of  “Sadness, Traced, Upon my face”, but is also reflective of the evident tone of sadness. The illustration shows the child looking sadly over his shoulder at a group of children oblivious to his presence. Or are they? I was particularly drawn to the words in the poem that say, “If only one day You could see What fun You’d have Being Friends With Me.” These words show the child’s desire to have friends and be a friend. "I’m The One" is an excellent resource to show children the effects exclusion. If any child experiences the effects of isolation, this poem can show that others also share those same feelings. This poem is just one of sixteen that can tie students to real world experiences and the emotions that go along with events. 

Connections

1. Use the poem, "I’m The One," as a read loud to introduce topics such as friendship and bullying.

2. Invite children to share moments when they have felt like the little boy from the poem or have seen others treated in the same manner. Discuss how children can make others feel welcome at school or in their neighborhood.

  

                                                    African American Poetry

Bibliography

Greenfield, Eloise. 1991. NIGHT ON NEIGHBORHOOD STREET. Ill. by Jan Spivey Gilchrist. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0-80370777-0

Summary

Night on Neighborhood Street is a collection of 17 poems that offer a glimpse into the lives of an inner city neighborhood with emphasis on the African American community. The poems' subject matter includes the importance of family time, new life, sleepovers, church, abandoned homes, nighttime fears, and the danger of drugs to name a few.

Quality and Appeal

This Coretta Scott King Honor book for content and illustrations is the work of poet Eloise Greenfield. Ms. Greenfield’s poems are consistent in quality by honestly writing about an urban community’ s daily trial and tribulations. The familiarity of the subject matter by the poet makes the content that much more believable. The poem’s theme is consistent throughout the book and center on the deep devotion to family even through the harsh realities of life such as unemployment, illness, and potential drug use are a daily reminder of life’s struggles. The poems are arranged beginning with the initial poem, "Neighborhood Street," announcing the beginning of another day with new sights, sounds, and events. In between are poems about children and the wide range of emotional experiences they encounter. The book appropriately concludes with the poem, "Night on Neighborhood Street," the books title. Jan Spivey Gilchrist’s illustrations beautifully complement the language of each poem.

The mood presented in the poems by Ms. Greenfield effectively elicits a range of emotions when describing the events in the neighborhood. The introductory poem, "Neighborhood Street," opens with the promise of possibilities as “dawn spun slowly out of darkness” and concludes playfully with children participating in jump rope games singing their favorite chants as “dusk spins from daylight.” In the poem, "Fambly Time," a young couple and their two children gather together to share in the joy of family intimacy. A heartfelt mood can be sensed with the poem "Nerissa," a small child who knows “her daddy’s out of work and her mama’s sick in bed.” Yet through the darkest of times for this threesome little Nerissa is “a big help when she tickles her folks by telling them the best old bedtime jokes. The mood turns dark with the poem, "The Seller," a poem about a drug dealer who invades the peaceful neighborhood “carrying in his many pockets packages of death.”

 The poems in the book are equally reflective of both free verse poems with emphasis on narrative and poems that have a rhyme scheme. The poem, "When Tonya’s Friends Come to Spend the Night," provides an ideal example of a rhyme pattern within a poem. The final word on the end of each line ends in rhyme with the following line. The repetitive rhyme also adds a rhythm, which makes the poem have a musical quality. Even though the free verse poems are without rhyme, the fluidity of the language provides a melodious rhythm. Several poems exhibit the poetic element of repetition. In the poem, "Goodnight, Juma," The phrase, “Go to bed, Juma” is repeated several times and reversed in the middle of the poem to say, “Juma, go to bed.” In Buddy’s Dream lines alternate with the repeating phrase, “Go, Buddy, Buddy Go Buddy, Go.”

Two poems that offer excellent examples of imagery are "The House With the Wooden Windows" and "Darnell." "The House With the Wooden Windows" tells the tale of an abandoned house that sits lifeless. Descriptive phrases like “doesn’t know night from day,” “scare the babies,” “filled with ghosts,” and “only dust rises to dance to the lonely beat of silence” create powerful images. In Darnell, a child is deathly afraid of the dark. Appealing to our senses are the words “lies stiffly awake,” and “danger hides in the sounds he hears.” "Darnell" also includes examples of personification with the words “tap! creak! squeak!.”

Night on Neighborhood Street offers an excellent example of how to introduce children to a culture different from their own. The subjects in the book are mostly children, which will appeal to a younger audience. Although the poems are about an inner city neighborhood, young readers can make the comparison to their own life with the subject matters discussed within the pages of the book. The book also will appeal to African American children who can relate on a personal level with the poems. The book also offers some good teaching moments in regard to the dangers of drugs, facing one’s fears, acceptance, and discovering the possibilities when you use your imagination.

Spotlight Poem

The Seller

when the seller comes around

carrying in his many pockets

packages of death

all the children go inside

they see behind his easy smile

they know his breath is cold

they turn their backs and

reach for warmth

and life

"The Seller" is an excellent example of how to introduce the dangers of drugs to young readers. Although the subject matter may be considered quite heavy and dark for school age children, an opportunity lost to equip them with knowledge is just that…. an opportunity lost. "The Seller" uses language within the poem, which might be puzzling to children, but the language offers an introduction on how to interpret words and phrases in poetry. Symbolism can also be defined and taught throughout the poem. The illustration showing the children turning their backs on the seller can also be interpreted as turning their back on drugs. The lines they see behind his easy smile they know his breath is cold” can refer to what happens when one dies, the body turns cold. All but one turns their back on the seller. That one lone person is a young child who may not know the reputation of the seller, but the illustration clearly shows that one of the older boys firmly has a grip on the young child’s wrist. At the end of the book the final illustration is of two figures silhouetted under a streetlight. The figures eerily look like the young child from the poem about the seller and the older, taller figure has their hand reaching out for the shoulder of the young child. Could this be the Seller? After reading the poem, elicit responses from the class to interpret the illustration for themselves.

Connections

1. Use the poem, "The Seller, " to introduce voice and the unique writing style of this particular author.

2. Have a classroom discussion about the dangers of drug use. Students can create posters on how to say drug free. The posters can be displayed in the school.