Tap Dancing on the Roof: Sijo

by Linda Sue Park, Istvan Banyai (Illustrator)

A sijo, a traditional Korean verse form, has a fixed number of stressed syllables and a humorous or ironic twist at the end. Like haiku, sijo are brief and accessible, and the witty last line winds up each poem with a surprise. The verses in this book illuminate funny, unexpected, amazing aspects of the everyday--of breakfast, thunder and lightning, houseplants, tennis, freshly laundered socks. Carefully crafted and deceptively simple, Linda Sue Park's sijo are a pleasure to read and an irresistible invitation to experiment with an unfamiliar poetic form. Istvan Banyai's irrepressibly giddy and sophisticated illustrations add a one-of-a-kind luster to a book that is truly a gem.

Genres: Poetry, Picture Books, Childrens, Nonfiction, Juvenile, Humor, Cultural

40 pages, Hardcover

First published October 15, 2007

About the author

Linda Sue Park is a Korean American author of children's fiction. Park published her first novel, Seesaw Girl, in 1999. To date, she has written six children’s novels and five picture books for younger readers. Park’s work achieved prominence when she received the prestigious 2002 Newbery Medal for her novel A Single Shard.

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Look, Ma! I learned something new today! :)

Tap Dancing on the Roof is a beautiful and creative collection of sijo poems by Linda Sue Park. Sijo is a type of Korean poetry similar to haiku’s syllabic structure and style, but with a surprise and twist at the end. The lines always end with a smile, pun, or idea to make readers think.

These pages come alive with poems and pictures ranging from inspirational and silly to profound and creepy. I devoured every word! The language will tickle all your senses—causing smiles and smirks of all sizes! Every single poem made an impression on me, but “October” is my favorite:

“The wind rearranges the leaves,
As if to say, ‘Much better there,’
And coaxes others off their trees:
‘It’s lots more fun in the air.’

Then it plays with a plastic bag,
And with one gust uncombs my hair!”


A magical collection to enjoy again and again for verse lovers.


7/23/12

[Kandace · Rating 5 out of 5]

Linda Sue Park introduces the Korean form of poetry, sijo, in “Tap Dancing on the Roof.” Park explains that sijo has a fixed number of stressed syllables divided into three or six lines. Sijo is similar to haiku, except that it always has a surprise, unexpected twist or joke at the end. For example…

Long Division

This number gets a wall and a ceiling. Nice and comfy in there.
But a bunch of other numbers are about to disrupt the peace—
Bumping the wall, digging up the cellar, tap dancing on the roof.

The fun poems come to life with the sharp, humorous illustrations of Istvan Banyai. In addition to the clever collection of poems, Park includes the history of sijo and tips for writing your own. I discovered this book at the public library when I realized that my school library collection had no Asian poetry books. I really loved this book and will definitely be purchasing a copy for my collection!!

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Bedtime snacks

Good: Cookies and one glass of milk
for two dunkers - me and my dad.

Better: Popcorn, a video,
and sleeping bags stuffed with friends.

Best: Blanket pulled up over my head-
book, flashlight, and chocolate bar."

If you know what I mean.

Loved everything about this one.

Loved the relatable lines. It brings back sweet childhood memories. Many lines represent everyday life and events.

Love the illustrations so much! Outstanding and unique on its own.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a big fan of poetry, but this kept me reading all the way to the end! And I LOVE the artwork. Subtly humorous and heart-warming, much like the poems.

[Luann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was fun! I had never heard of Sijo before, and Linda Sue Park gives a very nice introduction to it - both in her introduction and her author's note. She also gives a list of tips for writing your own sijo. I thought the illustrations were just okay. Some were cute, but nothing spectacular.

Sijo is similar to haiku with a syllabic structure, yet each line in the poem has its own purpose. The first line introduces the topic, the second develops the topic further, and the third always contains some sort of twist such as a pun, play on words, or humor. Since the lines can be long, sometimes the poems are written in a six-line format.

Some of Park's poems are quite clever. She opens with one of my favorites:

BREAKFAST
For this meal, people like what they like, the same every morning.
Toast and coffee. Bagel and juice. Cornflakes and milk in a white bowl.

Or--warm, soft, and delicious--a few extra minutes in bed.

I also really liked:

WORD WATCH
Jittery seems a nervous word;
snuggle curls up around itself.
Some words fit their meanings so well:
Abrupt. Airy. And my favorite--

sesquipedalian,
which means: having lots of syllables.

[Hannah Cooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is full of clever poems called Sijo. I was drawn to this book because of its title. I have danced my entire life and tap dancing is my favorite. I thought this might be a poetry book about tap dancing, but I wasn't that disappointed when I found out it wasn't because it is still such an enjoyable book. I have not heard about Sijo, so this book exposed me to a new form of poetry. It highlights its origin, history, and form, and it provides lots of examples that are organized by topic, each with its own charm.

I would use this book in the classroom during a poetry unit in a 3-5 classroom. This could be used as a read aloud book to introduce Sijo. By exposing students to what these poems can sound like and how fun they can be to read, it could spark students' interest in learning how to write their own. I would then place this book in my classroom library for students to reread and refer back to. This is a WOW book for me because it introduced me to a new form of poetry. Because the third line in each sijo tpically contains a pun or some form of word play, these poems are clever and fun to read.

[Bernice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wonderful poetry book is written in Sijo, a type of poem originating from Korea. A sijo is a fixed number of stressed syllables, usually divided into three or six lines. What a great activity for students! We so often teach students about Haikus, but rarely hear about Sijos. I loved reading these miniture poems. They all have a surprise or unique twist or joke at the end. They're so creative and imaginative. The simplistic illustrations add a quirky touch to the book. This was the first time I've heard of it sijos and I will definitely include this in my poetry unit this year!

Linda Sue Park is also the author of A Single Shard and Project Mulberry.

Example Sijo:

"Lightning jerks the sky awake to take her photograph, flash!
Which draws grumbling complaints or even crashing tantrums from thunder-

He hates having his picture taken, so he always gets there late"

[Catharine Keeffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very cool book that displays a different type of poetry! This book includes a Korean type of poetry which is fun and also students will love it because they are short and simple!

[Correen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Targeted at children, it is a book for all ages. The author Describes Sijo, provides a charming little books of silo and illustrations, and explains how a child (or adult) could write Sijo.

I purchased the book for my great-grandchildren but thoroughly enjoyed reading it first.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another book that is a pleasure to hold as well as read. The format is square and smaller than most picture books. Inside, the paper is of good quality and provides a nice gleam to the whimsical illustrations.

Linda Sue Park introduces young readers to a Korean form of poetry, sijo. They are short poems that try to end with an unexpected, sometimes funny, twist at the end. The poems provide plenty of material for the Hungarian illustrator, Istvan Banyai. His figures barely stay on the page as they rollick and zoom around. While color does make an appearance here and there, the majority of the illustrations stay in a grey-black-white scheme more familiar to graphic novels than kids books. In color or not, the roly-poly tot that traverses the pages is endearing and sometimes more compelling than the poems.

The poem from which the title takes its name is one of my favorites, "Long Division."

  "This number gets a wall and a ceiling. Nice and comfy in there.
But a bunch of other numbers are about to disrupt the peace---
bumping the wall, digging up the cellar, tap dancing on the roof."

Banyai has a bunch of tots swarming over a huge long division symbol that reminded me of a construction crew. Sometimes the illustrations are a bit much for the small page they must occupy. Another favorite poem, "Important Announcement," describes a delicious moment heralding spring, but I must admit, the scene is more apocalyptic than joyous with a giant shadow looming over the bunny rabbits and squirrels. But, overall, the illustrations are excellent.

Sometimes, Park's poems get overwhelmed by Banyai's dominating pictures, but I did appreciate most of them. These are definitely lines to be read aloud and not just in your head. Park hones in on the daily life of children and colors scenes with a child's non-linear imagination. There are three ways to explore this book with children: plum vocabulary, searching for the "twists," and going coo-coo for the illustrations.

Not for people who like the cutesy end of the kid lit spectrum. Definitely for people looking to put poems in their pockets during April, National Poetry Month.

[Marissa Chandler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Linda Sue Park's collection of sijo poems are relatable, amusing, and even a little sassy. Topics and themes include seasons, lunch, morning routine, art, nature, weather, animals, etc. One of my favorites is titled Art Class: "Keesha says my fish doesn't look like anything she's ever seen. 'Flowered fins? Plaid scales? And the tail- tie-dyed weirdo green?' In this ocean, I am Queen. That tail, my dear, is aquamarine."

The beginning of the book and the end offer explanations of what Sijo poetry is and the similarities it shares with Haiku. In the Authors Note, there are even directions on how to write your own Sijo poetry. I don't usually enjoy children's poetry, but I LOVED these. Sijo is a very organized style with a clear introduction, a second part that adds detail to the introduction of the theme/message, and the end is always a 'twist' of some sort. The publisher recommends this book towards ages 8-11 but I'd say third grade and up (again, I enjoyed these poems as an adult).

This book inspired me with lesson plan ideas right away. I think a lot of students immediately think of haiku or rhymes when they think of poetry but this book can introduce another style to their repertoire (I also see this book as multicultural awareness). The book can be used not only to teach another style of reading/writing poetry but can also be used to teach about implicit meaning in stories and non-fiction. I found this book when I was looking for ways to teach about syllables but now I want to use it for comprehension. Or, just have it in your classroom library for pure enjoyment!

[Mary Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tap Dancing on the Roof is a collection of original poems written in the Sijo style, a traditional Korean form. The poems are funny, but it a way that makes kids think and then laugh. All of these poems have a twist in the last line. Here's an example of one of our favorites in our family:

Breakfast

For this meal, people like what they like, the same every morning.
Toast and coffee. Bagel and juic. Cornflakes and milk in a white bowl.

Or -- warm, soft, and delicious -- a few extrea minutes in bed.
(c) Linda Sue Park, 2008.

Sijo is similar to haiku, a traditional Japanese poetic form, because they both have a fixed number of stressed syllables in each line. Sijo has 3 short lines or 6 long lines. But instead of focusing on nature themes, like haiku, Siju poems always have an ironic, unexpected twist in the last line. Here's another favorite from the collection:

Ocean Emotion

The red flag waves its stern warning:
DANGER -- NO SWIMMING TODAY.
The ocean churns, foams, roars, dashes,
hurles huge breakers at the sand!

The next day it's all tired out
and takes a long nap in the sun.`

(c) Linda Sue Park, 2009.

This is a book that will appeal to kids in 3rd through 6th grades. I've enjoyed reading these poems aloud with my 2nd grader, but we need to go slowly and talk about some of the twists in the poems.

[Nissa Annakindt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book of sijo poems for children. Sijo are a Korean poetic form, similar to haiku, but longer.

The poems in this book deal with things that a child would identify with, and yet they are quality sijo worthy of adult attention as well.

Here is one example poem:

Defender

Everyone wants to get the ball,
run with it, and score a goal.
But when we win one-nothing,
that "nothing" means everything.

It's tough, playing for nothing.
Defense: Intense immense suspense.

In addition to the poems, the back of the book explains the sijo form and gives a list of books of sijo to read. This makes it a great resource for poets of all ages.

I was able to read this book because the kind people at the Stephenson Public Library of Stephenson, MI, ordered it on interlibrary loan for me. I would like to thank them, and encourage folks to support their local library, most especially the small town/rural ones.

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

This poetry book is one that makes you think. Each poem is different in this book, and each illustration is very unique. “Wish- For someone to read a poem-again, and again, and then, having lifted it from page-to brain -- the easy part--cradle it on the longer trek-from brain all the way to heart.” These poems allow you to really think about the meaning, and what the author is trying to say.

The illustrations are like pieces of artwork that should be featured in a museum. Some pages have color and some are only black and white. The art follows the theme of each poem, and makes the poem even more beautiful. I thought is what very unique of this illustrator to use a different forms of artwork for each poem. I think this type of poetry style would be good for young kids to hear, it can show them that poetry can be about anything they want.

[Rachel Pence · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Tap Dancing on the Roof" by Linda Sue Park is a poetry book. This style of poetry she uses is Sijo, which Linda Park’s gives an example of what it is so that the reader will know what to expect. Sijo is a poem that started in Korea. It is a fixed number of stressed syllables used in three or six lines. Sijo’s are different than Haihu’s because Sijo’s have a surprise ending at the end of them (joke or twist). I think that any child would like this poetry book because it is fun for children of any age to read or be read to. It has poems that young kids can relate to and would have interest in. The topics vary from school lunches, the month, to animals and all has a fun way to relate it back to the child. This book would be a good way to introduce the child into poetry and how Sijo works.

[Maria Andrade · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book provided several sijo poems about personal experience, relationships, and everyday moments. Sijo is a traditional Korean form of poetry, almost similar to that of a haiku. Through the flipping of each page students are able to make personal connections to the poems addressed in each poem of the book. The poems write about breakfast, shower, brushing teeth, and even randomly a poem on frogs and souvenirs. An introduction to shijo poems would benefit students of all ages to grasp the basic structure of learning how to write poems. Writing poems can range from any topic unimaginable that the students have experienced in their years of existence. Starting off with shijo poems will help students grasp the easiness and simplistic form of poetry to a tea.

[Tristan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fabulous fluff book. Each and every poem is a modern English example of the classical Korean form of poetry called sijo. All of them are short, pithy, and end with a twist: think the very best haiku, but about anything(not just nature) and slightly longer. These particular sijo, being written for young readers, were light and funny: my favorites were "Long Division" and "Breakfast" but they were all good. This would be a great way to share the joy of poetry with little kids, especially for the person tired of the heavy rhythm of a Jack Prelutsky or Shel Silverstein. All in all, great fun and both very short and interesting.

[Becky B · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of a traditional Korean form of poetry, sijo, on a range of topics.

I'd never heard of sijo before finding out about this book. It is an interesting poetry form that has 3 lines, the first two building a theme and the third having a little twist on where you thought the poem was headed. Sometimes there's rhyming and sometimes there's not. I think my favorite of these was "Summer Storm" though "Souvenirs" was a close second and many of them were clever. The back of the book includes a history of this poetry form and a guide to writing sijo if you want to give it a whirl. Definitely a good resource when doing poetry units. Creative writing classes in secondary should consider giving sijo a try with the help of Park's guide.

[Linh Tong · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book introduces an important aspect of Korean culture to children, which is the Sijo. Sijo is a form of poetry, similar to the Japanese Haiku. The book has a short, easy-to-read paragraph at the beginning of the book that tells children about what the Sijo is about,and how it came to be in the Korean culture. The book doesn’t have a specific plot, but it has a compilation of poems about everyday life that would be interesting and relatable to children. It includes poems about lunch, art class, storms, spring, laundry, and sports. I would read some of these poems when we talk about poetry in class.

[Gretchelle A · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit the illustrations are weird in this book. I would recommend read the poems to children (3-5th grade would work best), but if you need a simple poem for kids to read to this would be it. I do like how they mention tips to readers how to write your own sijo. I thought this was neat, especially stating this in the back of the book. I think this book is great for children who already advance reading and comprehend poetry form their own opinion.

For example, this poem called the Wish.
For someone to read a poem again, and again, and then , having lifted it from page to brain-the easy par-cradle it on the longer trek from brain all the way to heart."

[Miss Pippi the Librarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Being poetry, this book doesn't fall under the classic divisions of themes and characters. Park introduces a well-hidden gem of poetry called Sijo, which are traditional poems from Korea. Park includes a note about Sijo poetry at the beginning and at the end of her book. With such an unknown writing style to me, these notes were very helpful. Tap Dancing on the Roof is an excellent springboard for poets or teachers to use when showcasing different poetry styles.

Reviewed from a library copy.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was fun to be introduced to another poetry form - sijo from Korea. It has three lines with 14-16 syllables or stresses. I appreciate that the last line has a twist or a bit of humor. I am glad I finally picked this one up. In the author's note at the end she explains that there are actually quite a few of these that have been written by women throughout history - since it was something that the palace courtesans would write. Kind of cool though I am not truly wanting to define courtesan for my kiddos. ;)

[Amy Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a pretty cool little book. Think of a haiku. Now, give it a kick and double or triple it in size. Now you've got sijo! The poems were pretty funny, and the whole book was definitely interesting. I love the ones that ended with puns or that were particularly funny. Of course, they all have a little twist, which makes each one fun and unique.
The author's note in the back makes the book even easier to access and to incorporate into a lesson plan. This could definitely be a fun one for a classroom.

[Cierra Henderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a collection of fun poems for kids to read about. There really isn't much of a story line, but more random poems. It is done in Sijo which is Korean poetry so there is a cultural difference. The illustrations vary in that some are black and white, others are color. Most don't have too much detail to them, but there are pages with random pieces all over such as on the cover. I really enjoyed this poem because it was fun and I enjoyed the cultural information of different types of poems. I think kids will laugh at this and enjoy the diversity.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not worth requesting from ILL. Poems are ordinary, seem perfectly 'Western' (not Korean) to me, except for the interesting structure. Illustrations are creative.

Only in the back matter do we get one example of a traditional sijo:

I like you, bamboo, for you are the truest of true friends.
When I was young, I made you into stilts and played on you.
Now you wait outside my window, until I need a walking stick.
Kim Kwang-uk

The back matter is the best part of the book, imo. It includes a bibliography, and encouragement to write one's own sijo.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't love every poem in this book, but a lot of them were really fantastic, full of flashes of brilliance and strong imagery. So many of the illustrations are really wonderful too. I can't decide which one is my favorite!

I had never heard of sijo (Korean poems that are not unlike Japanese haikus), but Linda Sue Park does such a good job of explaining what they are and how to write them that I think I will give it a shot.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun little poems with a twist, based on a centuries-old Korean poetry form. The art expands on the delights of each poem. Great for short storytime reads: there are so many themes, ranging from long division to seasons to pockets:

"...Empty pockets, unread books, lunches left on the bus--all a waste
In mine: One horse chestnut. One gum wrapper. One dime. One hamster."


My own poem-picks for summer: Frog, Summer Storm, Ocean Emotion (all appearing in that sequence in the book)

[Judi Paradis · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite new poetry books! All the poems are written in a Koren form called sijo, which is a little like haiku in that there are a set number of lines and syllables--so the poems are short. However, each poem is supposed to have a clever and funny twist at the end....and these all do. Try them if you like funny poems, such as those by Jack Prelutsky and Shel Silverstein. You won't be disappointed.

[Handd51 · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a person who actively disliked poetry as a child, I'm so p[leased to see the variety of poetry of interest to kids that is now on our shelves - and this example is great. Haiku have been a standard classroom focus for poetry units for years - these sijo offer an alternative to readers and would-be writers. Linda Sue Park includes a light touch in her humorous twists, and Istvan Banyai's sketchy illustrations are perfectly matched!

[Deanna Donald · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book to have in the classroom! I would use it everyday. It has different poems about things that occur in school everyday. It could be used as a great transition, read the poem about art class before students go to art or read about long division before starting a math lesson. It gets the students thinking dfferently from what they were just doing, and it promotes literacy in a different form! LOVE IT!