This is the book trailer I made for class on The Pond God and Other Stories by Samuel Jay Keyser. I really do not like it at all, but I said I would read this book and make a trailer for it, so I did.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Wicked Girls
The Bibliography
Hemphill, Stephanie. 2010. Wicked Girls. New York. Balzer + Bray. ISBN 0061853289
The Plot
Ann Putnam Jr., Mercy Lewis, Margeret Walcott and four other girls from Salem Village claim to be afflicted by witches. After pinches, fits and seizures, the girls point out those who have done them or their families wrong in the past and brand them witches, sending them to the gallows. Before they realize their faults and start telling the truth, 19 innocent people are hanged.
The Analysis
This book, to me, wasn't a book of poetry, but instead it was just short snippets into the fictionalized lives of three girls during the Salem Witch trials. I refused to read it as poetry. The not-poems aren't frilly or lofty like a lot of poems are, and they definitely didn't rhyme. Reading the book made me think of crime shows like Forensic Files where you know what is going to happen from the beginning, but now you're getting to look inside and behind the scenes to see what made the crazy killers do what they did.
The Review
(Marla K. Unruh (VOYA, October 2010 (Vol. 33, No. 4))
Salem Village in the 1690s is a place where fortune telling is shunned in horror, yet twelve-year-old Ann Putnam and her friends play at predicting who they will marry by seeing what shapes egg whites take floating in water. When they see the shape of a coffin, Margaret Walcott, seventeen, fears they have “let loose a thing what leads to the grave.” Indeed, seven girls find themselves on a path that leads nineteen people to the grave. Betty Parrish and Abigail Williams apparently suffer a convulsive fit and are thought to be “afflicted” by the devil because they can see the “invisible world.” Soon the other girls join the ranks and are elevated to the status of seers in the village. Experiencing a heady, unaccustomed sense of power, they claim to see who is afflicting them and accuse other villagers of being witches. Their elders then hold trials, condemning to death those accused. This carefully researched and beautifully written poetic novel infuses new life and relevance into a dark episode in our history. Each character is limned in a distinctive voice and personality, and the girls’ thoughts and words reveal the pressures that drive them. Their harsh lives contrast with the still-unspoiled loveliness of the early New England setting. Told with a piercing intensity and exquisite sensory detail, this story will haunt the reader long after the book is laid aside.
The Connection
It would be an interesting teen program to do a readers' theatre with this book. The beginning of the book has a cast of "characters" and each poem has the "character" listed along with the title, so it would be easy to have each participant select a character that they'd like to be, then read the poems aloud and maybe in costume! After performing the readers' theatre, participants could then watch a documentary of the Salem Witch Trials, like Witch Hunt, if the library holding the event was legally allowed to show movies, of course.
Hemphill, Stephanie. 2010. Wicked Girls. New York. Balzer + Bray. ISBN 0061853289
The Plot
Ann Putnam Jr., Mercy Lewis, Margeret Walcott and four other girls from Salem Village claim to be afflicted by witches. After pinches, fits and seizures, the girls point out those who have done them or their families wrong in the past and brand them witches, sending them to the gallows. Before they realize their faults and start telling the truth, 19 innocent people are hanged.
The Analysis
This book, to me, wasn't a book of poetry, but instead it was just short snippets into the fictionalized lives of three girls during the Salem Witch trials. I refused to read it as poetry. The not-poems aren't frilly or lofty like a lot of poems are, and they definitely didn't rhyme. Reading the book made me think of crime shows like Forensic Files where you know what is going to happen from the beginning, but now you're getting to look inside and behind the scenes to see what made the crazy killers do what they did.
The Review
(Marla K. Unruh (VOYA, October 2010 (Vol. 33, No. 4))
Salem Village in the 1690s is a place where fortune telling is shunned in horror, yet twelve-year-old Ann Putnam and her friends play at predicting who they will marry by seeing what shapes egg whites take floating in water. When they see the shape of a coffin, Margaret Walcott, seventeen, fears they have “let loose a thing what leads to the grave.” Indeed, seven girls find themselves on a path that leads nineteen people to the grave. Betty Parrish and Abigail Williams apparently suffer a convulsive fit and are thought to be “afflicted” by the devil because they can see the “invisible world.” Soon the other girls join the ranks and are elevated to the status of seers in the village. Experiencing a heady, unaccustomed sense of power, they claim to see who is afflicting them and accuse other villagers of being witches. Their elders then hold trials, condemning to death those accused. This carefully researched and beautifully written poetic novel infuses new life and relevance into a dark episode in our history. Each character is limned in a distinctive voice and personality, and the girls’ thoughts and words reveal the pressures that drive them. Their harsh lives contrast with the still-unspoiled loveliness of the early New England setting. Told with a piercing intensity and exquisite sensory detail, this story will haunt the reader long after the book is laid aside.
The Connection
It would be an interesting teen program to do a readers' theatre with this book. The beginning of the book has a cast of "characters" and each poem has the "character" listed along with the title, so it would be easy to have each participant select a character that they'd like to be, then read the poems aloud and maybe in costume! After performing the readers' theatre, participants could then watch a documentary of the Salem Witch Trials, like Witch Hunt, if the library holding the event was legally allowed to show movies, of course.
Technically, It's Not My Fault/Blue Lipstick
The Bibliography
Grandits, John. 2004. Technically, It's Not My Fault. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 061842833X
Grandits, John. 2007. Blue Lipstick. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0618568603
The Plot
Yes, there (sometimes) are plots to poetry books!
I liked Blue Lipstick so much that I had to read Technically, It's Not My Fault, too. Do I like poetry? Nah... can't be that! Maybe I just like the creativity of concrete poems. I really enjoyed that the covers of both books were poems, too. What I like most about these poems is that they're not necessarily poems. Some are just thoughts swirling around a toilet bowl or dangling from a coathanger.
The Review
(Technically, It's Not My Fault) Susan Hepler, Ph.D. (Children's Literature)
Concrete poems for the upper elementary/middle school reader cover some usual and unusual subjects but always in a clever format. There’s the boring circularity of “My Stupid Day,” the gut-stirring “Spew Machine” that makes the reader queasy just turning the book to read the words, the delicious satisfaction of “Robert’s Four At-Bats” which leads the reader triumphantly to Roger’s trip around the base for the final “Cougars Win!” jubilation. There aren’t many concrete poetry collections for this age group, and the computer generated illustrations, the varying type faces (all identified in back for would-be printing designers), and the black, white and red illustrations give this collection an edgy and compelling look with great boy appeal. Good fun with a few to chew on, as well.
(Blue Lipstick) Donna Steffan (Library Media Connection, October 2007)
Fifteen-year-old Jessie's frustrating daily encounters squiggle, sprinkle, and swirl from each page as unique and imaginative concrete poems. Typically teen, Jessie expresses her feelings and thoughts through strong opinions and impulsive observations all within the context of a very wry sense of humor. To utterly captivate Jessie's teen audience, author John Grandits employs technical brilliance through simple drawings, inventive shapes, and intriguing typeface of angled and twisting words that emote typical teen feelings of anger, celebration, miscalculations, and ever-changing observations. A few of the resulting poems include a brainwave chart that describes Jessie's emotional Saturday, spray from the showerhead that outlines her day's upcoming tasks, and spirited passes over a volleyball net that chronicle a game where brain once again wins out over brawn. Purchase this thin, highly creative collection to involve teens in poetry in an engaging and humorous way. Recommended.
The Connection
There's a note from the author at the back of each of these books, but the one at the end of Blue Lipstick made me want to participate in a program that I've heard of before but never knew much about. Poem In Your Pocket Day is April 14th, and I think I'm going to take part this year. I think I'll make little poems to hand out on that day to everyone in the library. Passive programming!
Grandits, John. 2004. Technically, It's Not My Fault. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 061842833X
Grandits, John. 2007. Blue Lipstick. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 0618568603
The Plot
Yes, there (sometimes) are plots to poetry books!
Blue Lipstick is a sort-of sequel/companion to John Grandits' first book of poems, Technically, It's Not My Fault. The first is a book of poems by Robert, a sneaky little boy that does science experiments, rides skateboards, goes to school, and blows up his sister's homework. Blue Lipstick is by Robert's sister, Jessie, who is older than Robert. She's a hipster vegetarian who is trying to figure out where she fits in in the world by playing volleyball, wearing blue lipstick, coloring her hair blue, and making her own clothes, all while making her own life.
The AnalysisI liked Blue Lipstick so much that I had to read Technically, It's Not My Fault, too. Do I like poetry? Nah... can't be that! Maybe I just like the creativity of concrete poems. I really enjoyed that the covers of both books were poems, too. What I like most about these poems is that they're not necessarily poems. Some are just thoughts swirling around a toilet bowl or dangling from a coathanger.
The Review
(Technically, It's Not My Fault) Susan Hepler, Ph.D. (Children's Literature)
Concrete poems for the upper elementary/middle school reader cover some usual and unusual subjects but always in a clever format. There’s the boring circularity of “My Stupid Day,” the gut-stirring “Spew Machine” that makes the reader queasy just turning the book to read the words, the delicious satisfaction of “Robert’s Four At-Bats” which leads the reader triumphantly to Roger’s trip around the base for the final “Cougars Win!” jubilation. There aren’t many concrete poetry collections for this age group, and the computer generated illustrations, the varying type faces (all identified in back for would-be printing designers), and the black, white and red illustrations give this collection an edgy and compelling look with great boy appeal. Good fun with a few to chew on, as well.
(Blue Lipstick) Donna Steffan (Library Media Connection, October 2007)
Fifteen-year-old Jessie's frustrating daily encounters squiggle, sprinkle, and swirl from each page as unique and imaginative concrete poems. Typically teen, Jessie expresses her feelings and thoughts through strong opinions and impulsive observations all within the context of a very wry sense of humor. To utterly captivate Jessie's teen audience, author John Grandits employs technical brilliance through simple drawings, inventive shapes, and intriguing typeface of angled and twisting words that emote typical teen feelings of anger, celebration, miscalculations, and ever-changing observations. A few of the resulting poems include a brainwave chart that describes Jessie's emotional Saturday, spray from the showerhead that outlines her day's upcoming tasks, and spirited passes over a volleyball net that chronicle a game where brain once again wins out over brawn. Purchase this thin, highly creative collection to involve teens in poetry in an engaging and humorous way. Recommended.
The Connection
There's a note from the author at the back of each of these books, but the one at the end of Blue Lipstick made me want to participate in a program that I've heard of before but never knew much about. Poem In Your Pocket Day is April 14th, and I think I'm going to take part this year. I think I'll make little poems to hand out on that day to everyone in the library. Passive programming!
A Curious Collection of Cats
The Bibliography
Franco, Betsy. 2009. A Curious Collection of Cats. Ill. by Michael Wertz. Berkeley: Tricycle Press. ISBN 1582462488
The Plot
The 34 poems in this book are all about the silly things cats do, from jumping on their owners' heads to always landing on their feet to popping out of grocery bags to scratch toes. It is a glimpse into the life of a cat in verse! Each poem has rhythm that begs to be read aloud, to a group of kids or even to a clowder of cats! (I had to look up the collective noun for cats.)
The Analysis
(Can you tell that's supposed to be a cat? I had it typed out, but whenever I published my blog, the formatting changed, so I had to post it as a picture instead!)
The illustrations make these short poems a lot of fun to read, with the rich, bright colors and almost cut paper look of them. Since the poems are so short, if they weren't in concrete poetry form, which I learned can also be called visual poetry, I don't know that many would pick up this book to read it. However, the illustrations are fantastic, making this book exciting and visually pleasing.
Hazel Rochman (Booklist, Mar. 15, 2009 (Vol. 105, No. 14))
Words and pictures blend in these concrete poems about cats, written in forms that include haiku, limerick, and free verse. Once kids get the feel of how to follow the lines—up and down or in curving jumps or around the page borders––they will have fun with the playful images. One poem is in the shape of a feline tail. Another describes Kabob the cat’s fall upside down, and not only do the pictures show his movement, but the words do, too. When felines fight, the position of the words mirrors their furious screeches, howls, pouncing, and biting. Cat lovers will recognize the standoffs with arching backs, the cozy touch of the “purrfect” scarf on their shoulders, and the tech-savvy cat who walks across the keyboard to add her own note to an e-mail to a friend.
The Connection
It could be fun to do a poetry program using this and other concrete poetry books, like Blue Lipstick by John Grandits, Rainbow Soup by Brian P. Cleary and A Poke in the I by Paul B. Janeczko, then have kids write and illustrate their own concrete poems! April's on its way... Here come the poetry programs!
Franco, Betsy. 2009. A Curious Collection of Cats. Ill. by Michael Wertz. Berkeley: Tricycle Press. ISBN 1582462488
The Plot
The 34 poems in this book are all about the silly things cats do, from jumping on their owners' heads to always landing on their feet to popping out of grocery bags to scratch toes. It is a glimpse into the life of a cat in verse! Each poem has rhythm that begs to be read aloud, to a group of kids or even to a clowder of cats! (I had to look up the collective noun for cats.)
The Analysis
(Can you tell that's supposed to be a cat? I had it typed out, but whenever I published my blog, the formatting changed, so I had to post it as a picture instead!)
The illustrations make these short poems a lot of fun to read, with the rich, bright colors and almost cut paper look of them. Since the poems are so short, if they weren't in concrete poetry form, which I learned can also be called visual poetry, I don't know that many would pick up this book to read it. However, the illustrations are fantastic, making this book exciting and visually pleasing.
My favorite poem from the book is Cat Haiku 1 ("Tuna fish dinner/Kitty washes down her meal/Sips from toilet bowl") because my cat, B, is also orange and drinks from the toilet.
The ReviewHazel Rochman (Booklist, Mar. 15, 2009 (Vol. 105, No. 14))
Words and pictures blend in these concrete poems about cats, written in forms that include haiku, limerick, and free verse. Once kids get the feel of how to follow the lines—up and down or in curving jumps or around the page borders––they will have fun with the playful images. One poem is in the shape of a feline tail. Another describes Kabob the cat’s fall upside down, and not only do the pictures show his movement, but the words do, too. When felines fight, the position of the words mirrors their furious screeches, howls, pouncing, and biting. Cat lovers will recognize the standoffs with arching backs, the cozy touch of the “purrfect” scarf on their shoulders, and the tech-savvy cat who walks across the keyboard to add her own note to an e-mail to a friend.
The Connection
It could be fun to do a poetry program using this and other concrete poetry books, like Blue Lipstick by John Grandits, Rainbow Soup by Brian P. Cleary and A Poke in the I by Paul B. Janeczko, then have kids write and illustrate their own concrete poems! April's on its way... Here come the poetry programs!
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