DIAMOND WILLOW, by Helen Frost

Bibliography

Frost, Helen. 2008.  New York: Farrar Straus and Giroux.  ISBN 978-0-312-60383-0

Plot Summary

Diamond Willow is the story of a half-Athabascan girl growing up in a remote Alaskan town who is more comfortable tending to her family’s sled dogs than her peers and even sometimes her family.  But an accident on her first unaccompanied dog sled trip to visit her grandparents reveals family secrets that eventually lead to a greater understanding of herself.

Critical Analysis

Written in free verse, Diamond Willow is a beautiful story that takes the reader through one girl’s experience following her first solo dog sled excursion.  Twelve-year-old Willow expresses feelings to which many preteen children can relate.  Frost’s poems reveal a complex, well-developed protagonist who wrestles with shyness because, as she says, she is not one of the “sparkly people.”  Willow is struggling for balance between many opposing forces in her life.  She identifies more with the Athabascan values of her mother’s family which leads to some strain on her relationship with her father.  She is more drawn to the old ways than to the demands of contemporary life.  She also struggles with the transition from childhood to adulthood; she wants her parents to trust her and her abilities despite the fact that she lives in a fairly harsh environment.   In a truly imaginative turn, Frost draws attention to these underlying themes by highlighting in bold certain words within the text of her diamond-shaped poems to reveal unstated truths about Willow and her feelings.   For example, in a poem in which Willow laments her parents’ overprotectiveness, the words in bold reveal that she also acknowledges that their concerns may be justified.  These hidden messages often expose things to the reader that Willow doesn’t want to admit to herself.  In her author’s note, Frost explains her inspiration for her creative visual arrangement of the poems that are Willow’s story from her point of view.  The diamond shapes that occur in the bark of the diamond willow tree are indicative of past scarring; as the story progresses, the reader realizes the dramatic significance of these scars.  

Frost’s free verse is easy to read and would make a wonderful introduction to the story-in-verse genre of children’s poetry.  The rhythm of her word choice and structure of individual poems encourages fluidity to the story as profound events move through Willow’s life.  Frost also integrates the culture of native Alaska into the story.  Willow’s mother is Athabascan, and Willow’s maternal grandparents have a considerable influence on her.  The free verse is interrupted at times by the thoughts and reflections of ancestral spirits that inhabit various native animals that Willow encounters along her journey.  These prose selections are brief and offer information to the reader that even Willow does not know about.  The ethereal nature and smooth transition of these interruptions does not upset the gracefulness of the poetic portions of the story which make up the vast majority of the book. 

Awards and Review Excerpts

• School Library Journal: "This complex and elegant novel will resonate with readers who savor powerful drama and multifaceted characters."
• Booklist: Tthis story in easy-to-read verse blends exciting survival adventure with a contemporary girl’s discovery of family roots and secrets."
• Bulletin for Center for Children’s Books: "An elegant and moving story of a young girl's deepening understanding of the relationships she shares with those around her."

Connections

• Have students research diamond willow sticks.  Have them consider how the look and shape of the treated branches are important to the meaning of the story.
• Have students read this book during a science or geography lesson on cold weather climates.  Show video clips of how people get around in such cold, snowy areas: snowshoes, snow mobiles, dog sleds, etc.  Have students write a short story incorporating their favorite mode of cold climate travel.
• Have each student pick a shape that is somehow meaningful in his/her life and write a poem in that shape.  The topic of the poem should reflect the idea behind why that shape is meaningful to him/her.

Personal Reflections

This was my first venture into this genre of children’s literature.  I was skeptical at first, worried that it would be difficult to follow a story written in such a creative way.  But I was pleasantly surprised!  In fact because I knew my seven year old daughter would enjoy certain elements of the story (she’s a big dog lover), I read it aloud to the whole family over the weekend.  We all really enjoyed it!  I think hearing the poetry read aloud made for a better experience too, and the length of the book is such that it could easily be done in a classroom setting with students taking turns reading out loud.

DARK EMPEROR AND OTHER POEMS OF THE NIGHT by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Rick Allen

Bibliography

Sidman, Joyce.  2010.  Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night.  Illustrated by Rick Allen.  New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.  ISBN 978-0-547-15228-8

Plot Summary

The forest at night comes alive for the reader in this compilation of twelve poems describing various aspects of nocturnal woodland life.

Critical Analysis

Sidman’s Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night is a creative way to pair poetry with science.  Her poems of nocturnal creatures are both educational and imaginative. Her use of highly auditory language expresses the sounds one might hear in the forest at night.  For example, in the first poem, “Welcome to the Night,” she addresses the nocturnal creatures as those “who crawl and creep, who buzz and chirp and hoot and peep.”  This first poem effectively introduces the reader to all the interesting solo vignettes that will be addressed in the rest of the book: owls, spiders, porcupines, trees, the moon, and others.  The language of her poems creates an image of a world of darkness that is not scary but instead full of life.  Sidman even uses the placement of her words in a poem to creatively evoke its focus.  In “Dark Emperor,” a poem about the forest-dominant owl, the words and lines are oriented to resemble the outline of an owl.  Allen’s illustrations are richly textured and darkly beautiful.  They animate a time of day that many of us forget is actually a very active and dynamic time period.

               This book is not only beautiful in its expression of the diversity of woodland nightlife, but is also educational.  Each poem is accompanied with a short description on the facing page that provides further explanation and information about the focused element referenced in each poem.  These descriptions are full of interesting details about nocturnal animals and their environment as well as all the hustle and bustle that goes on while the rest of the world sleeps.  She also includes a glossary of terms at the end of the book that many readers will find helpful.  Using these two types of writing together, informative prose and creative poetry, Sidman gives the reader a richer, more complete understanding of the forest at night.

Awards and Review Excerpts

2011 Newbery Honor book

• Publishers Weekly: "Allen's detailed yet moody prints encapsulate the mysteries and magic of the midnight hours."
• School Library Journal: "It invites lingering enjoyment for nature and poetry fans, and, as with Sidman's earlier collections, it might be used with varied curriculums."
• Booklist: "This picture book combines lyrical poetry and compelling art with science concepts."

Connections

• Before reading to a group of students, create a campfire setting: dim the lights and play recordings of nature sounds; be as creative as class size, space, and time constraints allow.   Ask students to speculate what creatures they might be hearing in the recordings.  Have any students who have done any overnight camping describe their experiences.
• Many local nature groups/societies organize night hikes during the summer.  Families could read this book before taking one of these prearranged hikes or while hiking or camping on their own.
• Read this book during an elementary science unit on nocturnal animals.  The entire book would not have to be read all at once; one or two poems could be used per day to highlight individual animals or plants.
• After reading the book to the class, have students discuss their favorite nocturnal creatures.  Then have students, individually or in groups, act out how each animal or plant behaves using the book as a guide.

EDGAR ALLAN POE’S PIE: MATH PUZZLERS IN CLASSIC POEMS by J. Patrick Lewis and illustrated by Michael Slack

Bibliography

Lewis, J. Patrick. 2012.  Edgar Allan Poe’s Pie: Math Puzzlers in Classic Poems.  Illustrated by       Michael Slack.  New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.  ISBN 978-0-547-51338-6

Plot Summary

This fun book is a compilation of Lewis’ adaptations of classic poems into math problems and brain teasers.  

Critical Analysis

Lewis’ book of adapted classic poetry is a fun, multifaceted experience.  Generally intended for children in 4^th-6^th grades, the puzzles he creates in poetic form allow for a range of mathematical ability, from simple division and multiplication to low-level geometry and higher-level fractions work.   They prompt students to think in more critical and creative ways to get to the answers in the puzzles.  For students reading the book on their own, the answers are on the pages of the poem but are situated unobtrusively upside down and in very small print.  This would be a great book to use to introduce students to how fun poetry can be, especially for those who may be more mathematically inclined. 

Slack’s illustrations are humorous and draw the reader into the world of the puzzle.  Children will enjoy Lewis’ clever puzzle poems, but adults will be impressed with how he honors the original classic poems on which they are based.  For example, “Emily Dickinson’s Telephone Book” follows the meter and flow of her original poem (it even passes the “Yellow Rose of Texas” test), and he recreates the style and sound of Shel Silverstein’s “Boa Constrictor” but incarnated instead into a “Hippo-po-tah-tum.” Each poem is notated with the title and author of the original work. Included at the end of the book is information about the original poets and their influence on the world of poetry, bringing the focus of the reader back to the poetry itself.  These short biographies provide an excellent jumping off point for students to delve more deeply into the original poetry that inspired these poetic puzzles.

Awards and Review Excerpts

J. Patrick Lewis is a recipient of the 2010-2011 NCTE Excellence in Children's Poetry Award and was named the third US Children's Poet Laureate for 2011-2013.

• Kirkus: "Lewis cleverly combines math and language arts with this collection of humorous poetry parodies that present readers with math word problems to solve."
• Publishers Weekly: "Slack’s bug-eyed caricatures are an exuberant complement to Lewis’s delightfully offbeat union of poetry and math."
• School Library Journal: "This book could come in handy for a variety of different classroom purposes, but confirmed “mathletes” are probably the best bet for an audience".

Connections

• Use with older students (junior high and up) for poetry analysis.  Have them read the poems in their original form and then in Lewis’ parodied form; have them compare and contrast the works.  Then have students create their own original adaptation of a classic poem.
• Instead of reading the book as a whole to a class, use individual poems as “bell ringer” activities.  Select a poem puzzle, project it for the class to view as a whole, and have students solve the puzzle.  Afterwards, read the poem aloud to the class and discuss their answers.

JOSEPH HAD A LITTLE OVERCOAT written and illustrated by Simms Taback

Bibliography

Taback, Simms. 1999.  Joseph Had a Little Overcoat.  New York: Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers.  ISBN 0-670-87855-3

Plot Summary

     Joseph begins his story with an old and worn out overcoat.  Instead of getting rid of it, he finds new and inventive ways to use the fabric from the coat to create new clothing items to show that you can make something out of nothing.

Critical Analysis

     Taback’s inventive and simple tale of frugality stems from a traditional Yiddish folk song, and his textual style gives a musical quality to the writing that reads well aloud.  Inventive die-cuts guide and pique the interest of the reader as the overcoat is turned into a jacket, the jacket into a vest, etc.  Much of the book is conventionally illustrated through hand drawing or painting, but there are also clever elements of cutting and pasting much like a child might cut images out of magazines and glue them down to create arts and crafts projects.  Taback uses these imaginative mixed-media illustrations to parallel the cutting and patching of the fabric that Joseph performs in the story.  This colorful book is packed with illustrative details, many of which convey the Jewish cultural roots of the story (e.g., clothing features such as prayer shawls and yarmulkes and everyday items such as bilingual Hebrew and English newspapers).  The more one reads it, the more details one will find.  In the end, Joseph is left with nothing for he has lost the button that was the final incarnation of the original overcoat.  In a whimsical turn on providing the moral of the story, Joseph turns his experience into a book to teach today’s children, living in an ever-growing disposable society, that “you can always make something out of nothing.”

Awards and Review Excerpts

• 2000 Caldecott Medal
• School Library Journal: “bursting at the seams with ingenuity and creative spirit.”
• Booklist: “a true example of accomplished bookmaking…Taback's mixed-media and collage illustrations are alive with warmth, humor, and humanity.”
• Publishers Weekly: “Taback's inventive use of die-cut pages shows off his signature artwork.”

Connections

• For pre-K or kindergarteners: give students a swatch of fabric at least 12”x12”.  Tell them they can cut, glue, twist, tie, etc. the fabric any way they want but they must create some kind of two or three dimensional item of clothing.  Have students share what they made, then read the story aloud to the class.
• Read this book during a science unit on recycling. Have children brainstorm ideas about what other durable and semi-durable materials, like the overcoat, could be turned into other, usable items.  Older students could use Pinterest to research possible upcycling projects.
• The last page of the book contains both the music and lyrics to the original Yiddish folk song that the story is based on.  Using YouTube, have students listen to the song as it is meant to be sung and have them sing along with the original lyrics.
• As the teacher or librarian reads the story aloud, another adult or student volunteer could use felt cutouts of Joseph and all the varied items created from the overcoat to display on a felt board to add another level of visual interest.

THE FIRST STRAWBERRIES: A CHEROKEE STORY retold by Joseph Bruchac and pictures by Anna Vojtech

Bibliography

Bruchac, Joseph.  1993. The First Strawberries: A Cherokee Story.  Illustrated by Anna Vojtech.  New York: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-8037-1331-2

Plot Summary

The First Strawberries is a retelling of a traditional Cherokee folktale about the first man and first woman.  When the man’s anger gets the best of him, his wife leaves him.  He follows, but will they be able to make amends?

Critical Analysis

Bruchac’s retelling of this traditional Cherokee porquoi folktale expresses how sometimes the simplest stories can be very profound.  When the husband returns from hunting to find his wife picking flowers instead of gathering food, he becomes angry.  Their emotions are very clearly expressed; there is nothing passive-aggressive in their actions and this creates an easy to understand story for children. The couple had been living in relative peace and harmony until this point, but the wife conveys to her husband that his words have hurt her and that she can no longer stay with him.  She walks to the west in the direction of the Sun.  Because he is remorseful, the Sun decides to help the husband catch up to this wife.  She is not tempted by the blueberries or blackberries that the Sun creates along her path, but the strawberries give her pause.  The couple shares the strawberries and enjoys their sweetness as a reminder to those who hear the story to always treat each other with kindness.   Vojtech’s beautiful watercolor illustrations reflect the simplicity and harmony in the story.  She uses calming colors, and there are often details reflective of the emotions conveyed through the various parts of the tale.  For example, when the wife leaves, the husband follows and passes a tree; in the tree is an empty bird’s nest symbolic of a home that has been recently emptied.  And when the husband finally catches up to his love, the warm yellows and oranges of the sunset suggest that their anger has diminished with time.  The illustrations also reflect authentic representation of the Cherokee culture with its emphasis on nature and the presence of traditional Cherokee lodging (it’s not a Plains tipi, yay!!). This tale reminds children that friends will argue and have disagreements, but with time, remorse, and forgiveness, friendships can endure.

Awards and Review Excerpts

• Kirkus: “Complete harmony of text and pictures: altogether lovely.”
• Publishers Weekly: "Spare text, an uncomplicated story line and gentle illustrations keep this quiet but resonant tale accessible to even the youngest child.”

Connections

• Use this story with older students (junior high or senior high); have them compare and contrast this story with the Bible’s creation story of Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden.
• Read in conjunction with other Cherokee and/or other Native American folk tales by Joseph Bruchac and others.  Have students find common themes (for example, the role of nature, the Creator, community, and character traits that are valued such as forgiveness, perseverance, respect. etc).
• Have students create their own version of a porquoi story.  They could choose a topic that already exists (e.g. their own version of the Creation story, the Flood, etc.) or they can make up their own (why dogs bark or why skunks stink).  The teacher could also add a storytelling element if desired after showing students videos of Native American storytellers.