Steady Hands: Poems About Work

Beginning in morning and ending at night, this poetry collection celebrates some of the many jobs that make up our economy. Some of these jobs, like teachers, will be well known to children, but others, such as organizer, are likely to be new areas broadening children’s concept of what constitutes work. Some jobs focus on concrete goods, like baker or mail carrier, while others focus on services, such as librarian and lifeguard, while still others focus on creative processes, i.e., writer and artist. The author is also wise in choosing not to fall into gender stereotypes in her job descriptions – instead, we see a female electrician and a male flight attendant, to name a couple.

The author is clearly perceptive, as evidenced by such show more descriptors as the administrative assistant punching out at five o’clock sharp and the babysitter chatting on the phone with her best friend once the children are in bed. The choice of free-verse poetry allows for the additional lesson that not all poetry has to rhyme, but also is less didactic than a prose format, so parents and teachers might have to give additional explanations for certain jobs. Still, this book is an excellent tool for opening up a conversation about working and the availability of a multitude of different jobs for varied interests and talents.

In addition, the multi-layered illustrations, which make use of various media, literally pop from the page and will draw children’s attention to the book while leaving a lasting visual impression associated with each job.

I reviewed this for EconKids. See the full review here: http://www.fas.rutgers.edu/cms/econkids/index.php?option=com_content&task=vi... show less

Steady Hands is a unique collection of free verse poems describing the working day for a wide selection of jobs. Although the poems are not structured in a predictable way, they are well written and full of descriptive language and playful ideas. The collage illustrations are intriguing, if not warmly inviting.

Zimmer, T.V. (2009). Steady Hands: Poems about work. New York: Clarion.

9780618903511

Structured as sharing the events of a day, Steady Hands shares descriptive poems about various jobs, including such occupations as waiter, electrician, baker, artist, surgeon, park ranger, etc.

The people pictured in the various occupations are representative of multiple racial backgrounds and ages. While many of the jobs incorporated in the book are ones often not thought of, the vast majority are middle class jobs, with few education expectations. I go back and forth between thinking this is wonderful and realistic and thinking it’s dismissing children’s futures before they even have a chance to get that far in their education. Thoughts? Tipping show more the scales toward the positive side, there’s also non-stereotypical gender representations as well.

When speaking about this book of poems, Zimmer has revealed that it feels very much like her own family photo album. In fact, the illustrators, Megan Halsey and Sean Addy, incorporated the work gloves and eyes of Zimmer’s own father on the page with the poem “Welder."

Activities to Do with the Book:

Students could write about school as though it were their job. Or they could create poems about the occupations of their various family members.

A teacher could also ask students which jobs appeal to them and why.

Also, following the style of Halsey and Addy’s illustrations, students could create a class scrapbook, with each incorporating images and poems about their school year together.


Favorite Quotes:

“Hot showers and fresh coffee
transform zombies
into humans,”

“The tow truck driver
fishes in the city.”

“Paid daydreamer
imaginary soothsayer
odd-fact researcher,
the writer”

“The clerk
is glad she doesn’t have to see
what becomes of the clothes she sells—
the perfect folded
pastel polo shirt
crumpled up
on a customer’s bathroom floor.”

For more of my reviews, visit sjkessel.blogspot.com. show less

From grocery clerk to librarian to ballet instructor to surgeon, there's a career for everyone in Zimmer's charming poems about work.