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2nd out of 26 books
—
14 voters
BookSpeak!: Poems About Books
by
Laura Purdie Salas (Goodreads Author),
Josee Bisaillon
A collection of wacky, whimsical poems about books and all the treasures they contain. Laura Purdie Salas, the acclaimed author of Stampede!, is back with another collection of wild and weird, wacky and winsome poems about all the magic to be found on a single bookshelf. In BookSpeak!, each poem gives voice to a group that seldom gets a voice . . . the books themselves! Ch...more
Hardcover, 32 pages
Published
October 25th 2011
by Clarion Books
(first published October 24th 2011)
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Loved this delightful picture book that promotes the magic of books and reading. The clever titles and subject matter of the poems create a fun, joyful romp through the experiences of reading and parts of books and stories. The illustrations by Josee Bisaillon are perfection. As I will want to read this one again and again, I now must buy a copy to cherish and share.
This book of poems by Laura Purdie Salas are all about subjects relating to books. Each page has mixed media illustrations with creative use of fonts, poetry formats, and visual text presentation.
These poems are told from many different perspectives (from a book's perspective, from the perspective of the parts of a book--beginning, middle, and end, etc.) and cover many book related topics. These include: unread/unloved/unopened books, characters, using an index, cliffhangers, book covers, a boo...more
These poems are told from many different perspectives (from a book's perspective, from the perspective of the parts of a book--beginning, middle, and end, etc.) and cover many book related topics. These include: unread/unloved/unopened books, characters, using an index, cliffhangers, book covers, a boo...more
1 like · like · see review
In 21 clever poems, Salas celebrates the beauty, humor, joy, drama, and structure of books. The poems are accompanied by colorful and lively collage illustrations. Together poems and pictures urge readers to find a new adventure within the pages of a book.
Salas’ poems take a variety of forms from rhyming verse to acrostic. Length also varies, some poems reach across two pages, while others are composed of thirty words or less. I especially love the poems that focus on a specific element of a boo...more
Salas’ poems take a variety of forms from rhyming verse to acrostic. Length also varies, some poems reach across two pages, while others are composed of thirty words or less. I especially love the poems that focus on a specific element of a boo...more
Finally, books get their due--with a themed book of 21 poems dedicated to them. This collection is filled with wonderful tributes to readers and reading, and will certainly deserve a place on teacher's desks as they foster a love for reading in their students. The first poem, "Calling All Readers," reminds readers that books can be good friends, something which I have long found to be true. While I loved the eloquence of "Skywriting," which extolls the beauty of print, I also laughed in delight...more
Delightful! I have always love any book-about-book. And now, a poetry book about books - double delight! There are poems about 'index', 'cliffhanger', 'book plate', 'hydrophobiac' (fear of getting wet, a book always is), 'conflict' and in fact, there are a poems about writing.
My personal favourite is called : "The Middle's Lament-A Poem of Three Voices". It is about the 'middle part' of the story who is trying to negotiate with 'the beginning' and 'the end'. The 'middle part' wanted to be at th...more
My personal favourite is called : "The Middle's Lament-A Poem of Three Voices". It is about the 'middle part' of the story who is trying to negotiate with 'the beginning' and 'the end'. The 'middle part' wanted to be at th...more
This book is a collection of poems of fun poems that write as if the book is writing them itself. The characters ask for sequels and we get out some insight at what happens when the bookstore closes at night. This book gives readers a view on how they can write poems in a silly way and also provides an enormous amount of imagination on every page.
It appeals to students who enjoy poems and writing. It is intended for ages 9 and older. I would implement this in my upper elementary classroom by usi...more
gr1-5
This is really an amazingly cool book. The art is minimalist collage-y with some watercolors. And all of the poems relate to something about books. Diaries, characters, the end, etc. are all topics. It would be really fun to use these with a class that is studying writing - a great way to make the standards speak to our imaginations. The quality of the poems is a bit uneven, but mostly is good and imaginative. I especially like the last poem, "The End" which ends with "I am not so much / Th...more
This is really an amazingly cool book. The art is minimalist collage-y with some watercolors. And all of the poems relate to something about books. Diaries, characters, the end, etc. are all topics. It would be really fun to use these with a class that is studying writing - a great way to make the standards speak to our imaginations. The quality of the poems is a bit uneven, but mostly is good and imaginative. I especially like the last poem, "The End" which ends with "I am not so much / Th...more
At first I wasn't really grabbed by the poems, but as the book went on I began to enjoy them more. I thought the poems would be more about specific books. Instead, it was about book specifics. I became interested and entertained by some of the personifications of book parts. But like all poetry, some I liked and some didn't click with me. I wasn't much of a fan of the illustrations.
A Beehive nominee. I think those who like reading will enjoy it. Librarians and teachers will probably love to prom...more
A Beehive nominee. I think those who like reading will enjoy it. Librarians and teachers will probably love to prom...more
In this delightful collection of verses, Salas has created a series of poems by assorted book voices. Varying in length and style, for instance some poems rhyme and some are in free verse, there is a wide assortment of points of view: a book character pleads to be liberated; an index brags about being the best part of the book; Conflict talks about being necessary but hated; and many other parts and aspects of a book's life and creation.
Here are some samples of the book voices used in this origi...more
Here are some samples of the book voices used in this origi...more
from my blog, 5/1/2012 -I am happy to write about Laura Purdie Salas today about this new book, Bookspeak, illustrated by Josée Bisaillon. I wrote a haiku for Laura today as a tribute to her love of books and poetry, and because she wrote a haiku every day during poetry month.
Talk of poetry.
Laura’s popping up everywhere.
She writes how books feel!
When I taught in the classroom we loved conversations about books and reading. We discussed what books give us, what they do for us, those we like and...more
Talk of poetry.
Laura’s popping up everywhere.
She writes how books feel!
When I taught in the classroom we loved conversations about books and reading. We discussed what books give us, what they do for us, those we like and...more
A bibliophile's collection of poems! I think that the book may have been a little overly didactic, which kids might be able to perceive. In order to keep children's poetry books truly engaging, I do think there needs to be some elements of humor, like Silverstein's and Prelutsky's collections. I feel like kids would completely catch on that this is a book for teacher's, and not for them. This would be an excellent teaching tool, but not quite a RICBA book.
I will vote to drop this.
I will vote to drop this.
Dec 03, 2011
Sally
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommended to Sally by:
Holly E. Newton (Meridian Magazine)
Shelves:
children-picture-books
What a great book! Fun illustrations and poems about books. What a great addition to the "Books about Books" shelf in my library! Here's a sample:
Calling All Readers
I'll tell you a story,
I'll spin you a rhyme.
I'll spill some ideas -
and we'll travel through time.
Put down the controller.
Switch off the TV.
Abandon the mouse and
just hang out with me.
I promise adventure.
Come on, take a look!
On a day like today,
there's no friend like a book.
Calling All Readers
I'll tell you a story,
I'll spin you a rhyme.
I'll spill some ideas -
and we'll travel through time.
Put down the controller.
Switch off the TV.
Abandon the mouse and
just hang out with me.
I promise adventure.
Come on, take a look!
On a day like today,
there's no friend like a book.
An absolutely delightful picture book filled with poems about books and reading. My favorite is If a tree falls, but the question expands to books:
"If a book remains unopened
and no reader turns its page,
does it still embrace a story
or trap words inside a cage?"
Every poem in this collection, as well as the delightful color illustrations, will cause you to smile of give pause to ponder the thoughts/questions they provoke.
"If a book remains unopened
and no reader turns its page,
does it still embrace a story
or trap words inside a cage?"
Every poem in this collection, as well as the delightful color illustrations, will cause you to smile of give pause to ponder the thoughts/questions they provoke.
As a child I loved reading poems that felt like they were written just for me - Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky were my favorites - and if "Book Speak" had been published 15 years ago, it would've been a favorite too! It features all different forms of poetry, each one about books, and the fanciful illustrations are lovely. Great for the classroom or at home!
I found myself reading each and everyone of these poems with a smile on my face! I could really hear the books speaking to me (maybe I have all along!) Whimsical, funny, clever..true! I particularly enjoyed "The Middle's Lament: a Poem for Three Voices"! This should be read by anyone addicted to books as I am.
Overall the poems are hit or miss but some are just bad, and the fact that it is for children is no excuse. The ryhmes are expected or forced and some poems are entirely too literal. I was hoping for more imagination than just a book literally speaking.
"please, Bury me in the Library" is much better
"please, Bury me in the Library" is much better
Local author, Laura Purdie Salas, hits a home run with this poetry book all about books. I'm sharing a few with my storytime kiddos tomorrow in honor of National Library Week. I'll write back to share their responses. Very cleverly written, 21 poems in 21 voices. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G44GF6...
Cleverly written poems about books (of course), and illustrated in a fun and crazy way. As an elementary school librarian I thought they were great but if the intended audience is the younger crowd, I don't think this book of poems will be a big hit. BookSpeak! is a 2014 Beehive Nominee in poetry.
I was prepared to not like this...but it was great. My favorite:
If A Tree Falls
If a tree falls in the forest
with no ear to hear its fall,
does it make a crackling thunder
or descend in silent sprawl?
If a book remains unopened
and no reader turns its page,
does it still embrace a story
or trap words inside a cage?
If A Tree Falls
If a tree falls in the forest
with no ear to hear its fall,
does it make a crackling thunder
or descend in silent sprawl?
If a book remains unopened
and no reader turns its page,
does it still embrace a story
or trap words inside a cage?
The perfect book of poems to open the school year in the library or to share at the beginning of a lesson. I need to buy my own copy! Calling All Readers, Index, and I've Got This Covered are just a few of the poems that have me so excited!
I had to reread this immediately, then again and again. So many individual poems on such distinct aspects of books, readers, text elements, and on and on. I checked this out of the library but it is now going near the top of my "to buy" list.
I love anthologies that celebrate reading and writing. This new collection of poems by Laura Salas celebrate and explain what is important in creating and enjoying books. Many useful poems to integrate into work with writing.
Great poems with wonderful illustrations! I appreciate books like these- A picture book appealing and appropriate for primary grades but also useful for an intermediate class. Includes different kinds of poetry about things related to books (table of contents, the ending, book plates,etc).
Love this--I am not usually a fan of books written about reading and books. They often seem a bit contrived. But this one is great. A good variety of poetry that will start great conversations about books and reading.
An interesting poetry book that has poems about books. Where to find information, what different "book words" mean. Good resource for students! I would recommend it for older aged elementary school students.
The illustrations in theis are lovely and of course I love books about books. I can see using many of the poems as group reads, particularly the one for three readers, beginning middle and end.
Alyson Beecher shared this little gem with me @ Mrs. Nelson's Toys & Books - great poems to share with students accompanied by quaint illustrations. A nice addition to any classroom library.
Lovely! This was booktalked to us by Donalyn Miller at the Dublin Literacy Conference. It might be young for my students but anything to reinforce reading identities is a good thing!
I am presently weeding the 800-900 sections in the library and jumped up when I found this book with fantastic poems about books... I treasured every minute...
This one is going in my poetry collection. I really loved the book/writing poems including in this book. Can't wait to share it with students and teachers.
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Laura Purdie Salas is the author of more than 100 books for kids and teens, including BOOKSPEAK! POEMS ABOUT BOOKS (Clarion, 2011) and STAMPEDE! POEMS ABOUT THE WILD SIDE OF SCHOOL (Clarion, 2009). POEMS ABOUT FALL. She loves to introduce kids to poetry and help them find poems they can relate to, no matter what their age, mood, and personality. She has also written many nonfiction books.
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“And she is the reader
who browses the shelf
and looks for new worlds
but finds herself.”
—
14 people liked it
who browses the shelf
and looks for new worlds
but finds herself.”
“On a day like today,
there's no friend like a book.”
—
4 people liked it
More quotes…
there's no friend like a book.”
This book sounds so conceptually unique. I love the metacognitive theme of a book thinking about a book. I can imagine using one of the poems as...more
13 mar. 15:24