Superlative Birds- Blog Tour

Superlative Birds
by Leslie Bulion
illustrated by Robert Meganck
Peachtree, 2019
Grades K-6

We are pleased to take part in the Superlative Birds blog tour today!

What better way to introduce children to the special features of birds than through poetry? Superlative Birds incorporates facts about birds and their unique traits into poetic form. Each poem just begs to be read aloud.

Eighteen different birds with special traits are featured in the informational picture book including the peregrine falcon (fastest), barn owl (most accurate hearing), red-billed quells (most numerous), and northern jacana (longest toes). A science note written in expository form accompanies each poem and provides readers with more details about the bird and its features. Meganck's digital, cartoon-style illustrations add a sense of whimsy and humor to the subject. Don't skip the back matter; that's where Bulion includes information about the poetry styles used in the poems for each bird.

If you're looking for a new book to add to your Poetry Month read aloud repertoire, you should pick up a copy of Superlative Birds today!

Shout: a poetry memoir By Laurie Halse Anderson

Shout: a poetry memoir

By Laurie Halse Anderson

Viking. 2019

Grade 8 to adult

In this raw, powerful, and very personal memoir, Anderson shares for the first time her own story of rape at age thirteen and her path to recovery. Told in free verse, we learn of Anderson’s dysfunctional family life, her rape by someone she trusted, the emotional toll of keeping it secret, and how she created a life of fulfillment as an author.

The poem that resonated with me the most was, if It please the Court. It expresses how long buried secrets will eventually surface when we least expect it. 

Working as a reporter, Anderson fills in one day at the courthouse when a reporter calls out sick. The day is pivotal for her.

the courthouse reporter was out sick one day

so they sent me in his place, the defendant

a plain white guy, late thirties,

kinda small, cheap suit,

good haircut, charged with ugly counts

of sexual assault, plus kidnapping

he looked bored

Listening to the women recount her story, and how the defense lawyer attacks the victim, making her the bad person was too much for Anderson.

ever been in a fight?

fists like hammers, punches thrown

rose-red bloom filling the room

as your rage catches fire

an exploding can of spray paint

when you see that red

shit’s gonna get real…

Unable to write the story, having to confront emotions that she kept deep inside her, the editor assigns someone else.

And the rapist?

Sentenced to some easy time in county jail,

A mild slap on the wrist

Years later, when she sees the rapist walking the mall, he no longer looked bored,

because

he was hunting

 

This true story, a survival story of someone who refuses to remain silent, needs a space on every library shelf. Pair it with Anderson’s Speak, in all formats: novel, graphic novel, and movie. Fans of Anderson will come away with a new appreciation of her talents, but more important her encouragement to Speak Up! Tell your own story.

To write this review, I borrowed a copy of the book from my local public library

A Girl Called Vincent

A Girl Called Vincent: The Life of Poet Edna St. Vincent Millay 
by Krystyna Poray Goddu
Chicago Review Press, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-61373-172-7
Grades 5 and up

April is Poetry Month, so it's fitting that A Girl Called Vincent was released earlier this month. The biography provides middle grade and teen readers with an in-depth look at the life of Edna St. Vincent Millay, who was known to her friends and family as Vincent.

Millay grew up on the coast of Maine in the towns of Camden and Rockport. When her parents divorced, Millay was forced to take over the household duties while her mother worked long hours as a nurse. Despite her many responsibilities at home, Millay found time to write and publish dozens of poems while attending high school. Throughout her life, Millay faced adversity including being estranged from her father, being mocked by her male classmates and losing a national poetry competition because she was female. Goddu shows readers how Millay persevered and took advantage of opportunities to better herself including accepting an offer to attend Vassar. Millay went on to become the first female to receive the Pulitzer Prize for poetry.

The book makes is clear that Millay's admiration of nature and the beauty of Maine greatly influenced her work. Black and white photographs of Millay give readers a sense of what life was like for the gifted writer. Gouda's thorough research is evident as she uses numerous quotes and poems by Millay to paint a vivid picture for readers. Give A Girl Called Vincent to middle school and high school students looking for an interesting biography. The book is packed with enough information to satisfy students doing in-depth research on the poet's life.

Visit the author's website for more information about the book and the work of Edna St. Vincent Millay.

An excerpt from Millay's poem "Renascence" can be seen on top of  Mt. Battie in Camden Hills State Park in Maine.

Photo credit: Casteel, David. "100_6119.jpg" 1 September 2005. Online. Flickr Creative Commons. 10 April 2016.  

The reviewer received a copy of the book from the publisher.

Over the Hills and Far Away: a treasurey of nursery rhymes, collected by Elizabeth Hammill

Over the Hills and Far Away: a treasurey of nursery rhymes

Collected by Elizabether Hammill

Illustrated by more than 70 celebrated artists

Candlewick Press. 2015

ISBN: 9780763677299

Babies – Grade 3

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Read this article over at Reading While White

I love nursery rhymes and so does Elizabeth Hammill, critic, bookseller and cofounder of Seven Stories, Britain’s National Center for Children’s Books. 

Hammill states in her introduction, Nursery rhymes have enlivened my life for as long as I can remember. Mine, too. As librarians, parents, and teachers, we all know that early exposure to books is an important element in a child’s development. It helps them master language and, hopefully, to love reading. Nursery rhymes, with their repetition, rhyme and beat is a pleasurable way to engage young children, especially babies. It's really fun to see toddlers stopping in mid-motion when their favorite rhyme is sung in toddler time. 

In this lovely anthology, Hammill has collected rhymes from various cultures around the world that will provide listeners with a genuine intercultural experience. Over 77 artists illustrate the rhymes. Hammill included those new to the field alongside our favorites: Jon Klassen, Polly Dunbar, Nina Crews, Shaun Tan, Helen Craig, Charlotte Voake, Axel Scheffler, and many more. Although a few of the pictures are recycled, most of the artwork is original. Eric Carle’s very hungry spider illustrates two rhymes about spiders.

At early morning the spiders spin/And by and by the flies drop in;/And when they call, the spiders say,/Take off your things, and stay all day. (American)

Ladybird, ladybird, /Fly away home. /Your house is on fire/And your children all gone;/All except one/And that’s little Ann/And she has crept under/The warming pan. (English)

Back matter includes notes about each artist, index of first lines, and sources.

All in all, this would make a wonderful addition to any library.

Read Betsy Bird's review at Fuse 8.

Out and About: a first book of poems by Shirley Hughes

Out and About: a first book of poems

Written and illustrated by Shirley Hughes

Candlewick Press. 2015

ISBN: 9780763676445

Preschool thru Grades 3

I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Beloved British author/illustrator Shirley Hughes introduces a new generation of readers to her bustling, neighborhood where anything is possible. Her London is filled with diversity and multigenerational families all going about the day-to-day activities that make up a child’s life.

Out and About: a first book of poems is a year in the life of Katie and her younger brother, Olly. Hughes says, “This collection of poems gives a taste of what Katie and Olly might find when they are out and about.” Divided into the four seasons, we follow these two curious youngsters as they take pleasure playing in mud, enjoying the sunshine, rolling down a hill or a day at the beach.

I have to admit that the poem Spring Greens resonated with me, because as I write this I do believe Spring has finally arrived here in the Northeast.

Bulbs in pots,

Twigs in jars,

Dads in the streets, washing cars.

Greens in seasons,

Trees in bud,

Sky in puddles,

Ripples in mud.

Birds in bushes, singing loud.

Sun tucked up in a bed of cloud.

Accompanying every poem are Hughes joyful pen and watercolor illustrations that mirror the action perfectly. The combination of full and double-page spreads show children enjoying themselves as they open the back door to see what wonders each day has to offer.

The poems from Out and About are ideal for sharing at story time. Place one or two in your Poetry Jar and bring them out at that special time between stories. Use in the class room to spark conversations about how students spent their weekends or holidays.