THE POET SLAVE OF CUBA ~ Biography

THE POET SLAVE OF CUBA
A BIOGRAPHY OF
Juan Francisco Manzano
Art By: Sean Qualls

Engle, Margarita, and Sean Qualls. The poet slave of Cuba: a biography of Juan Francisco Manzano. New York: Henry Holt, 2006.

ISBN: 0805077065

Summary:

The Poet Slave of Cuba is about Juan Francisco Manzano written in verse by Margarita Engle. Ms. Engle has purposefully captured a biography by using specific detailed situations and then implementing the thoughts of the slave by calling those versus “Juan”. This technique of writing takes the reader through the beginning of often cruel situations but then allows the reader to hear internal thoughts that are made in those circumstances. The writings of the verses are done with great conviction you can feel the pain of Juan, he’s scared of the whip but is delighted when he meets his freedom and muse.

The illustrations by Sean Qualls are haunting. They depict sadness and a life I do not think any free person would want to live. Not one sketch had a person smiling, but still the art compliments the biography beautifully.

An excerpt from “The Poet Slave of Cuba”
La Marquesade Prado Ameno

I let the sad poet-boy imagine
that soon he will be free.
that way he learns many crafts
preparing himself
for the future
as a tailor
like his father
or a pastry chef
working with sugar or chocolate instead of ink.

Juan
I let her imagine
that I do not have
 an inkwell
made of eggshell
given to me
by her own son
along with a quill
for writing secrets

 Excerpt/Poem Introduction
This entire book is a fabulous depiction of ones journey of slavery!This excerpt would be powerful to use  5^th grade students (end of the school year) they can easily imagine what slavery was like or even the feeling of being owned. It is a great reminder of how we live in a different time where slavery no longer exists (at least not in the U.S.). In elementary school the community constantly tells students that no one owns them, they make decisions with free will and while adults guide them right now they will serve as their own censor in life. This excerpt or book would be an excellent read aloud for older students to internalize and share thoughts about freedom with the guidance of a librarian or teacher.

iNSECTLOPEDiA ~ Science

iNSECTLOPEDiA
POEMS AND PAiNTiNGS BY
Douglas Florian

Florian, Douglas. Insectlopedia: poems and paintings. San Diego: Harcourt Brace, 1998.

ISBN: 0152013067

Summary:

“iNSECTLOPEDiA”  written and illustrated by Douglas Florian  is a must read for anyone who is interested in insects. From caterpillars, spiders to everyone’s favorite mosquitoes there is a poem. There is also an abundance of rhythm and rhyme for every poetic description of each insect. This is a pleasurable easy read for all.

            The paintings created by Douglas Florian for this book are magical and capture the spirit of each insect. There are muted colors with a pop of an enriched vibrant color for your eye to focus on. Each illustration compliments the poem perfectly.

The Army Ants

Left

            Right

Left

            Right

We’re army ants.

We swarm.

            We fight.

We have no home.

We roam.

We race.

You’re lucky if

We miss your place.

Poem Introduction

I know as a teacher the many ways a book like “iNSECTLOPEDiA” can be used, it is wonderful for introducing insects in science. This poem about army ants I picture doing with my kindergarten and 1^st grade students. I can imagine us chanting and physically putting our right leg down as we say “right” and our left leg when we chant “left”.

With other grades (2^nd-3^rd) I would ask after reading the poem “What do army ants do? I would then write Army Ants on butcher paper and create a list of responses to place on the wall. Then I would read another poem from the book and do the same activity.

You could have these students compare and contrast insects merely by reading Mr. Florian’s poetry. However, you may decide to use this book of poetry as a spring board for more in depth discovery of insects.

America is... ~ Social Studies

America is...
Written by : Louise Borden
Illustrated by: Stacey Schuett



Borden, Louise, and Stacey Schuett. America is-- . New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 2002.

ISBN: 0689839006

 Summary:
America is… a look at everything we love as Americans. Ms. Borden uses the open ended idea to explore all that we find fascinating about America. Schools are in every state and so are horizons and freedom. There are different ways to live in America, large buildings or rural land, but all of these places are still America. The author takes time to point out what “America is” in every location making natural commections for the reader.  The reader will enjoy hearing about all the attributes America gives us and why we should take time to remember that we are free.

The illustrations created by Stacey Schuett are quite beautiful and help depict the message of the words written by Ms. Borden. The story begins with a landscape of the New York harbor with the Statue of Liberty looming in the back and ends with a picture of two children placing a U.S. map on the wall.

An excerpt from “America is…”
America is…A flag of stars and stripes.
Fifty stars for the fifty states we have now.
Thirteen stripes for the thirteen states
That begins with our nation.

 Excerpt/Poem Introduction
This book and especially this poem is a great representation of citizenship for our primary and intermediate students. As a lesson the librarian or teacher can grab a large piece of chart paper and write the words “America is…”. This sentiment should grab the students’ attention as they ponder what that means , what is America to you? or what is America? Then as the facilitator you can ask for an answer and jot down ideas. My guess would be you will get different responses from each grade level. This activity can become an instant bulletin board or word cloud. Students love to see their work in the hallway!

CANTABA LA RANA - THE FROG WAS SINGING

CANTABA LA RANA - THE FROG WAS SINGING
selleccion y arreglos/
selection and arrangements by
Rita Rosa Ruesga

ilustraciones/illustrated by

Soledad Sebatiastián

Ruesga, Rita Rosa, and Soledad Sebastián. Cantaba la rana The frog was singing / selected and arranged by Rita Rosa Ruesga ; illustrated by Soledad Sebastián.. New York: Scholastic Inc., 2011.

ISBN: 9780545273572


Summary:

CANTABA LA RANA, THE FROG WAS SINGING is a tribute to the poetry that most Hispanic children have heard at least once in their life. Even English speakers will enjoy these loved Spanish nursery rhymes from Latin America as Rita Rosa Ruesga has mainstreamed the poetry by translating each poem. A surprising quality to each poem is that a musical tune accompanies it. The reader can feel the beat embedded in each poem as they read it in Spanish or English.

The illustrations by Soledad Sebastián are in step with art typical of Latin America. Each piece of art for enhances every poem with vivid tones of red, green, purple and blue. The pictures are significant enough to hang as art in a classroom, library or home.

 Señora Santana ~ Mrs. Santana

Señora Santana,por que llora el niño
¿por una manzana?
que se ha perdido.
yo le daré una,
yo daré dos,
una para el niño
y otro para vos.

Dear Mrs. Santana,
Why is the child crying?
Because of an apple,
I think he just lost it.
I will give him one,
I will give him two,
One is for the boy,
The other one’s for you.

 Excerpt/Poem Introduction
This poem starts off with crying and ends with a smile. Any student will feel the natural connection and fall into a rhythm as they clap, chant, or sing this tune. So, ¡Grab your maracas! Or collaborate with the music teacher; she can help you get the tune to this well loved lullaby from Spain. Your K-2 students will appreciate the poem even more if you act it out with them and all share an apple treat in the end. Students in grades 3-5 will identify with the idea of being kind and why that is important in daily life. (they get some apple too as a reminder to be helpful and kind.)

Tap Dancing on The Roof

Tap Dancing on The Roof
SIJO (Poems)
By Linda Sue Park

Park, Linda Sue, and Istvan Banyai. Tap dancing on the roof: sijo (poems). New York: Clarion Books, 2007.

ISBN:9780618234837

Summary

Sijo is a Korean form of poetry much like Japanese haiku it to uses syllabic structure. Tap Dancing On The Roof authored by Linda Sue Park is a great example of how a Sijo poem is written in English. The poems in the book vary greatly first discussing school, months, nightfall and souvenirs to name a few. As you read the poetry you begin to notice how a stress on certain syllables becomes obvious of the poems structure. The first line in a Sijo poem introduces subject, the second line elaborates and the third contains a interesting twist on the subject. Fun and clever Ms. Park does a wonderful job at representing this kind of poetry.

The illustrations done by Istvan Banyaiare obtuse, but still convey the excitement of each poem. Sijo is an intelligent well thought out poem of syllables and the pictures that accompany them follow the same line.

Word Watch

Jittery seems a nervous word:

snuggle curls up around itself..

Some words fir their meaning so well:

Abrupt. Airy. And my favorite---

Sesquipedalian,

Which means: having lots of syllables.

Poem Introduction

A great introduction about how words make you feel. A librarian could center a lesson on adjectives around this poem. Imagine when read with vigor and animated voice intonation. This would be quite meaningful to various age groups. You can ask the question how does jittery make you feel? Students will enjoy becoming part of the poem if asked to explain or act it out. The librarian or teacher can also decide to count syllables by clapping to integrate math into the equation of poetry.

HATE THAT CAT a novel

HATE THAT CAT a novel
Author: Sharon Creech

 

Creech, Sharon. Hate that cat . New York: Joanna Cotler Books, 2008.

ISBN:9780061430923

Summary:
“Hate that Cat” is a continuation of “Love that Dog” both penned by the creative author Sharon Creech.. In this verse novel we find Jack in a new room with the same teacher Miss Stretchberry. Although, Jack is a year older he is happy to have a teacher that understands how his mind works.  For any reader discovering this book as a stand alone is an enjoyable find. Sharon Creech has rhythmic vocabulary while putting a special flare on Jack’s reality.  Jack in through Ms. Creech’s writing refers to metaphors, onomatopoeia and alliteration with ease. By the end of the novel you understand the love for a mother, the enjoyment of school and a disdain for a cat..

ONOMATOPOEIA
Made my ears frizzle
 Today.
All the buzz, buzz, buzz
and
pop! pop! pop!
and
drip and tinkle and trickle---
the sounds are still buzzing and popping
in my head (p19)

Excerpt/Poem Introduction

You can just hear and see the sounds in this excerpt of the novel. What a great way to introduce how poetry can literally be music to the ears. POP! DRIP! BUZZZZZZZZZZZ! This excerpt would be a great start for a class to think about the importance of sound words make. After reading the excerpt the librarian/ teacher can discuss what onomatopoeia is and then start a list of words that have the characteristics of onomatopoeia. After the discussion she can challenge the class to create their own poetry using the words listed or new ones not shared. Since the books talks about metaphors and alliteration could be used as a start to all of those topics.