Love That Dog By Sharon Creech

Loved.
This.
Book.

I feel the same way that Jack does about poems. I have never quite understood what defines a poem from all other different forms of writing. I am struggling to write a poem of my own for my Block A English class. I think that poems are almost too easy to write, that it makes it too hard to write one! I really liked that Jack's voice was hear throughout the novel. I thought that it was really creative and I enjoyed the inclusion of the well known poets. I think that this book would really work well in a classroom setting because it is funny, but also educational. I think that the author included the poems that were referenced by Jack in the back of the book. Overall, this book was a fast and easy read that I think would be appreciated by readers of all ages.

City I Love By Lee Bennett Hopkins

I think that the cover is very catchy because of the giant read heart that surrounds the world Love in the title. I think that the font and design of each poem is very creative. There is no poem that has the words written out traditionally. The spacing, angle, direction of the words are arranged creatively that each embrace the poems. I think that having the poems each having a different appearance to them is beneficial to keep the readers attention and it adds another element to the poems. I enjoyed that some of the poems were told from animals. For example there is a poem written by a mother bird who is pleading to the sirens to be quiet for they are waking her newborn pigeons. I also enjoyed the title of the last poem because it is the title of the book. I felt that this little detail made the book become a whole, and tied the ideas together. I think that the illustrations were beautifully painted and included many great details from the poems. I would include this poem book in my classroom, especially if I teach in an urban setting.

A Friend Is Someone Who Likes You By Joan Walsh Anglund

This book caught my attention because of its small size. This book has a very dainty design and simple style, but the message is big. I found the story to be very pleasant because it makes me think of friends in a different way. I learned that friends do not have to be people, but friends are also trees, mice, and even wind. I think that it has a wonderful storyline, but is not a “must have” book for a classroom library. If I were to read this book as a read aloud, I would have my students write about their friend after reading the short story.

The Butterfly Jar By Jeff Moss

This large collection of children’s poems included a variety of subjects. I enjoyed this book because it has something to offer for everyone. There are long poems, short poems, serious poems, and funny poems. I liked that the illustrations were not colored and they were comprised of few lines and drawn by pen. I think that the poems are easy to understand and are about relevant topics. I think that having poems written about subjects that children can understand, for example punishments, one enjoys the book more. I found the poems to be pleasurable because the author made it seem as if they were written by a child. I would definitely include this poem book in my classroom; it is similar to that of the Shel Silverstein poem books. I think that this poem book is appropriate for grades first through fifth.

A Poem For a Pickle By Eve Merriam

Poems can often times be dry and lack exciting plots. I was drawn to this poem book because it says “funnybone verses” on the cover. I was not quite sure how funny I would think the poems would be, but after reading them I think that students would really enjoy them. The “thinking part” of the poems is kept to a minimum; the poems explain themselves and are easy to understand. The objects are the subjects of the poems, which are descriptive and pickup on the unique characteristics of the objects. I found that the illustrations are appropriate for the tone of the poems. The colored pencil illustrations make it seem as if a student has written the book. I think that this book would be an appropriate book to have in a primary grade library. I think that the “funny” poems would be enjoyable read for young students.

Tiny Dreams, Sprouting Tall By Laura Purdie Salas

The book includes a collection of poems that are all about the United States. I thought that the illustrations being photographs was unique from my other poem books. I think that children like looking at photographs because it is similar to traveling and taking pictures. While reading through the multiple poems, one can feel like they are traveling around the United States. I found that the poems were all different from each other and that the “Language of Poetry” was helpful in the back of the book. The languages were described in detail and included definitions about each type of poem that was written. I thought that this was a nice addition to the book, however it was not necessary. I think that the glossary was very helpful, especially for students who are not familiar with the terms. I would use this book in my classroom because it offers many different styles of poems.

My Name Is Sangoel By Karen Lynn Williams and Khadra Mohammed

I was touched by the tone of this book. The ending was really unexpected because it was a very mature reaction for such a young boy. I thought that this book included both happy and sad moments, each grabbing my attention as a reader. I think that the illustrations being painted in water color was fine and the page setup worked well for the storyline. I think that the story was very powerful and has a wonderful message. I think that it is important for everyone to stay true to their beliefs and to portray this idea in a story book sends a positive message to its readers. This book also incorporates diversity because the main character traveled to America and was unfamiliar with the culture and sports. I would read this book as a read aloud. I think that it would be a good book to have in the classroom, especially if I have a new student with a difficult name to pronounce. I think that the nametag idea of Sangoel was creative and I would have my students do the same.