Found poems can be found right here in a small anthology of original poems.
Found poems are exactly what their name implies: poems created out of words and phrases found in all sorts of places—on Facebook, in a thesaurus, in newspaper advertisements in magazines, on detergent boxes and signs in a hardware store. But, as the introduction cautions, “If you put a frame around any text and insert line breaks and stanzas—it won’t necessarily be a poem.” It takes vision to see the potential of poetry all around us, and then it takes magic to elevate and deepen the language. The first lines of Heard’s opening poem, “Find a Poem,” define the finding poet’s process: “come across / chance upon / stumble on / discover / turn up / bring to light.” Aimed at young readers, with an eye to helping them learn to write their own found poems, the collection will be a handy guide to an accessible form. Not so easy will be getting students to understand what makes these poetry, and a bit of elaboration in the introduction would have helped make the case. But certainly in the spirit of helping young people play with language, this will be a welcome addition to every teacher’s writing toolbox.
Students may not be convinced these are real poems, but they’ll enjoy creating them anyway, whatever they are. (Poetry. 8-12)Pub Date: March 27, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-59643-665-7
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 4, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2012
Categories: CHILDREN'S POETRY
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From snapping shrimp with bubble-shooting claws to the Osedax worm that digests whalebones on the ocean floor, intriguing and unusual sea creatures are introduced in this collection of 18 engaging poems written in a variety of forms. A paragraph or two of identification and explanation follow each poem. This attractive small volume is illustrated with hand-colored linoleum block prints set on a blue-green background that darkens page by page as the reader descends. “Dive In!” introduces the habitat, and, on the last page, “Hooray for the Sea and the ROV” celebrates the ocean and the vehicles humans use to explore its deepest parts. One piece calls for two voices, a leopard sea cucumber and an emperor shrimp. Shape poems introduce the violet snail and a swarm of krill. These poems lend themselves to reading aloud, and many are short and catchy enough to be easily memorized. Concluding with a helpful glossary, a clear explanation of the poetic forms that points out rhymes, patterns and beats, suggested further resources and acknowledgements, this is an ideal title for cross-curricular connections. This gathering of humorous poetry and fascinating facts should be welcomed as a companion to Bulion and Evans’ previous collaboration, Hey There, Stink Bug! (2006)—even the surprise among the school of krill on the endpapers will make readers smile. (Informational poetry. 8-12)
Pub Date: April 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-56145-565-2
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: April 7, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2011
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S POETRY
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The poetry of bedtime in words and images.
Divided into six sections that examine various aspects of sleep (“Dreamland,” “Mind Ablaze,” and “Creepy Crawlies and Things That Go Bump in the Night,” for instance), this anthology pairs a variety of topical poems with a curated group of famous paintings meant to capture the moods expressed by the poets. It’s an exciting idea, especially as poetry is often incorrectly perceived as serious and intimidating. Sadly, though, the result of this curation is a Eurocentric period piece that reinforces more stereotypes about poetry than it dismantles. Practically every artist represented is White (Utagawa Hiroshige, represented by two works, is a lonely exception), and every human face depicted, except those in Karl Friedrcih Christian Welsch’s Crossing the Desert at Sunset, is White. There is equally scant diversity among the poets. Children should be exposed to poetry and artwork, but when every major museum in the free world is engaged in conversations about equality, representation, and inclusivity, this book isn’t going to open any doors or advance any conversations. This is a title destined to collect dust in a gift shop—not to engage readers looking to learn more about art and its various forms of expression. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Put it back to bed, it’s underslept. (Poetry. 8-12)Pub Date: Nov. 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-3-7913-7480-2
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Prestel
Review Posted Online: Sept. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2021
Categories: CHILDREN'S POETRY
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