bookshelf

FIRST MORNING

Name: FIRST MORNING
Author: Nikki Siegen-Smith
ISBN: 1-84148-337-0

POEMS ABOUT TIME

edited by Nikki Siegen-Smith & illustrated by Giovanni Manna ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 1, 2001

bookshelf

As a concept of both a beginning and an end, as endless and scarce, as ordinary and spectacular, and as something precious to be cherished, the notion of time is explored in this collection of poems by a rich variety of poets. The indomitable Jack Prelutsky runs backward to revisit yesterday, while a more serious poem by John Cunliffe compares a boy on the beach collecting pebbles with growing old. Pat Moon’s poem is a wonderful metaphor of the Earth as a clock: “In the thirty seconds man’s walked the earth / See what he’s managed to do. / Earth’s clock continues ticking; / The rest is up to you.” Teachers will love to share June Crebbin’s “Race Against Time” with their math students—a breathtaking race to finish a quiz. Paul Fleischman’s marvelous “Owl O’Clock” describes a young boy’s timekeeping—the sounds and rhythms of nature. The verses perfectly match the subject matter in Max Fatchen’s “Rushing”—each line is only four syllables long, making the poem a hurried rush of words. Similarly, Myra Cohn Livingston’s classic echoes the sounds of the crickets, telling the time of night. Siegen-Smith’s (A Pocketful of Stars, 1999, etc.) latest anthology will nudge readers to ponder the meaning of time, and will give teachers and parents alike a means of helping children understand this difficult concept. Manna’s (You and Me, not reviewed, etc.) watercolor-and-ink illustrations perfectly fit each poem, whether humorous, profound, sweet, or inspirational. The soft colors and details suggest mood and delightfully enhance the meaning inherent in the verse. A great collection to share with a child. And who knows—perhaps the time spent would be remembered as a special day worthy of its own poem. (Poetry. 6-10)

Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2001

ISBN: 1-84148-337-0

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Barefoot Books

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2001

Categories:

CHILDREN'S POETRY

- BOOK REVIEW
SONGS FOR SURVIVAL
edited by Nikki Siegen-Smith & illustrated by Bernard Lodge

bookshelf

VISITING LANGSTON

by Willie Perdomo & illustrated by Bryan Collier ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 1, 2001

bookshelf

A little girl is going with her daddy to visit the home of Langston Hughes. She too is a poet who writes about the loves of her life—her mommy and daddy, hip-hop, hopscotch, and double-dutch, but decidedly not kissing games. Langston is her inspiration because his poems make her “dreams run wild.” In simple, joyful verse Perdomo tells of this “Harlem girl” from “Harlem world” whose loving, supportive father tells her she is “Langston’s genius child.” The author’s own admiration for Hughes’s artistry and accomplishments is clearly felt in the voice of this glorious child. Langston’s spirit is a gentle presence throughout the description of his East 127th Street home and his method of composing his poetry sitting by the window. The presentation is stunning. Each section of the poem is part of a two-page spread. Text, in yellow, white, or black, is placed either within the illustrations or in large blocks of color along side them. The last page of text is a compilation of titles of Hughes’s poems printed in shades of gray in a myriad of fonts. Collier’s (Martin’s Big Words, 2001, etc.) brilliantly complex watercolor-and-collage illustrations provide the perfect visual complement to the work. From the glowing vitality of the little girl, to the vivid scenes of jazz-age Harlem, to the compelling portrait of Langston at work, to the reverential peak into Langston’s home, the viewer’s eye is constantly drawn to intriguing bits and pieces while never losing the sense of the whole. In this year of Langston Hughes’s centennial, this work does him great honor. (Poetry. 6-10)

Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2001

ISBN: 0-8050-6744-2

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Henry Holt

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2002

Categories:

CHILDREN'S POETRY | CHILDREN'S BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR

- BOOK REVIEW
¡CLEMENTE!
by Willie Perdomo & illustrated by Bryan Collier

bookshelf

POCKET POEMS

edited by Bobbi Katz & illustrated by Marylin Hafner ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2004

bookshelf

With an eye toward easy memorization, Katz gathers over 50 short poems from the likes of Emily Dickinson, Valerie Worth, Jack Prelutsky, and Lewis Carroll, to such anonymous gems as “The Burp”—“Pardon me for being rude. / It was not me, it was my food. / It got so lonely down below, / it just popped up to say hello.” Katz includes five of her own verses, and promotes an evident newcomer, Emily George, with four entries. Hafner surrounds every selection with fine-lined cartoons, mostly of animals and children engaged in play, reading, or other familiar activities. Amid the ranks of similar collections, this shiny-faced newcomer may not stand out—but neither will it drift to the bottom of the class. (Picture book/poetry. 7-9)