Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices (1988)

Overview-
This book is written in poem/lyrical form, and it is about the differnt noises insects make. It goes through insects by name and thats a new chapter so to speak. These chapters explain how the insects act, make their sounds, and how they live. It is very interesting and fun to read becuase of the format.

Personal Reaction-
I found this book interesting and fun to read. It has a happy feel and jumpy rhythm. I think it would be good in a classroom because of the way the teacher could read it. Almost like a song or dance feel.

Classroom Extension Ideas-
1. This would be a good book for a poetry lesson starter.

2. A teacher could also use this book to read to students before they learn about insects.

Read this for Children's Mat and really enjoyed it. Lots of fun with poetry and a great book for classrooms and read alouds ( )

Found a hardcover edition at Value Village for under a buck, hidden among the grownup "literature." Yeah, it's for two voices . . . and I hate having to read multiple voice poems aloud. But . . . the boy cannot resist bug poems, especially when the end papers are illustrated with a stick bug reading a book. ( )

Children's Book Review #1

Fleischman, Paul. Title: Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices. New York: Harper Trophy, 1988

Characters: Grasshoppers, water striders, mayflies, honeybees

Setting: Gardens, trees, sky, pond

Theme: Nature, time, Spring, life, family

Genre: Poetry

Golden Quote: "We're mayflies by the millions, fevered, frenzied, rushed. No Redwood's centuries to squander as we please."

Summary: Readers can spend a moment of time being a bee, a grasshopper, fireflies, or booklice! Experience the plight of mayflies as they explain that they live only for one day. Fireflies compare themselves to artists in flight, while moths serenade porch lights, and digger wasps lament about how a mother will prepare for her offspring, taking great care, knowing that they will never get to see her alive.

Audience: Children aged 8-12, middle school, and early high school

Curriculum: Figurative language: personification, onomatopoeia, similes, metaphors

Awards: 1989 Newbery Medal

Personal Response: I found this book to be very unusual in style, but very fun, and interesting at the same time. It is intended to be read by two readers at a time, each reader taking on a "character." Readers speak independently and together at various times in the poems, which helps to create a sort of acting out atmosphere. I loved that the characters and topics were insects, and thing that lots of children and young middle schoolers would truly enjoy practicing getting the timing just right on these poems. I would bet that it would be fun and challenging for students to develop their own two voice poems as well. ( )

Summary - This is a book of poems for two voices. One reads the right side while the other reads the left side. The poems are of different kinds of insects like grasshoppers, wasps, and fireflies. Some of the poems are sad while others are funny.
Personal reaction - I liked how the poems needed two voices to read. I really enjoyed this poem book.
Extension I - Have different kinds of plastic insects for the students to see and touch. Have the students tell what they learned about one of these insects.
Extension II - Give the students a piece of paper and have them write a poem about their favorite insect.