I HEARD A BLUEBIRD SING

I HEARD A BLUEBIRD SING

CHILDREN SELECT THEIR FAVORITE POEMS BY

AILEEN FISHER
ILLUSTRATIONS:  JENNIFER EMERY
EDITOR: BERNICE E. CULLINAN



Fisher, Aileen, Bernice E. Cullinan, and Jennifer Emery. I heard a bluebird sing: children select their favorite poems. Honesdale, PA: Wordsong/Boyd Press, 2002.
ISBN: 9781563971914

Summary
I HEARD A BLUEBIRD SING is a journey through a poets writing and in turn her life. Poems about family, pets, and wonders that life has for us to question. This book of poetry is a true timeline of a poet you can actually think about what she was thinking at the time of writing the poetry. When she writes of birthdays,climbing,fairy tales, growing the reader naturally thinks of their own childhood and doing some of those exact things with their family. Each poem has a touch of realism that every reader will identify with.

The hand drawn illustrations done by Ms. Emery are perfect! Each smile and frown compliment the poet's intention. My personal favorite was the little girl carrying a platter full of treats and the poem is titled "IF I WERE MY MOTHER", I could picture myself doing that!

NCTE-Award Winning Poet

Butterfly Wings
How would it be
on a day in June
to open your eyes
in a dark cocoon,

And soften one end
and crawl outside,
and find that you had wings
to open wide,

And find you could fly
to a bush or tree
or float on the air
like a boat at sea....

How would it BE?

Poem Introduction
This poem would be a great way to introduce the life cycle of a butterfly for K-2nd, but I think for the older grades it is a wonderful writing on change. The emotion of being hesitant while still knowing that change is inevitable and what does one do when that happens? I just can see this poem being used in so many ways, it seems deeper each time I read it.

COMETS, STARS, THE MOON, and MARS

COMETS, STARS, THE MOON, and MARS
SPACE POEMS AND PAINTINGS
BY: Douglas Florian





Florian, Douglas. Comets, stars, the Moon, and Mars: space poems and paintings. Orlando: Harcourt, 2007.
ISBN: 9780152053727

Summary
Douglas Florian is a word smith as well as an artist. COMETS, STARS, THE MOON, and MARS is an excellent representation of writing about a subject that interests you. Mr. Florian captures the essence of every planet by giving the reader an insight that surrounds the mystique of the universe and its insides. He often finds a rhythm with each poem that is guided with subtle rhyming through out the book.

The illustrations created are simple and divine. The color palette is an interesting blend of muted colors with space words written on each landscape.

* This book was also a bluebonnet nominee in 2008-09

The Solar System

Each planet orbits around the sun
(A somewhat circular path).
To calculate the time it takes
Requires lots of math.

Astronomers know the plan well,
Each mountain, ring, and moon.
But none has ever gone to one,
Nor will go to one soon.

Poem / Book Introduction
When reading this book all I could think of was how each poem would be a wonderful introduction to studying the Solar System. Start with the poem I chose then move on to which ever planet catches your fancy when teaching. I know that planets are a huge part of curriculum in the schools and this book is a must have in the classroom. A librarian could just read the poem and then ask, "Which planet is it about?" This lesson would be thought provoking, great practice for taking notes (For instance, planet 7 , gaseous like Neptune but on its side?, I can just see the wheels turning in heads, Uranus of coarse.)

YUM! ¡MmMm! ¡Qué Rico! America's Sproutings

Haiku By: Pat Mora
Pictures By: Rafael Lopez





Citation
Mora, Pat, and Rafael López. Yum! ¡MmMm! ¡Qué rico!: Americas' sproutings. New York: Lee & Low Books Inc., 2007.

ISBN: 97814302711
Summary
If you have ever wondered where some of the most well known fruits,vegetables or food find their origin you need to read Pat Mora's delicious haiku's on America's Sproutings. This book not only gives you fantastic poetry, but it lends itself to factual information about the fruit in question. For instance every one's favorite, chocolate claims its origin in Central and South America, I love that although a book of poetry it has interesting facts. Pat Mora playfully brings each subject to memory by following the rules of haiku. Love the fact that you can enjoy pineapple, but next time someone asks you where it came from you can answer Paraguay!

Rafael López takes each poem any further with his lively illustrations that depict family members or fruit having a great time. My personal favorite is the illustration that accompanies the papaya; a little girl taking a bite , a boy swinging from a tree to grab a fresh papaya and colorful animals all around.

PINEAPPLE
A stiff, spiky hat
on thick prickly skin, inside
hide syrupy rings.

Poem/Book Introduction
This book and it's poetry would be a fun way to introduce geography. Read the poem while students have their eyes closed and then have them guess what the fruit is and where it originates from. Place a map at the front of the library and place a mark on all guesses. Discuss with the students further why they think it is a certain food and also why they think that the food originated there? End the lesson passing out a piece of pineapple and marking correct places they might have missed.