Red Sings From Treetops: A Year in Colors by Joyce Sidman

Bibliography:

Sidman, Joyce. 2009. Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors. Ill: Pamela Zagarenski. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. 9780547014944


Poetry Book Summary:

This colorful poem picture book offers a whimsical explanation of the seasons of the year, in color. Together, author Joyce Sidman and illustrator Pamela Zagarenski present their idea of the four seasons and the season’s colors using harmonic words and beautiful artwork.


Critical Analysis: 

Sidman leads readers on a journey through the seasons with poetic color descriptions for each season: “Green is queen / in summer. / Green trills from trees, / clings to Pup’s knees, / covers all with leaves, / leaves, leaves! / How can Green be / so many different Greens?” Readers will not be able to help having a sense of happiness and curiosity from reading and viewing this poem picture book.  

This is yet another wonderful book of poems which begs to be read aloud to an audience full of young eyes and ears. The natural rhythmic beats of this work of art uses rhymes at the end of lines for added effect. Even without the beautiful, scrapbook-like images done by Pamela Zagarenski, the imagery in the poems speak for themselves. Each color poem paints a vivid picture of vibrant blues, reds, greens, purples, oranges and yellows in an effort to fully describe each season to the fullest. Many of the descriptions are so dramatically stated that the reader can almost imagine the smell of the season such as when the author describes spring’s white color: “White / can be quiet, too: / delicate petals fill with light / smell / White.”  

In honor of the month of October I would like to post my favorite poem taken from this beautiful book of poems. Reading this poem makes me think of pumpkin bread baking in the oven and warm apple cider on the stove. See if you can guess what the poem is describing:

(This poem is taken from the “Fall” poems section)
“Orange ripens in
full, heavy moons,
thick with pulp and seed.
Orange flickers,
all smoke and candles.
Orange eyes.
Orange cheeks.
Orange teeth.” 

Give up? It is a carved jack-o-lantern!

This book is recommended for children ages 4 and up.


Review Excerpt(s):

• Caldecott Honor Award (2010)
• Claudia Lewis Poetry Award (2010)
• Kirkus Reviews – Given a blue star for remarkable merit – (2009) “Fresh descriptions and inventive artistry are a charming inspiration.”
• Publishers Weekly (2009) "The regal elegance is sure to charm." 

Connections:

• Pair this title with other great favorites such as:
         I Am the Book by Lee Bennett Hopkins
         The Tree That Time Built by Mary Ann Hoberman, Linda Winston, and Barbara Fortin 
         Bookspeak! by Laura Purdie Salas and Josee Bisallon 
• Use a large poster board to section off four equal boxes to write the four seasons in. Write each color listed in Sidman’s book associated with each season and ask the child(ren) to list things which fit under each season’s color (under Fall and Orange they might say pumpkins, leaves, decorations and so on).
• Create a matching game! Using card stock, print pictures which are often associated with each season (for example: spring and flowers or butterflies or winter and snowflakes or scarves) and encourage the children to match the picture card to the correct season card.
  
  

Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars: Space Poems and Paintings by Douglas Florian

Bibliography:

Florian, Douglas. 2007. Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars: Space Poems and Paintings. Orlando: Harcourt, Inc. 9780152053727

Poetry Book Summary:

Using silly rhyming schemes, Douglas Florian offers his readers a poetic look at the universe, the planets, our sun, constellations, black holes and more. This book of poems pairs perfectly with curriculum relating to planets, stars and the like. Florian's book centers on the subject of cosmic bodies as you have never seen them before.

Critical Analysis:

Florian’s book focuses on the celestial heavens and absolutely begs to be read aloud with its fun and catchy rhyming words such as in Pluto: “Pluto was a planet. / But now it doesn’t pass. / Pluto was a planet. / They say it’s lacking mass. / Pluto was a planet. / Pluto was admired. / Pluto was a planet. / Till one day it got fired.” Readers won’t be able to contain their giggles as they read each poem aloud. Of the 20 poems offered, none have forced rhymes and each poem flows with natural a beat. Each poem is short enough to keep children focused and interested - children would be surprised to find out they were not simply reading silly words on a page, but actually learning about planets and stars as well.

This poem picture book, illustrated by Douglas Florian, boasts not only exciting poetry, but beautiful paintings to go along with each poem. Some of the paintings offer stamped letters/words and cut-out images to provide texture and visual stimulation.  Additionally, the author provides “a galactic glossary” at the end of the book which further explains each of the planetary bodies found within the book.

This book is recommended for children ages 7-12.

Review Excerpt(s):

• Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee (2008-2009)
• Kirkus Reviews – Given a blue star for remarkable merit – (2007) “Glorious.”
• School Library Journal (2010) “This title is sure to get prospective astrophysicists asking questions about our universe and its planetary inhabitants.”

Connections:

• Pair this title with other great favorites such as:
        Countdown to Summer: A Poem for Every Day of the School Year by
        J. Patrick Lewis
        It's Raining Pigs & Noodles by Jack Prelutsky
        A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein 
• Create a word search activity using the 20 poem names from Florian's poems (comet, skywatch, universe and so on).
• Pre-cut several planetary body shapes from Florian's book and allow the child(ren) to write their favorite Florian poem on each cut out or encourage the child(ren) to create their own poems.