*Image from indiebound.org
A. Bibliographic Data: Florian, Douglas. Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars. Orlando: Harcourt, Inc., 2007. ISBN 9780152053727
B. Critical Analysis: Plot Summary: These witty, educational and funny poems will take readers of all ages on a voyage to outer space! Each planet gets a visit, along with minor planets, the moon, black holes, comets, constellations, galaxies and many more stops! This book will be a great addition to classroom libraries looking to add some science to everyday reading. Douglas Florian did it again…these poems are out of this world!
Appeal: Who doesn’t want to travel to outer space? Speaking from personal experience, you don’t have to be a science whiz to find space interesting and exciting. All students, even those not interested in science will be drawn into this book. The illustrations, the shortness of the poems, the humor and of course the topic all come together to make this one highly appealing read for children! With endless facts and new tidbits of information, readers will automatically gain insight and increase their knowledge about space. Readers will also enjoy enhancing their linguistic skills as they see the different ways in which language can work together to present an idea. Lastly, with a topic like space and the planets- readers’ imaginations will be free to go as wild as they can!
Meaning: These are great concrete poems for young readers. Their highly non-fiction nature provide readers with quality information without the mundaneness of a textbook. Students will be learning while their laughing! There is no doubt that all readers, regardless of age, will immediately see the meaning of these poems and will surely look forward to gaining even more information about space and Douglas Florian’s poetry.
Rhythm and Sound: Every poem in this collection rhymes except one. Though the rhyming patterns differ with each poem, there is a definite sense of consistency achieved with this book. The poems are fluid and will be great to read aloud at any setting. Readers will find the poems easy to read and at a level acceptable to 2nd-5th grade readers. Each poem is titled and begins on its own page, complete with an entire page of illustrations and additional information. Repetition is also used to enhance the sound of the poems and the fluidity when reading them aloud.
Language: The language of these poems is mostly straight forward and to the point. Florian doesn’t use a lot of fluff words and instead focuses on the reality of the planets and presenting the facts in a simple yet humorous way. The occasional personification is used while similes and metaphors are nonexistent. The rhyming of the poems is natural and the language would be appealing to readers overall. The language used by Florian to present his ideas is done succinctly and uniquely while provoking new ideas in readers and encouraging imaginative feelings.
Imagery: Because the information in the poems is so straight forward, the imagery supported in these poems is limited. Though this may seem like a negative description, based on the topic and direction these poems were meant to go in, it isn’t at all! Readers will be able to create their own mental pictures of the planets, black holes, comets and galaxies based on Florian’s words but no emphasis is placed on meeting any of the other senses.
Emotional Impact: The predominant emotion that readers will gain from these poems is probably going to be awe and wonder. It’s always amazing to really think about outer space and how little we actually know compared to what’s out there and unknown. These poems have the power to spark curiosity, to get students thinking and excited about science and outer space, and may even encourage a reader to become an astronaut! Readers will laugh, they’ll think and they’ll definitely be emotionally impacted by reading these poems.
Layout and Organization: The table of contents found at the beginning of the books shows the organization of the entire book. The poems start by looking at what it means to skywatch, then goes into the universe and galaxy, the solar system, the sun, each planet (and moon), comets, constellations, black holes and the great beyond. Overall I would say the poems are effectively organized and are presented in a logical way. The illustrations are amazing! Cut-outs are used in the first few poems whereas the rest of the pages are decorated with beautiful paintings of colors and details. All but one of the poems has normal formatting and classic line breaks, the poem about galaxies is written in the shape of a spiral, immediately sparking readers’ interest. There is also a list of additional facts about outer space found at the back of the book.
C. Example: Poem Pluto
Pluto was a planet.
But now it doesn’t pass.
Pluto was a planet.
They say it’s lacking mass.
Pluto was a planet.
Pluto was admired.
Pluto was a planet.
Till one day it got fired.
Introduction: I think this poem would be great way to introduce a lesson on Pluto and the recent discoveries concerning the planet and its place in our solar system. I would begin by reading the poem to the class, asking for initial thoughts, background knowledge and hold an informal class discussion. I would then read the poem again and ask students to share what sticks out the most to them, and whether or not they think Pluto should be a planet. The class discussion based on the poem will provide a great Segway into researching and further exploring outer space in a science lesson.
Ideas for Sharing: Because repetition is used so much in this poem, I see splitting the class into two groups. One group would say and repeat “Pluto was a planet” every time it appears in the poem. The other group would read the other lines in the poem. The poem could then be read again, having the two groups switch roles. This strategy is called call-and-response. I think this would also be a great poem to share at the beginning or end of the science fair, science showcase, or used in the science center.
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