June 2013: Poetry (Master List and General Discussion)

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

The Picture Book Club will explore poetry in the month of June. This is now the master list and general discussion for picture poetry books.

As a reminder, these books should be approximately 32 pages in length with profuse illustrations.

Some children's poetry (such as that by Shel Silverstein) appears only in longer works. If members wish to read works by these authors, we would need to select only a few poems from an anthology to read together as a group. When you post your nomination please list not only the book but also a few poems from that book that you'd like to read.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Here are a few nominations, starting with one of my favorites:

Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors

Dogku

Won-Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku

Meow Ruff: A Story in Concrete Poetry

[M.G.]

My favorite: Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant, by Jack Pretelusky

[Manybooks]

Kathryn wrote: "The Picture Book Club will explore poetry in the month of June. Please nominate books fitting that theme by posting in a comment below.

As a reminder, these books should be approximately 32 pages..."

Kathryn, since this is a picture book club, I think we should simply limit ourselves to picture books. Maybe for poetry, allow picture books with up to 60 or so pages as an upper limit, but no more than that (because it could get confusing if we had to choose poems from longer tomes and have everyone agree on which poems to read).

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Gundula wrote: "Kathryn, since this is a picture book club, I think we should simply limit ourselves to picture books. Maybe for poetry, allow picture books with up to 50 pages as an upper limit, but no more than that (because it could get confusing if we had to choose poems from longer tomes and have everyone agree on which poems to read). "

Thanks for the suggestion, Gundula. You make a great point and logistics is definitely something I was concerned about when choosing poetry. I am fine with excluding anthologies by multiple authors. But I'm not sure what to do about a beloved author such as Shel Silverstein. Even though his books are not technically "picture books" they are definitely suitable for children and do contain pictures...

I think I will leave it up to the group to decide. I know that Silverstein was mentioned over in the comments on the poll and I wouldn't want him to be left out if some people voted for poetry expecting to read Silverstein. (Indeed, I, too, think he is synonymous with "children's poetry") Perhaps members could simply nominate a favorite of his books and then I as moderator could select a handful of poems from that book to read as a group (assuming the book gets the necessary number of votes)?

[Cheryl , Newbery Club host]

That sounds good, Kathryn.

Poems are meant to be savored, so even a collection with only about 50 pages is going to be relatively long.

So, I'm nominating Poems for Children Nowhere Near Old Enough to Vote, in which the illustrations and layout play a key supporting role (just about exactly as they do in Silversteing's big collections). But I don't expect this little gem to make it to the polls and I have no idea how you'd choose which poems to read from it.

Carl Sandburg

[Cheryl , Newbery Club host]

Other very small collections that should be mentioned, at least because they belong on this master list, are by Lilian Moore and and others by Valerie Worth.

I thought I heard the city and Peacock and Other Poems

[Cheryl , Newbery Club host]

The Negro Speaks of Rivers by Langston Hughes is a beautifully illustrated picture-book of just one poem. It should be easy to find.

[Cheryl , Newbery Club host]

While trying to remember the title of that one, I bumped into Langston Hughes's The Sweet and Sour Animal Book which is also an alphabet book, for fans of that genre (?).


My library catalog says we have two copies of this, so I'll go next week to get it regardless of the poll, and while there I'll try to come up with more nominations.

[Michele]

I love this book.

[Manybooks]

CANADIAN CHILDREN'S POETRY (age suggestions from Amazon)

See Saw Saskatchewan (4+)

Images of Nature: Canadian Poets and the Group of Seven (9+)

The Circle Game (5+)

Long Powwow Nights (7+)

Winterberries and Apple Blossoms: Reflections and Flavors of a Mennonite Year (7+)

If I Had a Million Onions (6+)

Last Leaf First Snowflake to Fall (5+)

Eenie Meenie Manitoba (4+)

The Way to Slumbertown (4+) This delightful bedtime book is a lush and soothing poem by Lucy Maud Montgomery made into a gorgeously illustrated lullaby.

The West Is Calling: Imagining British Columbia (4+) British Columbia haikus for children

The Secret of Your Name: Proud to Be Métis (10+) If I could have given this 10 stars, I would have done so.

If you're not from the prairie... (7+)

Loon (4+)

There's a Cow Under My Bed! (6+)

A Porcupine in a Pine Tree: A Canadian 12 Days of Christmas (3+)

Canadian Poems for Canadian Kids (9+)

[Manybooks]

MORE POETRY SUGGESTIONS

Flicker Flash (4+)

Ubiquitous: Celebrating Nature's Survivors (6+)

Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reversible Verse (6+)

Step Gently Out (2+)

Scranimals (5+)

Grimericks (6+)

Handsprings (5+)

One Leaf Rides the Wind (5+)

Jerusalem Sky: Stars, Crosses and Crescents (8+)

Water Sings Blue: Ocean Poems (2+)

Why War Is Never a Good Idea (5+)

Count Them While You Can . . .: A Book of Endangered Animals (4+)

If I Never Forever Endeavor (4+)

A Leaf Can Be... (4+)

Over in the Ocean: In a Coral Reef (3+)

Green Eggs and Ham (3+)

Enchanted Lions (4+)

January Rides the Wind: A book of months (3+)

[Manybooks]

AND SOME MORE

The Tale of Custard the Dragon (4+)

Custard the Dragon and the Wicked Knight (4+)

From Daybreak to Good Night: Poems for Children (5+)

Visiting Langston (4+)

A Cache of Jewels and Other Collective Nouns (2+)

A Mirror to Nature: Poems about Reflection (10+)

Silver Seeds: A Book of Nature Poems (5+)

Color Me a Rhyme: Nature Poems for Young People (9+)

Echoes for Eyes: Poems to Celebrate Patterns in Nature (8+)

Horizons: Poems as Far as the Eye Can See (10+)

As the Crow Flies (4+)

The Adventures of Isabel (4+)

[Dolly]

Here are a list of picture-book poetry books we've enjoyed:

Edgar Allan Poe's Pie: Math Puzzlers in Classic Poems (math puzzle poems)

Words, Wit, and Wonder: Writing Your Own Poem (explains about different kinds of poetry)

Bear Hugs: Romantically Ridiculous Animal Rhymes

Days Like This: A Collection of Small Poems

A Stick Is an Excellent Thing: Poems Celebrating Outdoor Play

Nasty Bugs

Magic Poems

The Dragons Are Singing Tonight
or
If Not for the Cat (Horn Book Fanfare List - Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant: And Other Poems was also mentioned earlier; I would really like a Jack Prelutsky book somewhere in our list!

Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems

Skywriting: Poems to Fly

Stampede!: Poems to Celebrate the Wild Side of School

The Owl and the Pussycat

Way I Feel...Sometimes

Poetry for Young People: Edgar Allan Poe

In the Wild or In the Sea or On the Farm (all are by David Elliott, but we've only read the first of the three)

Frankenstein Takes the Cake

Emma Dilemma: Big Sister Poems

Spider and the Fly

[Linda]

Everybody Was a Baby Once: and Other Poems by Allan Ahlberg

[Emily]

The latest Prelutsky book, Stardines Swim High Across the Sky: and Other Poems, has a clever concept and very cool shadow box illustrations.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Great nominations!!! Thanks so much, all!

[Cheryl , Newbery Club host]

I went to our library and browsed the shelves for picture-book shaped collections that looked short and were by some of my favorite authors. (I can't stand Prelutsky.)

I picked up (and will read and review whether or not they're chosen):

Cricket Never Does: A Collection of Haiku and Tanka by Myra Cohn Livingston

Blackberry Ink by Eve Merriam

Once Upon Ice by Jane Yolen

Arithmetic by Carl Sandburg, illustrated by Ted Rand

Poetry for Young People: Walt Whitman by Jonathan Levin

Mural on Second Avenue and Other City Poems by Lilian Moore

If I Had a Paka: Poems in Eleven Languages by Charlotte Pomerantz, illustrated by Nancy Tafuri

(All are wonderfully illustrated, except the haiku book which is spare line drawings (appropriate). I only listed the illustrators I recognized, to try to entice you to choose them... ;)

[Janice]

So much to choose from! These are some titles on my mind:
Water Sings Blue: Ocean Poems
Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature
I Lay My Stitches Down: Poems of American Slavery
Dear World and
Follow Follow: A Book of Reverso Poems, Marilyn Singer's latest.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Thanks again for all the fabulous nominations! I don't know how we will choose just a few of them but the voting period is now open! ;-) Please choose your five top choices from our official nominations above and post your votes in a comment by May 17th. Thanks!

[Manybooks]

My five votes go to:

As the Crow Flies

The Secret of Your Name: Proud to Be Métis

The Way to Slumbertown

Ubiquitous: Celebrating Nature's Survivors

Last Leaf First Snowflake to Fall

[Dolly]

My five votes:

Peacock and Other Poems

Follow Follow: A Book of Reverso Poems

A Mirror to Nature: Poems about Reflection

Stardines Swim High Across the Sky: and Other Poems

Cricket Never Does: A Collection of Haiku and Tanka

[Cheryl , Newbery Club host]

The Sweet and Sour Animal Book
Arithmetic
Mural on Second Avenue and Other City PoemsIf I Had a Paka: Poems in Eleven Languages
Cricket Never Does: A Collection of Haiku and Tanka

These (of all the ones I want to read) are probably the best fit for this group (shorter, more readily available), in order from the top down.

[Jennifer]

A Stick Is an Excellent Thing: Poems Celebrating Outdoor Play
Mural on Second Avenue and Other City Poems
Ubiquitous: Celebrating Nature's Survivors
Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature
Silver Seeds: A Book of Nature Poems

This is tough. I bet it will be a great experience no matter what gets picked.

[Dolly]

Megi, good point about Cricket Never Does: A Collection of Haiku and Tanka. I've never read it, so I didn't realize it had so few pictures.

[Cheryl , Newbery Club host]

I know I've voted already, but for an annotation to the master list, I have to recommend Ubiquitous: Celebrating Nature's Survivors. Lots of glorious pictures, a diversity of styles of vivid poetry, and accurate, informative science.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

The votes are in! There were only a few clear winners so I also added in my own preferences from the single-vote getters. I think we'll have a great month of wonderful poetry ahead!

Ubiquitous: Celebrating Nature's Survivors

Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature

Flicker Flash

A Stick Is an Excellent Thing: Poems Celebrating Outdoor Play

Mural on Second Avenue and Other City Poems

Sixth/Alternate (one of our top vote getters but perhaps stretching the "picture book" category just a bit): Cricket Never Does: A Collection of Haiku and Tanka

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

This now becomes the master list and general discussion for poetry picture books that are not part of our June discussion. Feel welcome to add to the list or post reviews/comments about other poetry picture books here.

[Jennifer]

I am so excited about the selections for this month! It makes me feel better that I dropped the ball and failed to nominate in time the wonderful series of bilingual (English/Spanish) seasonal poetry books by Francisco X. Alarcón:

Angels Ride Bikes: And Other Fall Poems / Los Angeles Andan en Bicicleta: Y Otros Poemas de Otoño
Iguanas in the Snow and Other Winter Poems/Iguanas En La Nieve y Otros Poemas de Invierno
Laughing Tomatoes/Jitomates risuenos: And Other Spring Poems/Y otros poemas de primaveraFrom the Bellybutton of the Moon/Del ombligo de la luna: And Other Summer Poems/Y otros poemas de verano

I have owned and loved these books, poetry and illustrations, for many years. I highly recommend checking them out.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Jennifer, I'm so glad you are excited about the selections! :-) And thank you so much for adding to our master list. That sounds great!

[Cheryl , Newbery Club host]

I'll def. look for that set of four by Alarcon - tx. :)

[Cheryl , Newbery Club host]

I can vouch for Raven and River. It's one poem, with a verse on each page, about the breaking up of the river ice and the coming of spring in Alaska. Terrific to read aloud to anyone but the most restless rugrats.

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Cheryl wrote: "I can vouch for Raven and River. It's one poem, with a verse on each page, about the breaking up of the river ice and the coming of spring in Alaska. Terrific to read aloud to anyon..."

Thanks!!!

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Trees I think this lovely book of poetry about trees has appeal beyond the typical picture book audience and could be equally well enjoyed by adult tree enthusiasts. The illustrations are beautiful and I loved most of the poems. My only quibble is that I didn't love that the different types of trees were assigned genders and seemed to play a bit too much into the typical "strong" being male and "showy" being female. Still, I enjoyed it very much, on the whole.

A few of my favorite poems:

"Each tree offers
a story
a clue
a dance
that makes it
its very own
self."
********************
"Maple sings to the heavens
Reaching out,
she offers her precious sap
to celebrate the return of the light,
and sweeten the last days of winter."
********************
"Oak stands strong,
rooted deeply in the earth,
his mighty branches held out
just so--
palms up,
to receive the joy of birds."

[Cheryl , Newbery Club host]

Kathryn wrote: "Trees I think this lovely book of poetry about trees has appeal beyond the typical picture book audience and could be equally well enjoyed by adult tree enthusiasts. The illustratio..."

Adding with bells on!

[Kathryn, The Princess of Picture-Books]

Cheryl wrote: "Kathryn wrote: "Trees I think this lovely book of poetry about trees has appeal beyond the typical picture book audience and could be equally well enjoyed by adult tree enthusiasts...."

I think you may really enjoy it, Cheryl. Hope so!