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.