Author: Silverstein, Shel Title: Where the Sidewalk Ends Illustrator: Silverstein, Shel Publisher and Publication Date: HarperCollins, 1974\ Genre: Children's Poetry Recommended Audience:: Grades 1-3 Plot Summary: This book is a collection of silly children's poems that address many childhood concerns as well as simply tell funny stories. Personal Reaction/Evaluation: This book is both a fun and easy read. It helps stimulate the creative part of the brain that makes the reader want to write a silly poem as well. Memorable Literary Element: The author's use of adjectives to both rhyme and help the reader envision his description is a great and memorable element. Illustrations: Simple pen-and-ink drawings add to the poems. Review: Goodreads: "One of my most favorite authors of my youth, Silverstein does a most excellent job of tapping into the heart of a child. Whether it be a child's heart in an adult or an actual child, the result is the same: pure and simple joy. Silverstein excels not only in rhyming, but his use of adjectives in the English language when describing things such as "icky, stick, peanut butter sandwiches" makes this a joy not only to listen to, but to read out loud as well. Promotion Idea: This book would be a fantastic edition to the "Poet-tree" display during National Poetry Month. It is also a must-have for any poetry unit taught.
Mirror, Mirror: A Book of Reverso Poems
Author: Singer, Marilyn Title: Mirror, Mirror: A Book of Reverso Poems Illustrator: Masse, Jose Publisher and Publication Date: Dutton Books for Young Readers, March 2010\ Genre: Poetry Recommended Audience:: Ages 4-8 Plot Summary: Read the poems forward, then reverse the lines and read again to give familiar tales, from Sleeping Beauty to that Charming Prince, a delicious new spin. Personal Reaction/Evaluation: This book provided an interesting outlook on both poetry and the classic tales. I found it interesting how the first poem was in one character's point of view, but if you say it backwards, it is a completely different character! Memorable Literary Element: The poems themselves are a great literary element. The way they are written, you can characterize the main character of the story, but reverse them, and then you can characterize a different character. Illustrations: The illustrations are gorgeous and add to the quality of reversing the poems. Review: Goodreads: "These reverso poems (read the same going down as going up) are clever. They don’t always work 100% but they work well enough and they’re very impressive given how hard they are to write/construct. They’re fiendishly difficult to write; I can tell. The ones I liked best were the ones that specifically gave the perspectives of two different characters depending on whether they were read up or down." Promotion Idea: This book would be perfect on a Fairy Tale display, as well as a display for National Poetry Month.