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I received a box from The Creative Company last week, and the first treasure I opened was Skywriting: Poems to Fly, a new collection by J. Patrick Lewis. Pat is one of my favorite poets, and this beautiful collection, filled with his trademark humor, really made me feel the passion and determination of the people who chased flight, determined that man belonged in the sky. And parts made me laugh, too. For a little while in the waiting room while my husband had surgery, this beautiful book totally took me to another place. I love the poems, the font, and the delicate, delectable art by Laszlo Kubinyi. Here's one of my favorites:
Bell Rocket Belt
Surprising! I'm rising Materializing Right here in the middle of sky!
I throttle The bottle Of my rocket model-- Bazzooom! I'm a highflying guy
Freewheeling To ceiling-- And no sinking feeling. A human can zoom up so fast
By rocket-- The shock at What's in my back pocket-- A turbojet engine's a blast!
We were promised jet packs. That’s what the future was supposed to hold for us. When you think of the future you may imagine things like flying cars or personalized jet packs. So in many ways the future just boils down to thinking up new ways to soar through the air. Humans get a real kick out of that sort of thing. Now I have never seen a jetpack make an appearance in a non-fiction title for children before and I CERTAINLY have never seen one in a non-fiction book of poetry. That’s what you get, though, when you read through the latest from J. Patrick Lewis and partner in crime Laszlo Kubinyi in their, Skywriting: Poems to Fly. Lewis has written out thirteen poems tracing the history of humanity’s obsession with flight. From Icarus to outer space, in essence. The result comes off as a kind of ode to not just our successes but our fantastic failures as well. Where there’s a jetpack, there’s a testament to our amazing/nutso imaginations.
Thirteen poems trace thirteen attempts at making it to the sky. Some were successful, as with the Montgolfier brothers’ hot air balloon. Some were utter failures, like the multiplane of the Marquis d’Equeville. Some you’ve undoubtedly heard of, like the zeppelin. Others, like the kooky Piaseckivz-8P Airgeep or the French Equestrian Balloon are a little more obscure. And some, when all is said and done, never even left the minds of their creators (as with the beautiful Minerva that graces the cover of this book). The desire to lift oneself up unto the heavens above inspires both genius and madness in flight’s inventors. Tragedy and triumph too. Backmatter includes Endnotes and a Timeline.
Lewis allows himself to have a bit of fun with this particular book. For example, poems are not held to the same standards or rote forms. Instead, their formats pair well alongside their texts. So it is that the utterly ridiculous Ornithopter is described in a limerick, while the poem about The Wright Brothers gets a more respectful A/B/A/B format. As for the wordplay itself, how do you resist a line like, “metal Darth Vader / impersonator” to describe a sleek metal fighter jet?
One quibble I might have would be the fact that the Icarus story that starts us off is never identified as a myth in either the poem or the backmatter. One might assume that kids would be familiar with this myth and discount it as legend, but couched alongside all these true moments in history, I would have liked this to have been a little clearer.
Though it is by Kubinyi, this exact image does not appear in the book.
Though the Endnotes mention the tragic ends to some of these creations, the text of the poems themselves is consistently upbeat. You see the LZ 127 Graf Zeppelin then, rather than its less fortunate cousin, the Hindenburg. Similarly the Space Shuttle Columbia STS-109 is seen at the height of its power. It’s only when you read the notes in the back that you hear about its own fate. Some readers may wish that a sober note could have been made in the poetry, alluding to these two incidents
3 Comments on Review of the Day – Skywriting: Poems to Fly by J. Patrick Lewis, last added: 6/11/2010
I thought I saw an Internet news article about progress being made with the jetpack concept a month or two ago… At any rate, Wikipedia has an intriguing article delineating the history of the jetpack, and companies are still trying to make a practical version. Cool review!
JMyersbook said, on 6/9/2010 7:35:00 AM
A high-flying and intriguing review. “To infinity and beyond,” as our pal BL might intone!
As to the new blog format, is anyone else having the problem that the text appears with no left margin at all, the first letter of each line jammed right up against the left margin? Yes, I’ve tried adjusting things with my little left/right slidy-arrow control. No good — it’s already at the left-most extremity. No first letters of a line are actually cut off or missing, mind you. They just don’t have an iota of space in which to breathe (as compared to the comments, which are accorded their own modest little left margin). I keep wanting to reach for a shoehorn. Or to prop something under the blog’s metaphorical left leg, to oodge things slightly back toward center.
Or is it just me…..?
Elizabeth Bird said, on 6/9/2010 8:31:00 AM
Hmm. Haven’t found that myself. What kind of computer and browser are you using?
I’ve so enjoyed the poetry activities this National Poetry Month that I’m sorry to see it end. (April, are you ready for a break?) I spoke about poetry this month to elementary school students from prekindergarten to sixth grade and worked with young poets in Merrill, Marshall, and Winneconne, Wisconsin—and I loved every minute of every visit! Hello and thanks to all the helpful teachers, librarians, and PTO organizers!
Today is Arbor Day (read about it here), so I’m including a shape poem I wrote about trees and my own writer’s dilemma.
To celebrate Arbor Day and National Poetry Month, read some tree poems! Kristine O’Connell George’s Old Elm Speaks: Tree Poems is one of my all-time favorite collections. Poetrees is a new collection by Douglas Florian.
Writing Workout: Write a Shape Poem
A shape poem is also called a concrete poem or a spatial poem. You can find them in collections such as Doodle Dandies: Poems that Take Shape by J. Patrick Lewis, Splish Splash and Flicker Flash: Poems by Joan Bransfield Graham, and A Poke in the I: A Collection of Concrete Poems, edited by Paul B. Janeczko.
To write a shape poem, choose a concrete object so you have a shape to work with. Write the poem first. Then fit it into its form. I used the WordArt feature in Microsoft® Office Word to create the poem above. Have fun!
Spot the Plot (Chronicle, 2009), by J. Patrick Lewis, with lively illustrations by Lynn Munsinger, was one of my favorite poetry books of 2009. Each spread is a miniature rhymed book review of a children's book, and kids use the textual and visual clues to guess which book it's about. The fourth-graders I just spent three days with would have LOVED figuring out the answers to these poems. Here's one I especially love:
A magical telling, a pig for the selling, a spider is spelling out words that amaze.
Do you know this spider, this spiderweb writer? The pig will delight her the rest of her days.
The king of nonsensical verse is here! Purrrrrrrrrrr.
Yes, I knew that when it comes to exuberant, outlandish, riotously funny poems, J. Patrick Lewis is totally the cat's pajamas. The man sells underwear, for crying out loud, and even has a wickedly chewy collection called, The Bookworm's Feast: A Potluck of Poems. Hi-Ho Silver Away!
But (silly me), I never knew about Pat's propensity for buns -- Sticky-Goo Buns, to be precise. For better or verse, it seems our favorite master of the irreverent has a serious yearning for yeast. His Fat Cats procured fourteen tons of said buns at an isle of cinnamon sand, almond bushes and doughnut trees. Never has there been a finer feline feast, a rowdier riot of the rotund. I'll let the Goo Gourmet dish up the sticky himself:
Not so long ago I published a nonsense story in verse called The Fat-Cats At Sea (Knopf, 1994). It’s the tale of six swashbuckling cats who sail across the ocean in search of the elusive “Sticky-Goo Buns,” which just happen to be their Queen of Catmandoo’s favorite dessert. Sticky-goo buns are also one of my favorite treats.
I dare you to try the recipe below. It’s been known to make people start hopping back and forth on one foot to the county line. A must for every food group.
HILLARY HOLLERY Q. MCQATT INTRODUCES THE CREW
I'm Hillary-dillery, Hollery-dollery, Hillary Hollery over the sea! A potbellied cat Delightfully fat, There's no one as tubby as me.
Yes, I'm the happy Captain Captain H.H.Q.McQ. And these are the adventures Of my famous Fat-Cat crew.
The First Mate, Razor-Toes Jerome, Deserves a name that draws Attention to the rows of cactus Needles on his paws.
The Cook is Stewart Rottenham, Alias Rotten Stew, Who makes a dish that's perfectly Impossible to chew.
The Compass-Cat's in a bunk below, Buried under maps, Coloring them with crayons When he isn't taking naps.
Lookout Lou writes Post-It notes Upon a frying pan And drops 'em down by yo-yo To the Gunner, Catty Moran,
Who fires catnip cannonballs Into the midnight sun So Lookout Louie can shout, "Gadzooey!" As he catches 'em one by one.
Fat-Cats are long on kindness, Fat-Cats are seldom rude Fat-Cats are known from coast to coast For Fat-Cat gratitude.
Six furry Fat-Cat comrades, Six favorite Fat-Cat sons! We're off to fill -- We will, we will! -- One boatload full of Buns!
AP photo file. In commemoration of the 4th anniversary of Coretta Scott King's death on January 30, 2006, I am honored today to share a new, as yet unpublished poem by the astoundingly prolific and versatile J. Patrick Lewis.
Pat tells me "The Activist" is from a forthcoming collection, tentatively titled, Thunder Before Lightning: Poems for the Civil Righteous, to be published by Chronicle Books in either 2012 or 2013. I asked him what inspired the project, and he said:
"A few years ago I published Freedom Like Sunlight: Praisesongs for Black Americans (Creative Editions, 2000). But I felt I had more to say, so I expanded the subjects to include well- and lesser-known people of all races. I don't see the new book as a sequel, exactly, but I suppose one could make that argument."
Besides Coretta Scott King, the collection will feature poems about such trailblazers as Harvey Milk, Jackie Robinson, Sylvia Mendez, Nelson Mandela, Emmett Till, Helen Zia, Aung San Suu Kyi, and Mohandas Gandhi. I'm especially excited that astronaut Ellison Onizuka, from my home state of Hawai'i, will also be included.
Thunder Before Lightning looks to be an enlightening, inspiring collection, and I'm thrilled Pat has allowed us this sneak peek. I'm sure you'll find the poem as powerful and moving as I did; it beautifully captures the quiet strength, courage and determination of this beloved champion of social justice.
We wept when the man was taken, But we knew it was meant to be. Daylilies drooped in the garden; Night birds fell dumb in the tree. We expected the worst of the future, For the future is seldom bright, And they carried away on the killing day The last of the first daylight.
She moved to the front unbeaten, Stepped slowly up to the board. When she lost the man to the Ku Klux Klan Her silent shadow roared. Out in the enemy country, Death marshaled itself for a fight, But she led a choir in the line of fire The first of the next daylight.
Stand tall, stand all my children, Put away the sinister guns. Embrace the boys that Hate employs, Like mothers do their sons. Daylilies might bloom in the garden, Night birds might sing in the night, When dignity will set us free The rest of the best daylight.
J. Patrick Lewis has a new poetry book out this fall. OK, really, he has 2 or 3 or maybe even 5! And this one, Spot the Plot, has the cleverest premise ever. Each poem is a riddle full of clues to a children's book. Kids are going to adore these fun and funny poems, and the fact that the poems are riddles helps extend the reader age upward, too. Here's one of my favorite poems from Spot the Plot: A Riddle Book of Book Riddles (charmingly illustrated by Lynn Munsinger).
A magical telling, a pig for the selling, a spider is spelling out words that amaze.
Do you know this spider, this spiderweb writer? The pig will delight her the rest of her days.
--J. Patrick Lewis, all rights reserved
Funny and poignant, too, since it reminds me of the beautiful friendship between Wilbur and Charlotte and also of Charlotte's inevitable death.
I nominated this book for a Cybils award in the poetry category (and I'm so pleased to see how many books are already nominated!) because not only is it a great collection but I think it meets and surpasses the kid appeal criterion. This is one collection you won't have to spoonfeed to kids because you know it's good for them and they'll appreciate it with help. Nope. This is one you'll have to wrestle back from the kids just to finish reading it yourself.
Other bloggers have written more in-depth reviews of this book, and you can check out a few of them here:
Now, if you haven't already nominated a poetry book you love, and a book in every other category, I hope you'll zip over here and start nominating. We only have two weeks to make sure our favorite books get read and considered!
High Schools have had Poetry 180 ever since Billy Collins came up with the idea when he was Poet Laureate. Now elementary school has their own Poetry 180, brought to us by one of the most prolific poets in all of children's literature -- J. Patrick Lewis!
You've got about a month to get your copy so that you're ready to read a poem a day to your class. You'll begin on page one, on the poem numbered 180, and you'll count down, poem by poem, to summer.
Lewis has timed the placement of the poems in the countdown to roughly coincide with a traditional "after Labor Day" school start, and he includes an amazing variety of holiday poems: Eid ul-Fitr (a special thanks for this one from those of us who have Muslim students in our class whose families observe Ramadan), Columbus Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, Christmas, New Year, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Groundhog Day, 100th Day of School, Chinese New Year, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, April Fool's Day, Passover, Easter, and Mother's and Father's Days. There probably are more that I've missed!
Also amazing is the variety of poetic forms included in this book! I found at least one limerick, epitaph, quatrain, haiku, abecedarian, concrete, acrostic, riddle, couplets, haik-lues, ode, lullaby, tongue twister, rebus, and free verse. Again, there are likely more that I've missed!
The simple line drawings by Ethan Long sometimes help the punch line of the poem, sometimes provide a clue to understanding or solving the poem, and sometimes are a visual retelling of the poem.
I tabbed seven poems I really wanted to share with you today, but I guess that's about 5 or 6 too many. You'll have to check these out when you buy your copy: #174 "The Librarian" (an abecedarian), #87 "Martin Luther King, Jr. Day" (a beautiful acrostic), #76 "The Ninth Ward: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans" (heartbreaking and true), #59 "When is Its It's?" (maybe this poem will help my students learn proper use of its and it's...we can hope), #28 "Ars Libri: after Archibald MacLeish (everything books are and should be).
Here are two teacher/teaching poems since this is (I proclaim it so) the current quintessential volume of poetry for the elementary classroom. Apologies for the lost formatting on the first one...the middle lines should be centered between the first and last lines:
Oh my gosh! You were right across the street from East! And I missed J. Patrick Lewis??? Dang! Usually I check the Tattered Cover ad every Sunday to see who will be there that week. We didn't get home from Wichita until late Sunday and I guess I missed it. Darn. Carol
That's right. It's J. Patrick Lewis with a new poetry collection called Underwear Salesman: And Other Jobs for Better or Verse (illustrated by Serge Bloch). What a fun bunch of poems! Here are two of my favorites.
First, from the lighter side:
Bathroom Attendant
Toilet's spiffy, Sink's a shrine, Mirrors sparkle, Floors all shine.
I treat you Like a VIP. You treat me With a T-I-P.
--J. Patrick Lewis, all rights reserved
And from the more lyrical side:
Mapmaker
I climb up a mountain by fine fountain pen. I float down a Nile of ink. I crisscross three countries, six cities and spend A while on an isle to think.
I brush in the valleys and sweep in the sands, I shadow blue oceans, green seas. I'm the very particular painter of lands Who measures the world...by degrees.
--J. Patrick Lewis, all rights reserved
Aren't those fantastic?
Now, two other quick poetry-related announcements:
1) Today is the final day to sign your school up for a FREE event with poet David L. Harrison (he of the terrifc Pirates collection!). Participating classes/schools will use videoconferencing tools or watch by live webstreaming for this April 28 event. Go here for all the details! What a fantastic free opportunity!
2) I'm featured today in the Poetry-Makers series at The Miss Rumphius Effect. Whee! Please check it out if you have a chance (but don't watch the video!) and leave a comment if you have time. I don't want Tricia to think all her hard work is unappreciated!
The Poetry Friday Roundup today is at Lisa Chellman's Under the Covers. Grab a flashlight, crawl under, and enjoy!
I had just about the best poetry day ever yesterday! It started at Cover to Cover bookstore with Tim Bowers and J.Patrick Lewis for the launch of their book, FIRST DOG.
We heard the story of how talent and timing and luck resulted in the right book at the right...nay, the PERFECT time.
FIRST DOG, written by Lewis and one of his daughters (talent), was originally about an all-American mutt who travels the world trying to find his ancestry. When Obama promised his daughters that they could have a dog when they moved to the White House, the manuscript just happened to be in the hands of Pat's editor (timing) when the publisher wished out loud that they had a dog book for this occasion. Tim Bowers, who also lives in central Ohio and who has been friends with Pat for a dozen or more years (Pat and Tim have often wished they could work together, but authors are not often allowed the luxury of picking their illustrator) and who has become somewhat well-known for his dog illustrations, was chosen as the illustrator. (luck, but also talent, and timing: "It's about TIME we got to work together!!")
FIRST DOG takes the reader around the world as he looks for the right home. In the course of his travels, he meets dogs of the breeds that originated in various countries and wonders if he could live there with them. (Information about each breed is on the endpapers.) Ultimately, he finds his way back home to the U.S. and notices an article in a newspaper about the search for a dog for the White House. He trots on over to the back door of the White House, and is greeted by two children (seen only from the knees down to the spangly sparkly tennis shoes) who ask their dad if they can keep him. Can you guess what dad says?
First Dog by J. Patrick Lewis and Beth Zappitello illustrated by Tim Bowers Sleeping Bear Press in stores April 15, 2009
First Dog bonus tracks: an original First Dog poem by J. Patrick Lewis here, and another by Rebecca Kai Dotlich here. Stay tuned for a YouTube video of Pat reading FIRST DOG to an audience of dogs!
I had to leave Cover to Cover before the party ended, which was before even half of the autographing line had snake past the signing table. Lucky for me, the staff at CTC and Pat and Tim were understanding and accommodating, so my copy of FIRST DOG and my stack of not-yet-signed-by-Pat poetry books from my classroom collection were waiting for me later in the afternoon.
Why the rush? Kay Ryan, Poet Laureate of the United States of America, was speaking at Columbus State Community College!!
"The Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress serves as the nation's official lightning rod for the poetic impulse of Americans. During his or her term, the Poet Laureate seeks to raise the national consciousness to a greater appreciation of the reading and writing of poetry."
You might remember that I have a collection of four volumes signed by Poet Laureates -- Billy Collins (from before he was Laureate), Ted Kooser (who was signing at NCTE a few years ago), and two given to me by the best big brother in the world: Richard Eberhart (Laureate in the year of my birth), and Robert Frost (THE Robert Frost!!!).
Kay Ryan, whose wit and rhyme and word play I adore, is my fifth Poet Laureate autograph.
Ryan's talk was a poetry reading with commentary -- sometimes before the poem, sometimes after, sometimes during. She read each poem twice. She says (and I totally agree) the first reading of a poem is just to find out, "Do I want to read this poem?" The second reading is really the first reading. In her keynote, she gave us a few Key Notes: "You must write what you can at that time." Not very grand, she says, but meant to convey urgency and the acceptance of your work in the moment. (Good advice for living, as well as writing.) She also said that although her writing is very personal -- she writes because something is worrying her -- she is always aware that her writing must be accessible to the public as well.
Here's my favorite poem by Kay Ryan, one I loved before she was named Poet Laureate:
Turtle
Who would be a turtle who could help it? A barely mobile hard roll, a four-oared helmet, She can ill afford the chances she must take In rowing toward the grasses that she eats. (the rest is here)
You can hear Kay Ryan reading "Turtle" and commenting on her best rhyme ever ("a four-oared" and "afford") in this podcast with Billy Collins and Garrison Keillor. Ryan reads first, so if you only have time for a bit, you'll get to hear her. But if you listen to the whole thing, you'll get to hear her talk a bit more about her Key Note that the poet must attend to her/his reader.
And here's a bonus track of her talking about and reading her poem, "Home to Roost."
6 Comments on Poetry Saturday: J. Patrick Lewis and Kay Ryan, last added: 4/21/2009
Mary Lee, You got to spend the weekend with a great poet and so did I! I am presenting with Joyce Sidman at the IRA in May and we worked on our presentation this weekend. Thanks for still reading my blog. I'm glad to be back - new job kicked my ass for a while.
I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing the authors of the book I raaaaved about this morning, First Dog. J. Patrick Lewis and Beth Zappitello were kind enough to answer some great questions for me (and you!). AND...if you read to the end of the interview, my HUGE giveaway is revealed!!! Enjoy!!
1. Before we get started, I would love for you to pick a place to have our "interview." We can be eating pastries in a French bakery, sharing some wine and cheese in Napa Valley, or candy canes at the North Pole. Your choice!
How about eating an ice cream cone on a nice warm day, people- (and dog-) watching on a Santa Monica pier bench?
2. Can you share with us what led you to the world of writing?
JPL: Serendipity. A college professor for thirty years (Economics!), I discovered poetry at the age of 39. Then I became a suffering fool for it when the bug bit, and I’m happy to say the bite never healed.
Beth: I've always loved my dad's books and have wanted to collaborate with him for some time (if he'd allow me). I feel really fortunate with "First Dog" - what a way to break into being an author!
3. We all are aware that President Obama has promised his girls a "First Dog." Did you come up with the concept of this book before or after hearing the news of the search for a pet for the White House family?
Beth: This was the perfect storm! We had a rough draft of a book about a dog traveling the world to find a home (because, frankly, who doesn't love a good dog tale), and then President Obama mentioned getting Sasha and Malia a dog during his election day speech...and, viola, we knew where our dog's home would be.
JPL: It was all Beth’s idea. I just helped in the co-authoring.
4. Did you do any specific research for the book? Visiting shelters, reading up on dog breeds?
Beth: Besides stopping every passerby walking a dog, and grilling them with questions about their pooch, we did a lot of research online to find out what is unique about the breeds that we chose to highlight. I’m a huge dog-lover, but I found out a lot of fun dog facts along the way.
JPL: I was guided along the way by some wonderful friends who are completely devoted to rescue dogs.
5. How long did the book take you to complete?
Beth: Since we don't live in the same state, we spent a couple of months talking on the phone, and writing/editing back and forth.
6. Do either of you own a shelter dog yourself? I have one that I love SO much and adopting her led me to fully support shelter animal advocacy.
Beth: I have a lovable (and very slobbery) English Bulldog named Cuba - he's almost 10 - quite elderly by bulldog standards. While he wasn't a shelter dog, my awareness of shelters and rescue dogs has grown in recent years and if I were getting a dog today, that's where I would head first. JPL: We have a black standard poodle and a white Bichon Frise, neither of which is a rescue dog. My consciousness about the world of shelters and rescue wasn’t raised until much later.
7. If Malia Obama's allergies were not an issue, what breed would you recommend the Obama's adopting? Got any favorites??
Beth: There's too many good choices to pick one, but I would think they need a dog full of personality - just like Sasha + Malia. And I hope that the Obama's end up with a rescue dog. Shelters are filling up with all kinds of different breeds that need a good, loving home.
JPL: I second that.
8. Do you have any other titles in the works or books soon to be published that you can tell us about? Go ahead, talk them up!
JPL: My other 2009 children’s book titles include: The Underwear Salesman, S&S/ATHENEUM (Serge Bloch, ill.)—just out in March, Countdown to Summer: A Poem for Every Day of the School Year, LITTLE, BROWN (Ethan Long, ill.), due July 1st, Spot the Plot! A Riddle Book of Book Riddles, CHRONICLE (Lynn Munsinger, ill.), a fall book The House, CREATIVE EDITIONS (Roberto Innocenti, ill.), a fall book
Beth: Nothing else soon-to-be-published, but lots of ideas! I’ve always loved reading books; I just didn’t know how much fun writing one would be.
9. What are some of your personal favorites in children's books?
Beth: I have 2 small boys, and we are surrounded by children's books. Some favorites: anything by my dad (Tulip at the Bat, The World's Greatest: Poems are 2 of our favorites right now), Where the Wild Things Are, Skippyjon Jones, Leonardo, the Terrible Monster, The Polar Express are a few, but I could go on. And, of course, Richard Scarry is always a crowd pleaser in our house. JPL: As I tell children at my school visits, there are too many favorite books to have one favorite, so that answer changes every fifteen seconds. This fifteen seconds my favorite book(s): Arnold Lobel’s Frog and Toad. I so wish I had written those four books!
10. Finally, if you could have any job besides being an author/illustrator, what would you do?
Beth: Being a mom ranks #1 for me...no matter what other projects I'm working on.
JPL: Likewise, co-authoring three great kids and four terrific grandkids (soon to be five) is the true coin of the realm. But I secretly harbored a desire to be a pianist/songwriter. Maybe in my next life.
Thank you both SO much for stopping by A Patchwork of Books!
I have SIX copies of First Dog to give away to SIX lucky readers!! SIX, SIX, SIX!! Leave a comment on this post, telling me what breed YOU think the Obamas should get for their daughters by midnight (mountain time) on Monday the 6th. That's five days to enter! If you blog about this contest, you get an extra entry, so let me know about that too!
And don't forget about the other awesome April giveaway I have going on now. Go HERE to find out allll the details. It's for a great cause!
31 Comments on Interview with First Dog Authors and a HUGE Giveaway!!!, last added: 4/6/2009
This book sounds like fun - something my kids would like.
Growing up, we always had good-natured, kid-friendly dogs, mostly golden retrievers and labradors. I think the president should have a friendly, sweet dog, so I'm going to say a retriever.
A mixed breed shelter dog would be a nice fit for such a heterogeneous country. If I had to pick, maybe a breed like a Bichon/Yorki because of the allergies.
Let's pretend that they could get anything and allergies didn't play a role- then I think they should get an older dog from the shelter that needs love and attention but is already house-broke!!
Thanks for the interview, Amanda! I love that J. Patrick Lewis discovered his love of writing later in life (I did too!) His poetry is so much fun to read- I'm glad he discovered his gift :)
I'm eagerly waiting to find out which dog they end up choosing. I think they should adopt a mixed-breed, but my favorite is the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Very royal.
Which dog? The one the children want! Of course, one not affecting their allergies..... loving and playful...and hopefully a rescue dog of any acceptable breed or mixture!
i don't know about the breed....think a shelter dog would be good, just gotta be careful about the allergies. But....think it's always important to meet the dog first to see if you have the right connection
They should get a rescue dog, whatever breed they get. It would be a great example to many Americans that you should want a family member, not an accessory.
What a cute book! I know that they are looking for an allergy friendly dog, but I love Australian Shepherds. They even have a miniature breed that is too cute. Very loyal and protective dogs; good with kids.
Definitely a shelter or foster dog. Mixed breed is most symbolic and could get a lot of mileage. A retired police dog or guide dog would likely be best trained. A rescued greyhound would certainly send a message. Personally, I like little scrappy dogs who don't look like much but are tough cookies!
I agree with many of the others that the Obama's should get a dog from either a shelter or rescue.
As a Rottweiler owner, I would LOVE to see them get a Rottweiler, but I have a feeling that won't happen! :-) I will be waiting anxiously to see what dog/puppy they choose!
I'm partial to labs and lab mixes (since we have 4!) so I would recommend that. And I would definitely tell them to rescue a dog from a shelter - they make the best dogs and its the responsible thing to do.
If I'm going to blog about any book this month, I NEED it to be First Dog. I have such a passion for rescuing dogs and hearing stories about animals no one wants finally finding the perfect forever home, and this little book...this wonderful, magnificent book, takes a current, real story in our country, and turns it into a beautiful, lovely picture book, perfect for little kids.
First Dog is written by J. Patrick Lewis and Beth Zappitello and illustrated by the magnificent Tim Bowers. In it, we find a dog, traveling the world to find the perfect home. Along the way, in Newfoundland, England, China, Russia, and many other countries, the dog meets lots of other dogs, each with different talents and qualities of their own, but no perfect home for himself.
After arriving back in the States after a very long journey, the dog sees a newspaper article, telling of a very special family that is looking for their "First Dog," leading the sweet animal to go searching for this special family, thinking maybe HE could be their First Dog. Does he find his perfect, forever home? Why yes he does!!
Being that President Obama and First Lady Michelle have promised their daughters a dog to live with them in the White House, this adorable, lovable story has perfect timing! The illustrations are beautiful, the dog just plain cute. Encouraging families to adopt a pet, rather than purchase is a great message sewn into a wonderful picture book. Absolutely one of my favorite stories of the year thus far.
The authors also encourage readers to visit www.AnimalShelter.org to learn more about adopting pets from shelters. Fantastic!
I have a fabulous interview with the authors of this new favorite book of mine, being posted later on today. And with it...you just maaaay find a giveaway of this book. Maybe even MULTIPLE giveaways of this book. Check back later on!
To learn more or to purchase (go buy this NOW), click on the book cover above to link to Amazon.
First Dog J. Patrick Lewis and Beth Zappitello 32 pages Picture Book Sleeping Bear Press 9781585364671 April 2009
1 Comments on First Dog review..and a giveaway hint!, last added: 4/4/2009
Earlier this week, I posted about the Peace Project Judy Fisk Lucas is putting together. The prolific, terrific J. Patrick Lewis shared his submission for the project with me and graciously agreed to let me post it here.
The Rules of History
The fatter the king, the thinner the serf. The longer the reign, the duller the pain. The stronger the crown, the weaker the law. The fainter the dream, the slimmer the hope.
The darker the night, the deeper the fear. The blacker the skin, the whiter the hate. The colder the sin, the hotter the fire. The taller the tree, the thicker the rope.
The bigger the bomb, the quicker the dead. The meaner the fight, the smaller the prize. The older the grudge, the keener the wrath. The higher the rent, the shorter the lease.
The weaker the foe, the shriller the cry. The louder the lie, the further the truth. The madder the war, the sadder the foes. The wiser the peace, the wider the peace.
--J. Patrick Lewis, all rights reserved
I love its relentless rhythm, which feels as old as war itself, and the if-then or juxtapositions on every line. And I love that last line, which somehow satisfies the rhythm, but breaks it as well with it unexpected lack of conflict! Exactly what we need in this world! Thank you, Pat, for letting me post this.
If you'd like to submit a piece for the Peace Project, please note that the deadline has been extended to March 30 (whew, since I only have a rough draft)!
Today, I wanted to share a verse from a new picture book of interlinked renga verse by J. Patrick Lewis and Paul B. Janeczko. The book is called Birds on a Wire, and it's a "portrait of a day in an American village." The illustrations are by Gary Lippincott.
Here's one of my favorite verses:
two blocks beyond excitement, the town's tiny Ferris wheel twenty years dead-still
circling him back to a girl twirling through the sky
--from Birds on a Wire, with permission all rights reserved
I was really interested in the collaborative aspect of this book, and I asked Pat a few questions, which he kindly answered.
1) Did you ever receive a verse from Paul and think, "Now what am I supposed to do with this?" Or did it all flow smoothly?
Not really. Paul started it off, I followed, then it was back and forth till I finished the final stanza on our little idyll in middle America.
2) Was there any thought of attributing the verses so people know whose is whose? Have kids asked whose is whose?
No, we wanted no attribution. The idea was that this would be a seamless renga, words to the fore, poets taking a back seat.
3) Do you think fans of yours and or Paul Janeczko's would be able to tell who wrote which ones?
I hope not. We both trust each other's abilities, and I don't think either of us would quibble with what the other wrote.
Pat's answer to the attribution question reminded me of a poetry volume I love called Braided Creek: A Conversation in Poetry. It's short poems written back and forth between Jim Harrison and Ted Kooser. The back cover says, "When asked about attributions for the individual poems, one of them replied, 'Everyone gets tired of this continuing cult of the personality...This book is an assertion in favor of poetry and against credentials.' "
For more, see Sylvia Vardell's post, and Wild Rose Reader's interview with Paul and interview with Pat. I thought someone (Kelly? I thought it was you) had posted an in-depth review of the book recently, but I don't find it on her blog. If you know of a recent excellent review of this book, in addition to what I've listed, will you let me know? Thanks!
In keeping with my back-to-school theme, I’m tickled to showcase a brand spankin’ new villanelle by friend and marvel, J. Patrick Lewis (used with his permission). Enjoy the clever wordplay that so often characterizes Pat’s poetry.
The Principle of the Principal by J. Patrick Lewis
What does she do at Elementary School?
That lady who’s in charge of everything.
The principle of Principals is cool.
Dilemmas, whether great or minuscule,
She handles like a yo-yo on a string.
Now what she does at Elementary School
Is make sure yellow buses get their fuel
And listen to complaints that teachers bring
With principle. The Principal is cool.
She hopes to curb the stress and ridicule
Of standard tests that kids endure each spring
(Required of her Elementary School).
But she must make exceptions to the rule
To juggle at this Elementary Ring-
Ling Brothers Circus. Principals are cool.
To swim, you stick your toe into the pool.
To Principal, make every kid a king.
That’s what she does at Elementary School:
A Principal with principles is cool.
Pat also has a new book out this year (one of several, I’m betting), Birds on a Wire, a fascinating collection of renga (the ancient form of linked) poems in collaboration with Paul Janeczko. It’s a game-like poetic form that kids may enjoy exploring, because one writer pens a verse to which another poet responds, back and forth, linking first and last lines, but not all necessarily connected in content—if that description makes sense. It’s clever, fun, and surprising and in this case, weaves a story/description of a small town through multiple details both concrete and abstract (with lovely watercolor scenes provided by the talented Gary Lippincott). Here’s one excerpt that makes a nice “school” connection for me today:
behind their teacher a line of first-graders each clutching a new book
crossing at the WALK sign make way for readers
From: Lewis, J. Patrick, and Janeczko, Paul B. 2008. Birds on a Wire. Honesdale, PA: Wordsong/Boyds Mills Press.
The Booklist STARRED review calls it a “meditative meander about a timeless town… both insightful and visceral, (a book) that demands and rewards multiple readings, viewings, and contemplations." Check it out!
Such a difficult form, and he nails it! One reason why: he's willing to bend the form and play with it, which is the sign of a master. Thanks for posting this, Sylvia.
When I was working as an elementary school librarian, one of the most frequently requested books was The Guinness Book of World Records. Kids seem to relish reading about the biggest/tallest/smallest/longest/shortest, etc., objects and animals and “the most” amazing human feats. My guess would be that kids who enjoy reading about such things would really appreciate J. Patrick Lewis’s most recently published poetry book, The World’s Greatest: Poems. Take note of the colon in the title. The book is not a compilation of poems that Lewis thinks are the “best” in the world--but of superlatives that have made the record books. Here is a sampling of poem titles from this book: The Shortest Street, The Longest Traffic Jam, The Winningest Woman in the Iditarod Dog Sled Race, The Most Live Scorpions Eaten by a Human, and The Most Cobras Kissed Consecutively. Now, tell me you’re not especially intrigued by those last two titles! I bet you would really like to find out who would eat live scorpions…and how many he ate, wouldn’t you? Well, you’ll just have to read the book to find out.
This collection of “record-breaking” poetry is fun to read. A master of light verse, J. Patrick Lewis proves himself adept at taking factual information and writing about it with wry humor and the clever turn of phrase. These “greatest” poems are written in a variety of forms, including limerick, acrostic, and concrete poetry. Although not of historic importance, the subjects Lewis selected to write about in his rhythmic and rhyming (with one exception) poems would most likely be of interest to young readers...and listeners.
Here are some of the facts Lewis imparts in his book:
The smallest American newspaper measured 3 X 3 ¾ inches.
The biggest pumpkin weighed 1,469 pounds.
The longest time a person was stuck in an elevator was 81 hours.
The talkingest bird was a budgerigar (a type of parakeet) named Puck who knew 1,728 words.
Alfred A. E. Wolfam holds the record for the most Kisses. He smooched a total of 10,504 people in eight hours. (After that I bet Alfred was not only tuckered--but also puckered--out!)
Would you believe that the longest traffic jam was more than 1,000 miles long? To be exact, it was recorded at 1,093 miles! Where and when did this record-breaking jam occur? Lyon toward Paris, France, on February 16, 1980.
Here is how Pat Lewis relates the event in his poem that takes the shape of a long line of traffic:
(That poem certainly resonates with me--and would probably with anyone else who has ever been stuck waiting in line near the Hampton toll station in New Hampshire on a Saturday in summer. Our longest time waiting in line to pay our toll was 2 ½ hours! One year we even got rear-ended--twice--by the same driver who tried to leave the scene of the accident…until her car conked out a few hundred feet ahead of us. She couldn't have gone far anyway--not with all that traffic! It was no minor accident. The car repairs cost $7,000.)
But…I digress from this book review. Forgive me.
The Largest Mantle of Beesprovides a fine example of Lewis’s mastery of humorous verse and poetic wordplay. The poem is about a man whose body was said to have been covered by an estimated 343,000 bees. Lewis concludes it with a delightful--and “punny”--ending.
The Largest Mantle of Bees By J. Patrick Lewis
A busy buzzy body, he’s a hive for eighty pounds f bees. His beard was bees, his nose was bees, his arms and legs and toes were bees.
His wife, they tell us, laughed so hard she broke the hammock in the yard! We don’t know why it struck her funny, but ever since, she’s called him Honey!
The World’s Greatest: Poems would be a “great” book to share with children in elementary and middle school. Kids are sure to take pleasure in hearing poems about The Kookiest Hat, The Dumbest Dinosaur, The Tallest Roller Coaster, The Longest Time a Human Remained Standing, and The Highest Air on a Skateboard. The book’s illustrations done by Keith Graves in acrylic paints and colored pencils add to the fun and complement the humorous nature of this poetry collection.
Classroom Connection: After sharing this book with children, it might be fun to have them select their favorite “record breakers” from The Guinness Book of World Records and write their own "greatest" poems about them.
Note: I asked Pat Lewis where he got his idea for writing The World’s Greatest: Poems. Here’s what he told me:
The inspiration came from my having written A BURST OF FIRSTS. I thought I could extend that by choosing the biggest, tallest, shortest, smallest, et al, all of whose subjects were culled from THE GUINNESS BOOK OF RECORDS. I'm trying to prove in my books that there is no subject in the world that does not lend itself to poetry.
I say Amen to that!
A BURST OF FIRSTS: DOERS, SHAKERS, AND RECORD BREAKERS Written by J. Patrick Lewis Illustrated by Brian Ajhar Dial, 2001
Another Note: I had planned to include a full review of A Burst of Firsts: Doers, Shakers, and Record Breakers in this post. Unfortunately, the book is now out of print. I will tell you that in this book Lewis wrote poems about both historically significant and insignificant events and people. The insignificant: the first non-Japanese sumo wrestler, the first parachute wedding, the biggest bubble-gum bubble ever blown, and the #1 lunch choice of school kids.
From #1 Lunch Choice of School Kids
ISN’T macaroni ISN’T French fries ISN’T plain bologna ISN’T Moon Pies ISN’T peanut butter ISN’T Cap’n Crunch ISN’T what your mother went And packed inside your lunch!
(Pssst! It’s pizza.)
The historically significant events and figures: Ruby Bridges, the first child to integrate a white school; Jackie Robinson, the first person to break the color barrier in baseball; Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, the first men on the moon; and Sally Ride, the first American woman in space.
Here are the third and fifth stanzas from First Men on the Moon:
The first man down the ladder, Neil, Spoke words that we remember now-- “one small step…” It made us feel As if we were there, too, somehow.
A quarter million miles away, One small blue planet watched in awe. And no one who was there that day Will soon forget the sight he saw.
To learn more about the talented J. Patrick Lewis and his work, click here to read the interview I did with him for Wild Rose Reader in April.
I would like to thank J. Patrick Lewis for granting me permission to post poems and excerpts from his books The World’s Greatest: Poems and A Burst of Firsts.
********************
At Blue Rose Girls, I have a poem by Richard Hoffman entitled Summer Job.
The picture of Pat with a bubble hooked me in! Thanks for the fresh insight on how this book came to be written. So sad that A Burst of Firsts is out of print. That's a favorite in Room 222!
If A BURST OF FIRSTS is a favorite in your classroom, I'd be willing to bet THE WORLD'S GREATEST: POEMS would be too. Another of Pat's books that was a favorite in my second grade classroom that is also out of print now is A HIPPOPOTAMUSN'T. I had fun sharing the poems from that collection with my students.
Today, May 12, is Limerick Day, in honor of the birth of Edward Lear, the man who popularized the limerick poem with his own self-illustrated collection, the Book of Nonsense (1846). Limericks for adults are often bawdy verses or songs, but limericks for children are usually just humorous or even outrageous story-poems. There are several teaching resources available on the topic of writing limericks with kids including Poetry-online and Giggle Poetry.
Here are a few, fun original limericks by master punster, J. Patrick Lewis in honor of the day. Enjoy!
Limb-ericks: Hip Verses All by J. Patrick Lewis (used with permission)
The Skin Now a snake who’s about to begin Climbing out of his ugly old skin Has the grin of a winner— It’s “in” to be inner And out of the outer he’s in.
The Hump In the desert a camel was minus A passenger, His Royal Highness. The King loved the humps But the bumpety-bumps Left him down in the dumps and the dryness.
The Nose The bat clings to the ceiling above, Wrapped in wings like a hand in a glove, Too afraid to expose To his neighbors a nose That only a mother could love.
The Neck According to Good Gnus Reporter, The Giraffe used to be a lot shorter Till a bird in the trees Said, “Get up off your knees!” Said Giraffe, “That’s a very tall order.”
The Arm To an Octopus luncheon for nine, The comrades-in-arms come to dine. But when hugging each other— What suckers, oh brother!— They look like a great ball of twine.
The Antler The Moose suffers pain and distress If a hat is hung on his headdress. His horns were intended For something more splendid— But what it is no one can guess!
Note: The limericks are forthcoming in J. Patrick Lewis's Countdown to Summer: A Poem for Every Day of the School Year, Little, Brown, (Spring 2009). I can’t wait to see this book! I’ve been working on my own project matching poems to events for each day of the year, so this should be a terrific resource. A similar approach is the fantastic, Days to Celebrate: A Full Year of Poetry, People, Holidays, History, Fascinating Facts, and More by Lee Bennett Hopkins (New York: Greenwillow, 2005).
For more limericks, there’s always Edward Lear’s Book of Nonsense, of course, plus these gems: Ciardi, John. 1992. The Hopeful Trout and Other Limericks. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Kennedy, X.J. 1997. Uncle Switch: Loony Limericks. New York: Margaret K. McElderry.
For a wonderful poem tribute to Lear himself, check out: Lewis, J. Patrick. 1998. Boshblobberbosh; Runcible Poems for Edward Lear. Mankato: Creative Editions; San Diego: Harcourt.
Picture credit: www.dkimages.com
1 Comments on Happy Limerick Day!, last added: 5/19/2008
Please allow me to plug my “Everyday Poetry” column once again, since the May issue of Book Links just came out this week. This time, I’ve focused on “Blue Ribbon” poetry, looking at the many poetry books that won major awards this year including the Newbery, Printz honor, Coretta Scott King honors, Pura Belpre and Schneider awards, and of course, the brand new Odyssey Award. (And just last week, Pat Mora’s lovely book, Yum! ¡Mmmm! ¡Qué Rico! Americas’ Sproutings, Lee & Low, 2007, won the Americás award.) I’ve written about this before, but I don’t think I mentioned all the poetry titles that also appeared on some of the ALA “best” lists this year. Another dozen poetry books and novels-in-verse made the lists of 2008 Notable Children’s Books, Best Books for Young Adults, and Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers, including:
• Blue Lipstick: Concrete Poems by John Grandits (Clarion, 2007) • Chess Rumble by G. Neri (Lee & Low, 2007) • Frida: ¡Viva la vida! Long Live Life! by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand (Marshall Cavendish, 2007) • Glass by Ellen Hopkins (Simon & Schuster/Margaret K. McElderry, 2007) • Good Sports: Rhymes about Running, Jumping, Throwing, and More by Jack Prelutsky (Knopf, 2007) • Here’s a Little Poem: A Very First Book of Poetry edited by Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters (Candlewick, 2007) • Miss Crandall’s School for Young Ladies and Little Misses of Color by Elizabeth Alexander and Marilyn Nelson (Boyds Mills/Wordsong, 2007) • Tap Dancing on the Roof: Sijo (Poems) by Linda Sue Park (Clarion, 2007) • Today and Today by Issa Kobayashi (Scholastic, 2007) • Tough Boy Sonatas by Curtis L. Crisler (Boyds Mills/Wordsong, 2007) • What My Girlfriend Doesn’t Know by Sonya Sones (Simon & Schuster, 2007) • Yum! ¡Mmmm! ¡Qué Rico! Americas’ Sproutings by Pat Mora (Lee & Low, 2007)
Isn't it exciting to see so many poetry books get this recognition? Finally, beginning this month, my “Everyday Poetry” column will also feature an original poem by a children’s poet alongside my short article. This month, it’s “Keep a Pocket in Your Poem” by J. Patrick Lewis, inspired by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers’ poem “Keep a Poem in Your Pocket.” Thanks, Pat! Readers may reproduce this poem for noncommercial educational purposes, as long as the author and Book Links are credited. The downloadable poem is available here. Enjoy!
Join the rest of the Poetry Friday Round Up at Wrter2b.
Picture credit: ALA Book Links
3 Comments on New BOOK LINKS Poem Feature, last added: 5/9/2008
Kelly, glad you're a fellow Stephanie Hemphill fan. I just loved her Plath book-- which was even a Printz honor book! I can't wait to see what she does next. Sylvia
I have recently begun a fascination with Edward Lear since I was trying to teach my students about limericks. I stumbled across this picture book biography of sorts by J. Patrick Lewis. The story is told in poems as a tribute to Mr. Lear. Lewis includes an author’s notes with a few facts about Lear’s life. Then in the back of the books there are notes on each poem and how it relates to something in Lear’s life. And yes, Lewis includes a few limericks himself.
The one I will share today is “A Day in the Life”. It has a companion poem “A Night in the Life” in the book.
A Day in the Life…
Mr. Lear Wakes at ten Walks six miles Paints a glen Points his cat Home again
Picks an olive Plucks a flower Takes a bath By thundershower Hears the cuckoo Cluck the hour
So at four Sips his tea Takes a nap Later he Tickles high Society
Pats his bed Snuggles in Opens mail With a grin Reads a book By Tennyson
Lays it down Wonders long Understands What is wrong Hums a little Silly song
Hums a little Silly song Hums a little Silly…
Sadly, this book is out of print, but I found it at my local library.
0 Comments on Poetry Friday: Boshblobberbosh as of 1/1/1900
Lisa Chellman said, on 5/4/2008 8:06:00 AM
The name of the book caught my eye on Big A little a, and the poem is terrific, too! I'm reserving it at my library as I type... Thanks for sharing it!
The first American newspaper, the Boston News-Letter, was published by John Campbell, a postmaster, on this day in 1704. I wrote about this last year (April 24, 2007) along with describing one of my favorite poem-creating activities: “found” poems. So, it’s time to make another poem-newspaper connection. Here’s a fun poem from a new collection by J. Patrick Lewis, The World’s Greatest: Poems, illustrated by Keith Graves (San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2008).
The Smallest American Newspaper Roseberg, Oregon 3 x 3 ¾ inches 1876 by J. Patrick Lewis THE DAILY BANNER Business section -- Funnies News Crossword puzzle -- Book reviews Here’s who died -- Latest sports Want ads -- Weekly farm reports Weather (cloudy) -- Women’s wear The BANNER world’s a 3-inch square!
From: J. Patrick Lewis, The World’s Greatest: Poems, illustrated by Keith Graves. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2008, p. 13.
*Kids may want to create their own miniature newspapers, books, or poems. Or, they can explore other Guinness records and create poems to highlight the details.
These 25 poems are inspired by various facts and factoids from the Guinness Book of World Records and focus on the odd and unusual detail that kids find so fascinating. These are not poems about the fastest runner or the strongest lifter. No, here we encounter the stone skipping record and the most live scorpions eaten by a human. Crazy, but true! And Lewis turns each statistic into a humorous poem in a variety of poetic forms. Keith Graves’ illustrations are the perfect match, giving each poem an even zanier twist. And if you like this collection, look for Lewis’s A Burst of Firsts; Doers, Shakers, and Record Breakers (New York: Dial, 2001), another fun poetic tribute to the weird and wonderful.
Picture credit: www.nohscbwi.org
0 Comments on Poetry, the newspaper, and J. Pat Lewis as of 4/24/2008 8:02:00 AM
Janet Wong said, on 4/29/2008 7:25:00 PM
Read the poem about the most live scorpions eaten to any poetry- hater, and he will be transformed into a poetry-lover...GUARANTEED! I love this collection, Pat!
This week is also National Library Week (April 13-19)! First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association. And of course, I have to share a library poem (perhaps my favorite topic of all). This time, I’m lucky enough to have a new, original poem to share from the always generous and prolific, J. Pat Lewis. Enjoy!
The Librarian by J. Patrick Lewis
After school one day I was talking to Mr. Butterwinkle, the school librarian. "Can you Define ABECEDARIAN?" I asked. "Easy," he said. "But First I think you should Go to Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, and... Hmm, here's one," he said. "Now, Isabelle, when you're looking for sparkling word Jewels, try to Keep them spit-shined, ready to go. A dictionary's Like a trap, an irresistible Mind trap. Nobody can discover One beaut without two more Popping up-fifty-cent Quality words-in Rapid Succession, Totally Unexpected Verbal Whizbangs. Xerox them. Hang them in your locker. Now You're in the Zone. Oh, I forgot. ABECEDARIAN. Look it up."
Used with permission from J. Patrick Lewis.
I love this ABC connection, don’t you? Paul Janeczko writes about this poetic form in Poetry from A to Z: A Guide for Young Writers (New York: Bradbury, 1994). I have posted about the link between the ABCs and poetry before on April 21, 2007, last year. Just as a refresher, here are some poetry collections that are organized alphabetically ala the dictionary.
Ada, Alma Flor. 1997. Gathering the Sun: An Alphabet in Spanish and English. Lothrop, Lee, & Shepard. Bryan, Ashley. 1997. Ashley Bryan's ABC of African American Poetry. Atheneum. Harley, Avis. 2000. Fly with Poetry; An ABC of Poetry. Wordsong/Boyds Mills. Harley, Avis. 2001. Leap into Poetry: More ABCs of Poetry. Wordsong/Boyds Mills. Hopkins, Lee Bennett. 2003. Alphathoughts. Boyds Mills Press. Hopkins, Lee Bennett. 1994. April Bubbles Chocolate. Simon & Schuster. Janeczko. Paul, comp. 1994. Poetry from A to Z: A Guide for Young Writers. Bradbury. Merriam, Eve. 1995. Halloween ABC. Aladdin. Schnur, Steven. 1997. Autumn: An Alphabet Acrostic. Clarion. (See also: Winter: An Alphabet Acrostic;Spring: An Alphabet Acrostic; and Summer: An Alphabet Acrostic all by Steven Schnur) Sierra, Judy. 2004. There's a Zoo in Room 22. Voyager. Wilbur, Richard. 2001. The Disappearing Alphabet. Voyager.
Do you know of any other alpha-poems or alpha-poem collections? Visit your library during library week and let me know if you find any!
Picture credit: talking-dog.com
2 Comments on National Library Week: A new Pat Lewis library poem, last added: 4/15/2008
A swashbuckler of a bow to you, dear heart, for posting my poem on your website. I am always fizzgiggiously delighted when I find myself in Professor Vardell's lovely lyrical neighborhood.
And to all of Sylvia's readers, don't miss her nonpareil new book, CHILDREN'S LITERATURE IN ACTION: A LIBRARIAN'S GUIDE, 2008. Brilliant! (And no, she didn't pay me to say that!)
xo, Pat aka J. Patrick Lewis
Sylvia Vardell said, on 4/15/2008 2:15:00 PM
Pat, Thank you for your kind words-- and the generous book plug, too. Your phrase "lovely lyrical neighborhood" is the nicest compliment of all. Thanks again.
P.S. It looks like two clicks of your comment were processed, so I deleted one. Hope that was OK.
Stacey from Two Writing Teachers said, on 4/15/2008 10:10:00 PM
I hope you'll stop by and join the One Week Poetry Challenge we have going on. It's not too late to join in the fun!
I was so excited to hear from J. Patrick Lewis a few weeks ago. And then I read Elaine Magliaro's fantastic interview with him last week at Wild Rose Reader. I've been behind in my blog reading due to school visits and general life chaos, but I had planned to tell both Elaine and Pat how much I liked the interview (um, can I consider you both told now? just wondering...). Before I had a chance to do that, I had another email in my inbox from Pat, with a poem to share if I liked.
I like!
Everything Is a Poem
A garden is a poem Lined with rows of similes Like lyrical chrysanthemums And epic peonies.
A spider web’s a poem Composed upon the air, Silk-designed and deftly lined To catch the unaware.
A mirror is a poem Revealing truths about The poet, but it often leaves A shadow of a doubt.
A fisherman is one big poem For fish to contemplate, But getting bites on lazy lines Is open to de-bait.
A picture is a poem If it’s painted in disguise On a canvas of emotion From a palette of surprise.
A rainbow is a poem, A phenomenon so rare. It’s not that it is written But it’s written on the air.
A firefly’s a poem, A flashy verse sublime That’s read by other fireflies One sparkle at a time.
A shining star’s a poem Penned by ghostwriter, the Moon, Who publishes her verses In a book called Clair de Lune.
A busy bee’s a poem With nectar that’s so fine A reader-eater laps up every Honey of a line.
This winding path's a poem Meandering through the woods Of real and imaginary Wild neighborhoods That poets like to navigate In search of either/or— One thing can mean another: that’s What metaphors are for.
---J. Patrick Lewis, all rights reserved
Isn't that gorgeous. The spiderweb and picture stanzas are my favorite. "Silk-designed and deftly lined/ To catch the unaware." Perfect! And "On a canvas of emotion/ From a palette of surprise." Wow. Thanks, Pat, for sharing this new poem with us!
I was reading Scien-Trickery: Riddles in Science the other day, his collection of science riddle poems. And, so as not to be a slacker and only share the poem that dropped in my inbox for me, I'm also going to share just a couple of these clever verses with you. If I were a teacher, how I would love to use these with my students. As it is, I'm going to see how my 12- and 15-year-olds fare with them at breakfast!
There's Something in the Water
Six letters in my name-- Though O, you must agree, Is what I'm usually called-- It's all in my chemistry.
If H is mixed with me, Every kid understands Together we wash your face; Together we wash your hands.
--J. Patrick Lewis, all rights reserved
The Old Switcheroo
My father's the arc My mother's the spark. Wthout them you would Be left in the dark.
--J. Patrick Lewis, all rights reserved
And the answers are oxygen and electricity. Love these!
And they put me in mind of another poetry riddle book I love, When Riddles Come Rumbling, by the amazing Rebecca Kai Dotlich, which I gave a brief excerpt from here, when I was part of Wordy Girls.
I hope you enjoy the riddle poems in both of these books, and that you're all having a poetry-filled April!
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OK, I've whined already about my bad week. But at least one good thing happened!
On Wednesday, I found in my inbox an email with a sender of jplewis. I have a sister named J.P., and another sister with the last name of Lewis, and without consciously thinking about it, I expected it to be something family-related. But I started reading the email, fully of intoxicatingly lovely words about my website and blog and poems, and I was confused. My family isn't this nice. Ha! That's not true. My sisters are fabulous. But they aren't really into poetry. To say the least. So I skipped to the bottom of the email and discovered this email was from J. Patrick Lewis.
J. Patrick Lewis.
Rebecca Kai Dotlich, whom you know is one of my absolute favorite poets, had passed along my name to him, and he had checked out my online presence. And in this charming email, he was offering up a couple of baseball ditties to see if I would like to share them with you. Would I? Um...yeah!
Missed the ball Missed the tag Missed the call Missed the bag Missed the flies Missed the liners Missed the guys Sent to minors
--J. Patrick Lewis, all rights reserved
* * *
For a Pitcher
No runs, No hits, No heirs
--J. Patrick Lewis, all rights reserved
I love these funny epitaphs. Any short funny poem has to have a good punch line at the end. And, really, "Sent to minors" and "No heirs" fit the bill perfectly.
I was reading his collection of epitaphs, Once Upon a Tomb: Gravely Humorous Verses (Candlewick, 2006) yesterday. These baseball epitaphs are not from that collection, but here are a couple of my favorites that are.
Know-It All
There's nothing Roger didn't kow. (Except that red Does not mean Go!)
Cafeteria Lady
Here lie the bones of Mabel Grady Extremely thoughtful school-lunch lady.
She never served a Jell-O mold If it was more than six weeks old.
Too funny! And the illustrations by Simon Bartram are wry and kids will love them (a teacher being decapitated by a paper airplane? Come on!)
One thing I really enjoy about J. Patrick Lewis' work is the sheer variety of it. He writes lots of funny verse, fantastic riddle poems, stunning haiku, and excellent poetry on more serious topics, as well. Is that enough superlatives for you?
I've mentioned several times his Black Swan White Crow as the most gorgeous haiku collection ever, in my opinion. Click here to see the column I wrote that started a great discussion on whether true haiku include figurative language. That discussion started over my excerpts from Black Swan White Crow.
And recently, I've been reading and re-reading two collections from the more serious side of J. Patrick Lewis. Both books were first recommended to me by the wonderful Elaine Magliaro at Wild Rose Reader.
Freedom Like Sunlight celebrates, through poetry, the lives of 13 legendary African-Americans. The different voices and shows of strength really drew me in. This book really made me think, and I love poetry that does that.
And The Brothers' War: Civil War Voices in Verse, is astonishing. I was trying to include a poem from this book in a school visit I'm doing soon, but I can't read it without crying. I'm a sap, as y'all know, when it comes to poetry that moves me. It doesn't even have to be sad. But if it touches me deeply, the tears start flowing. It's embarrassing, and it would cause the 4th-6th graders to come in for the kill, so I can't do it. But I'll be ordering my own copy of this book soon, because the voices in it are haunting me, even after I don't have it in hand anymore.
Anyway, perhaps I'll post in a bit more depth about that collection shortly.
While I was aware of a good deal of Lewis' work, in delving deeper, I discover there's tons of it I haven't read yet. I will be remedying that situation shortly!
So, while my week has not been wonderful, I did hear from a charming, fantastic poet! And I discovered that I have a lot more of his work to discover. Two terrific things!
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I thought I saw an Internet news article about progress being made with the jetpack concept a month or two ago… At any rate, Wikipedia has an intriguing article delineating the history of the jetpack, and companies are still trying to make a practical version. Cool review!
A high-flying and intriguing review. “To infinity and beyond,” as our pal BL might intone!
As to the new blog format, is anyone else having the problem that the text appears with no left margin at all, the first letter of each line jammed right up against the left margin? Yes, I’ve tried adjusting things with my little left/right slidy-arrow control. No good — it’s already at the left-most extremity. No first letters of a line are actually cut off or missing, mind you. They just don’t have an iota of space in which to breathe (as compared to the comments, which are accorded their own modest little left margin). I keep wanting to reach for a shoehorn. Or to prop something under the blog’s metaphorical left leg, to oodge things slightly back toward center.
Or is it just me…..?
Hmm. Haven’t found that myself. What kind of computer and browser are you using?