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3rd out of 29 books
—
3 voters
This is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness
When Mrs. Merz asks her sixth grade class to write poems of apology, they end up liking their poems so much that they decide to put them together into a book. Not only that, but they get the people to whom they apologized to write poems back.
In haiku, pantoums, two-part poems, snippets, and rhymes, Mrs. Merz’s class writes of crushes, overbearing parents, loving and losing
...more
In haiku, pantoums, two-part poems, snippets, and rhymes, Mrs. Merz’s class writes of crushes, overbearing parents, loving and losing
Hardcover, 48 pages
Published
April 9th 2007
by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children
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Feb 24, 2009
Jess
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
5th grade, junior high kids with prompt, teachers/libraians, fans of apology poems
Recommended to Jess by:
Kathy
Inspired by WCW's "This is Just to Say," a fictional class writes and sends a set of apology poems and then receives responses, in poetry, of course.
I rather like this faux anthology. It's been done than I expected. Sidman went farther than just lighthearted fair and the book is better for it. This isn't to say it's not fun, because it is. It's just that the variety--of styles, of topics--make it good.
This thing has so many uses. Kids will get a kick out of it as well parents. Teachers/Librarian...more
I rather like this faux anthology. It's been done than I expected. Sidman went farther than just lighthearted fair and the book is better for it. This isn't to say it's not fun, because it is. It's just that the variety--of styles, of topics--make it good.
This thing has so many uses. Kids will get a kick out of it as well parents. Teachers/Librarian...more
Through this collection of poems, the reader catches a glimpse into the way that children think and feel, at least through the eyes of the author, Joyce Sidman. The first half of the book consists of a collection of short poems written by the imaginary class of teacher, Mrs. Merz. These poems express words of apology for a variety of "offenses" such as getting carried away in a dodgeball game, stabbing a sister with a pencil, and breaking garage windows - to name a few.
The second half of the bo...more
The second half of the bo...more
This is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness written by Joyce Sidman is about when Mrs. Merz asks her sixth grade class to write poems of apology, they end up liking their poems so much that they decide to put them together into a book. Not only that, but they get the people to whom they apologized to write poems back. The poems are written in haiku, pantoums, two-part poems, snippets, and rhymes, Mrs. Merz’s class writes about crushes, overbearing parents, pets, and much more. Some poe...more
What a neat book! This book was originally written by a class of sixth graders who were working on an assignment to write poems to say you're sorry. It turned out so successful that they turned it into a book. It didn't stop there! In addition, they all got to write responses to the people whom they apologized to. They also had an artistic classmate create all of the illustrations. This is definitely a one-of-a-kind story! I loved how the apologies were sometimes not apologies, but excuses. It r...more
1 like · like · see review
OMG!!
This book is the BEST especially because it has pieces written by 6th graders
This book is the BEST especially because it has pieces written by 6th graders
This collection of poems features the authentic writing of students. The book opens with poems of apology and ends with poems of forgiveness. The topics range from the silly (a game of kickball) to heartbreaking (Jewel’s poem to her father who walked out on the family). The range captures the interest of intermediate aged kids, who still love to be carefree and silly but are also dealing with serious topics like death and crushes.
The book is unique because each writer’s voice is unique. Some...more
The book is unique because each writer’s voice is unique. Some...more
When I first came across this book on a library display, I thought it was a collection of poems written by real students. I was moved to tears while reading, and slightly embarrassed when I realized that all the children's voices sprung from the imagination of the author. Nevertheless, it's still a moving piece, and one that can be either read as a collection of individual poems, or as a whole portrait of a class and all the things they have to regret and forgive. I love William Carlos Williams'...more
May 29, 2009
Marfita
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
people who love poetry and people who think they hate poetry
Recommended to Marfita by:
Think I heard about this on NPR
Shelves:
children-s
I'm using this for a poetry/poultry workshop for kids this summer. This book is sooo good. This is a book of apology poems as written by 6th graders based on the William Carlos Williams poem of the same title. I mean, kids know all about apologies, right? They're made to apologize all the time whether they mean it or not.
The poems are funny, touching, and then are followed up by responses by the putative recipients of the apologies.
(Like this one:
Roses are red
Violets are blue
I'm still really
pis...more
The poems are funny, touching, and then are followed up by responses by the putative recipients of the apologies.
(Like this one:
Roses are red
Violets are blue
I'm still really
pis...more
Texas Bluebonnet for the '08-'09 school year. Joyce Sidman creates a classroom where students write poems of apologies in their 6th grade English class. Those people that the poems were directed to write back their responses in poetry form for the second half of the book. I loved the poems! Some of them were quite funny.
This is Just to say by Pamela Zaharenski 2007 Poems of Apology and Forgiveness
This book is a collection of poems of apology from Mrs. Merz's class from Florence Scribner School liked their "sorry" poems so much they put them into a book for all of us to see. Poetry: Even the custodian and other teachers got in on it too! I thought it would cover serious topics to adults, but I was quickly reminded that this was a children;s book so it was full of apologies for things like knocking down the prize...more
This book is a collection of poems of apology from Mrs. Merz's class from Florence Scribner School liked their "sorry" poems so much they put them into a book for all of us to see. Poetry: Even the custodian and other teachers got in on it too! I thought it would cover serious topics to adults, but I was quickly reminded that this was a children;s book so it was full of apologies for things like knocking down the prize...more
As the introduction by (fictional) sixth-grader Anthony K. explains, This is Just to Say is a two-part collection of apology poems written by Mrs. Merz's class and the poetic responses to the apologies from the people to whom the poems were written. The collection's title, and the class's assignment, comes from William Carlos Williams' poem of the same title.
Sidman's poems are so clever and funny. The apologies, sincere or otherwise, are a perfect peak into the secret lives of sixth-graders, and...more
Sidman's poems are so clever and funny. The apologies, sincere or otherwise, are a perfect peak into the secret lives of sixth-graders, and...more
If I'm biased about this book, it's because it was given to me by good friends who wished us well as we read it together - thank you Rachel, thank you Noel, thank you Greg. And "well" is what we are as we have enjoyed reading it together - the last book of 2012. Sidman's verse (divided between the apologies in the first half followed by the corresponding forgivenesses in the second) and Zagarenski's illustrations are magical, sometimes very touching and always unexpected (especially in the forgi...more
1 like · like · see review
This was a very touching collection of poems. A group of 6th graders wrote poems apologizing to someone. The people that received the poems wrote back. Some of the poems were written by a group effort to fill in the gaps. The poems have a lot of emotion, which make them authentically interesting. The illustrations add to the sweetness of the poems and really fit with the tone.
I think this book would be great for introducing poetry to middle school students. It would show them how to write about...more
I think this book would be great for introducing poetry to middle school students. It would show them how to write about...more
1 like · like · see review
While I am a fan of poetry, I picked up this one because it is illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski. I was surprised by how much I did end up enjoying the writing. The idea (to write apology letters and have responses written to them) is a unique one, and one that speaks to all of us. Pamela Zagarenski's detailed, collaged artwork captures and builds upon the theme of the book.
This is an amazing collection of poems.
When I read that this was faux anthology written by a sixth-grade class that Joyce Sidman created in her imagination, I was floored. She has captured so many voices here - each of them distinct and completely genuine. I am in awe of Sidman's creativity.
The authors may be fictional, but there is nothing "made up" about these poems. The sentiments that they contain are very real. They are full of wisdom and humor as well as pain and sorrow. These poems lodged...more
When I read that this was faux anthology written by a sixth-grade class that Joyce Sidman created in her imagination, I was floored. She has captured so many voices here - each of them distinct and completely genuine. I am in awe of Sidman's creativity.
The authors may be fictional, but there is nothing "made up" about these poems. The sentiments that they contain are very real. They are full of wisdom and humor as well as pain and sorrow. These poems lodged...more
This is a call for HELP!
This collection of forgiveness poems is quite amazing because most were written by children, though you'd never guess it. Using William Carlos Williams' poem, "This is Just to Say" as the model, a Mrs. Merz had her students write their own poems of apology. The poems are so good and they have so much fun with the project, the class decides to put them into a book. The second half of the book contains the poetic responses from those who were wronged! In haiku, pantoums, tw...more
This collection of forgiveness poems is quite amazing because most were written by children, though you'd never guess it. Using William Carlos Williams' poem, "This is Just to Say" as the model, a Mrs. Merz had her students write their own poems of apology. The poems are so good and they have so much fun with the project, the class decides to put them into a book. The second half of the book contains the poetic responses from those who were wronged! In haiku, pantoums, tw...more
This book of poetry was my favorite so far! The poems in this book were written by 6th graders and their teacher. The first half of the book is poems of apology--the students wrote poems to someone they hurt about what they did to hurt that person. Some are funny, and some are heart wrenching. Many show an incredible depth and maturity, especially given the young age of the authors. The second half of the book is poems of forgiveness, written by the people the first group of poems were written t...more
I LOVED this book which was written by a sixth grade class. It's a book of poems about apology and forgiveness. The first half of the book contains poems of apology, the second half contains poems of forgiveness... responses to the poems in the first half of the book.
Wow, this proves that a poet resides in most of us. These kids did an amazing job of writing poetry of diverse subject... at times very serious leading to some very serious discussion with my children.
This is a definite keeper.
2010...more
Wow, this proves that a poet resides in most of us. These kids did an amazing job of writing poetry of diverse subject... at times very serious leading to some very serious discussion with my children.
This is a definite keeper.
2010...more
Grab a kleenex!
In this book, elementary students write letter-poems of apology for all sorts of misbehaviors. Then, a response letter of forgiveness is in the second section of the book. These would be wonderful to use in a classroom when discussing classroom conduct and rules, in ethics training, and in church.
I wish each paired apology and respons was on facing pages instead of in separate sections. It is a pain to flip around and try to match them up. Nonetheless, they are beautiful. Kudos t...more
In this book, elementary students write letter-poems of apology for all sorts of misbehaviors. Then, a response letter of forgiveness is in the second section of the book. These would be wonderful to use in a classroom when discussing classroom conduct and rules, in ethics training, and in church.
I wish each paired apology and respons was on facing pages instead of in separate sections. It is a pain to flip around and try to match them up. Nonetheless, they are beautiful. Kudos t...more
This is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness is a unique spin on what it means to be sorry and seek forgiveness from those we've hurt. Told in 6th grade voices (although sometimes they sound a little sophisticated for people that young), the poems are an outlet and way to vent secret feelings and emotions. The responses in turn were mostly on target.
The mixed-media illustrations were matched up well and appropriate (although not usually may favorite type of illustration). Overall, a qui...more
The mixed-media illustrations were matched up well and appropriate (although not usually may favorite type of illustration). Overall, a qui...more
I don't place every library book we get on goodreads...only the ones that I had a sincere fondness for. This book was one of them. It's a book that is filled with apologies, written in poem format, from children in a new york classroom and it's filled with poems from the people who these children were apologizing in forgiveness to those who had wronged them in one way or another.
I really liked the idea of it all and want to incorporate it into our home...writing apologies and apology acceptance...more
I really liked the idea of it all and want to incorporate it into our home...writing apologies and apology acceptance...more
A great collection of poetry. Each poem can stand alone, but they are written in pairs: apology poems the first half of the book and poetry responses to the apologies. Each poem is written to someone with the author's signature at the end. These poems appear in a collection from a fictional classroom poetry project. The end notes of some of these poems are just as cute as the actual poem.
All of the poems in this collection are absolutely fantastic and include wonderful illustrations, but of cou...more
All of the poems in this collection are absolutely fantastic and include wonderful illustrations, but of cou...more
Joyce Sidman uses the poem "This Is Just to Say" by William Carlos Williams as the basis for This Is Just to Say : Poems of Apology and Forgiveness. In her book, an imaginary class is assigned the task of writing a poem apology to someone. The students apologize to teachers, parents, siblings, and pets; some poems are about trivial matters while others are about serious wrongs. Thomas apologizes to Mrs. Garcia in the office about stealing the jelly doughnuts from the teachers’ lounge; Alyssa apo...more
The title alone made me want to read this one--I loved the over-arching structure and theme of the book. On top of that, the individual poems were well-written and were varied in form and feeling. The poems range from the light-harded to the difficult, from the everyday to the that-one-day. Parents be aware that Sidman tackles tough issues in a couple of her poems. Still, such events are the life substance of some children and Sidman handles these topics not only with honesty but with sensitivit...more
Oct 20, 2009
nicole j. wroblewski
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Love That Dog / Hate That Cat fans
Shelves:
picture-books,
poetry
Initially I picked this up for Pamela Zagarenski's illustration. I'd read "Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors" and loved her subtle use of color. But the illustration is hardly the main attraction here. The collage element is nice, but otherwise the pictures are simple drawings. Zagarenski's style itself doesn't do a lot for me, but in this case it worked nicely, lending believability to the "this book was made by a buncha kids" factor. They do look like children might've drawn them. Illu...more
In general, free verse books for kids scare me, because most of them (here I am thinking of Out of the Dust) are things that I know I would never have wanted to read when I was a kid. Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky are what kids like in poetry.
However, this book is fascinating. What puts it over the top is the scenario: a fictional class (and the teacher) write poems of apology to various people - the object of a crush, a dog who had to be put to sleep, the school secretary, for stealing a...more
However, this book is fascinating. What puts it over the top is the scenario: a fictional class (and the teacher) write poems of apology to various people - the object of a crush, a dog who had to be put to sleep, the school secretary, for stealing a...more
I was very enthusiastic about this book until I read the jacket cover. If at first you think these are poems written by a 6th grade class, inspired by the famous poem of apology by William Carlos Williams, you will love this book. When you find out they're not really, it's still a good book, but not quite as amazing. You can just imagine the two boys whispering, "I'll write a poem on dodgeball if you do." You'll wonder a little more if a girl could really apologize to her teacher over making fun...more
This collection of poetry is written as if by a classroom full of kids. Mrs. Mertz's class read the poem "This is Just to Say" by William Carlos Williams and then decided to write their own "I'm sorry" poems. They collected the poems along with response poems and illustrations in this book. The first half of the book is apology poems and the second half is the response poems. The poems include apologies for digging into the fresh-baked brownies early, stealing donuts from the school office, turn...more
A couple of the apology poems almost made me cry. It's always a bit sad to realize what regrets we carry from our childhood that we should have just said something about and been forgiven. I really enjoyed the fact that each apology was paired with a forgiveness poem. I would have preferred if the poems had been grouped together like that instead of with all the apology poems separate from the forgiveness poems. The poems were mostly free verse with very little rhyming, but they were heartfelt a...more
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Mar 19, 2009 07:35pm
Mar 19, 2009 07:37pm
Mar 19, 2009 08:44pm