Joan Bransfield Graham

A unique concept, beautifully executed (except for a couple of slant rhymes). Science and poetry pair well and the art works exceedingly well to support these concrete poems about the Earth and its many landforms, from arches ("No two the same...we are both art and frame") to caves to hoodoos to archipelagos ("A chain, a ribbon, a story of islands like stars in a constellation").

Back matter includes a short paragraph on each poem topic, photos, a glossary, and additional resources.

See show more also: Stalactite & Stalagmite by Drew Beckmeyer show less

I almost passed on this one. My kid found it at the library and put it in my lap, but briefly leafing through it I was at first put off by the style of the illustrations, which I found rather hideous. My son insisted however, and wouldn't let me put it away, so we ended up reading through the poems. And it was a fun and positive experience. As we progressed through the book, I started appreciating these examples of "concrete poetry", all around the theme of light. Some of them are pretty show more amazing, as the one with the candle, the lighthouse, the one about the sun and the earth, or the firefly. My son was intrigued and enchanted by the way the words made up both the verse and the illustration, and I took pleasure in reciting the short poems, some of which flowed really well actually. show less

This visually striking book features concrete poems shaped like volcanoes, glaciers, and other geological wonders. The poems are both informative and artistic, combining scientific facts with creative form. A treat for the eyes and the brain.

Wemmick is a small puppet village where the puppets put dots on each other to tell if someone is pretty or ugly. However, not everyone receives stickers. If you are pretty and talented you receive star stickers, if you are ugly you receive only dots. Punchinello is a young puppet who does not have very smooth wood and was considered rough. Punchinello wanted to be pretty so he could get star stickers until he meets a girl who has no stickers at all. Punchinello wants to how and why she has show more no stickers and she tells him to go and visit their creator. Punchinello goes and visits the creator and is told she has no stickers because she does not care what the others think, it only matters what is on the inside. Punchinello leaves the creator and stickers begin to fall off.

I really could relate to this story because my parents always tell me that what’s on the inside is most important.

One way to use this book in class is to explain and open a discussion with the students that it does not matter what kind of clothes you wear on the outside but how you are on the inside is what matter most. The teacher could bring attention to the characteristics of sharing, caring, loving, and simply being nice are things that matter most on the inside. Another way to use this book is to tell the children that everyone is different on the outside and that each of them is special in their own ways. Then have the children write down ways in which they are special. show less