Diamond Willow

*Image from tahleensreads.bogspot.com

A. Bibliographic Data: Frost, Helen. Diamond Willow. New York: Frances Foster Books, 2008. ISBN 9780374317768

B. Critical Analysis: Plot Summary: This is the story of a young girl named Diamond Willow and her journey to becoming a woman. Through these diamond shaped poems, and their “hidden messages” readers will travel with Willow as she meets adversities ranging from best friend troubles to the dangers of traveling alone and unknown places. An award-winning book, this verse novel is sure to help readers make the leap from enjoying poetry, to loving it!   

Appeal: This book doesn’t feel a lot like a poetry novel. I think this is a huge appealing point to readers, especially those reluctant to give poetry a chance. Instead, readers are left with an easy flowing novel that just so happens to be written with poems. The experiences presented in this book are both highly relatable and interesting, also adding to the overall appeal of this book to young adult readers. Insight and knowledge into the Alaskan people is also given, as well as ways to enhance vocabulary and creativity. Though figurative language is used, the poems are easy to understand and follow. Undoubtedly these poems do a wonderful job at stimulating the imaginations and emotions of readers! There’s a little bit of Willow in all of us!

Meaning: Because the poems work together to tell a fictional story, I would say that for the most part they have concrete meanings. Though the poems are rooted in fiction, the poems are still straight forward and upfront to the reader. With further digging, readers will surely be able to find abstract meaning in the poems and apply themes to deeper and bigger meanings; overall though, I would describe the poems as concrete.

Rhythm and Sound: The poems do not rhyme yet there is a degree of rhythm that’s achieved when reading the poems out loud. Each page and each poem is individual in its vocabulary, spacing and dialogue but a consistency is present as well. The sound of the poems is very natural and is not cluttered with sound devices. The occasional alliteration or consonance is used to enhance the rhythm and pattern of the poems.

Language: As mentioned before, the language in these poems is quite simple and easy for readers to follow. There is some evidence of figurative language though in the occasional use of similes and metaphors. I think this take on language is very effective for achieving the sense of novel versus poetry. Though each page and its beautiful diamond design is a reminder that this book is indeed poetry, the reader is completely capable of getting lost in the plot and storyline over the use of fancy language and constant sound devices.

Imagery: Frost incorporates a lot of imagery through all five of the senses. Most often, sight, touch and smell are brought to life through endless details and mental pictures. This will give readers even more opportunities to feel connected to the story and ready to make connections to everyday life. When students are able to see what Willow sees, they will be more likely to feel what she feels as well…leaving lasting impressions and room for building connections.

Emotional Impact: Readers of all ages will have the opportunity to emotionally relate to at least one character in the book at all times. With such an emotional and winding voyage, responding is easy and unavoidable! The tone of the book overall is more serious, sprinkled with the occasional humor or light-heartedness. Willow has a lot to learn and readers will be learning right along with her.

Layout and Organization: The book begins with a note from the author in which Helen Frost explains her interest and personal connection to this book. Readers will learn how she came up with the idea for this book, her inspiration and what a diamond willow means to her personally. The novel then begins with one diamond shaped poem on just about every page. Thoughts from Willow’s great-great grandfather, grandmother and other relatives are given sporadically in normal paragraph form. The book finishes with acknowledgements.

C. Example: Poem: Untitled, page 19

All

my life,

this has been

my favorite place.

Grandma’s beadwork

on the table, Grandpa’s furs

stretched out to dry, the smell of

woodsmoke mingling with the smell

of moose meat frying on the stove.

As soon as I walk in, I see that

Grandma’s made a batch of

doughnuts. It’s how she

tells me, without

saying much,

she’s happy

that I’m

here.

Introduction: Because these poems should be read together, I would introduce the book as a whole with a focus on the novel itself versus poetry. I would show students the pages with the diamond poems and ask them for their initial thoughts. I would then readdress those thoughts once we finished reading the book and ask them if their opinion or thoughts on what the book would be like has changed. What does that mean then for their opinion of poetry?

Ideas for Sharing: I think these poems would be great shared in small groups or reading circles. This gives students opportunity to discuss the poems, ask questions and expand on certain experiences in a more comfortable setting. Each group could be asked to share their favorite poem, or act out the poem in a Readers’ Theatre type exercise. 

Lemonade and Other Poems Squeezed from a Single Word

* Image from wakingbraincells.com

A. Bibliographic Data: Raczka, Bob. Lemonade and Other Poems Squeezed from a Single Word. Illustrated by Nancy Doniger. New York: Roaring Book Press, 2011. ISBN 9781596435414

B. Critical Analysis: Plot Summary: This is a collection of poems, exactly as the title states, squeezed from one, single word. Topics range from lemonade (of course), moonlight, constellations, playgrounds, and earthworms to flowers, chocolate, Halloween, friends, and snowflakes. A total of twenty-two poems are given, each one guaranteed to capture the imaginations of readers while sparking laughter and creativity! I’ve never seen anything like this!

Appeal: I think the major point of appeal for readers would be that there is no way any reader will feel overwhelmed when opening this book. Instead, readers are met with a great introduction into poetry with poems they can truly understand and enjoy. With such a wide variety of topics, all readers are sure to be engaged and interested. Though the readers’ knowledge on the specific topics may not be enriched, the vocabulary and art of making new words out of one word will definitely be expanded and enlightened. The poems are easily understood but readers will be left wondering how Raczka was able to do it! Hopefully readers will also be eager to try to duplicate the form on their own.

Meaning: There are representations of both types of meaning in this book- concrete and abstract. While most poems have literal meanings and can be directly applied to common knowledge and real life, some poems take on a much more whimsical feel. These poems are a little more outside the box and force readers to find the connection between words and title versus building upon the more concrete meanings. Both types of meaning are beneficial to readers and help enhance the overall perks of reading poetry.

Rhythm and Sound: The patterns of these poems are distinctive to each individual poem. Each poem also uses its own sound devices such as alliteration, assonance, and consonance. Very few of the poems rhyme, while almost all contain some amount of repetition. When reading these poems aloud, readers will be interested to see how each poem differs from the rest and how the rhythm and sound of the poems forms consistency even though each poem is completely different.

Language: Though the language of these poems is very simple, Raczka manages to squeeze in some figurative language along the way. Examples of this language can be seen through: personification, similes, and metaphors all of which add to the readers’ personal vocabulary and language use.

Imagery: Most often, the sense of sight and hearing are supported through these poems. With so little letters to choose from, this in itself is an art! Readers will be able to create their own mental pictures and with the help of the illustrations done by Doniger, will surely have ample room to let their imaginations loose.

Emotional Impact: The tone and mood of these poems is light hearted and happy. Readers will laugh at some of the poems, smile, or simply nod their head in agreement. With such a variety of topics there is also plenty of room for readers to make their own connections, tap into prior knowledge, and apply these poems to future experiences. The ability to relate is a great way to measure whether a certain book would be a good addition to a library or not, and I would say yes- this book definitely provides relatable poems!

Layout and Organization: The book begins with a table of contents and a note from the author stating why and how he began writing poems from a single word. He outlines the spacing and formatting of the poems by explaining them in detail and providing an example. The poems then begin. On one page the poems are written in the way Raczka intends for them to be read (the page is white, the title is in black and the poem is in red) with the correct spacing and line breaks. On the back of the page (a red page with white writing), the poem is given in a more succinct, readable, “normal” format. These second pages can be very helpful! The illustrations are simple and provide just enough support to the poems without overshadowing or overwhelming the language or point. The poems are organized in a semi-thematic way and seem to be in relation to the seasons.  

C. Example: Poem: Flowers

                                   we

                                         s

                                low

                              F o     r

                              F        r

                                     E

                                     E

                                  W

                                ow     s

*The point of these poems is for each letter used in the poem to stay in the same column as the letter in the title. Really hard to explain, but it provides a great format! Translation of the above poem:

Flowers

We

Slow

For

Free

wows

Introduction: In some ways I feel that the poems in this book provide readers with a riddle of sorts. Without giving students the title of the poems, I would read the words and allow time for students to think about what the poem could be about. After having class discussion and allowing students to share their predictions, I would give students the title and see if anyone came close. This could be used for a number of poems in this book.

Ideas for Sharing: The line breaking in these poems is so unique that I think in sharing them, readers should stick with unison. I think this will provide the biggest impact and give all students an opportunity to participate in the sharing of the poem.

Meow Ruff: A Story in Concrete Poetry

*Image from old.textproject.org

A. Bibliographic Data: Sidman, Joyce. Meow Ruff: A Story in Concrete Poetry. Illustrated by Michelle Berg. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2006. ISBN 9780618448944

B. Critical Analysis: Plot Summary: This is the short story of an unlikely friendship between an abandoned cat and an escape-artist dog. After overcoming their fears of a thunderstorm, their coldness from the rain and establishing a common enemy, these two opposites explore the park and meet a happy ending with friendship and a warm home. The illustrations and comical nature of this poem will turn even the most reluctant readers into lovers of concrete poetry!

Appeal: Though young students may not be familiar with concrete poetry initially, the topic and illustrations in this book are definitely enough to draw them in and leave them satisfied with what they find! Everyone loves a classic cat and dog story- especially with so much going on in each illustration (even the sidewalks have their own concrete poems). This story has the ability to capture and keep readers’ attention…easily. Though these poems don’t particularly extend or enrich knowledge, they will introduce this form of poetry and expand their linguistic abilities. Readers’ imaginations will be ready to create their own concrete poems!

Meaning: The meaning of these poems is definitely concrete. The poems are straight forward and rely more so on their unusual placement rather than fancy words, metaphors and abstract meanings. The story is simple and will appeal to the very youngest of readers. Older readers will be able to take away the experience of the poems and look forward to creating their own concrete poems about a topic of their own interest.

Rhythm and Sound: Sidman uses a lot of onomatopoeia in this book. In fact, I would say this is the only sound device she uses in the entire book! Each page does not rhyme, yet a distinct pattern is still established when reading the story aloud. This is again, achieved through the placement of each word and line breaks. Though some of the books are repeated (making them of course have the same meter and pattern) most poems are distinct in their pattern and meter.

Language: As I mentioned before, the language of this book is very light and juvenile. I don’t mean that in a negative way, just that this book would be a great introductory resource to introduce readers to concrete poetry for the first time. With such simple language, readers are given the freedom to explore each poem without worrying about missing the meaning or underlying message. This also allows readers to fully enjoy concrete poetry and create an appreciation for the form before exploring more complex concrete poems.  

Imagery: The readers’ sense of sound is most often engaged throughout this book. This is a reflection of the amount of onomatopoeias used and the many sounds available to use when setting a story in nature. The wind, birds, ants, thunder, lightning and rain are among the different sounds Sidman was able to bring to life. Readers will undoubtedly be able to hear the many sounds, as well as the occasional sight presented in this book.

Emotional Impact: As one would suspect, the overall tone and mood of this book is fairly light-hearted and fun. Aside from the slight sadness the reader may feel (like me) for the cat when its left alone, and when both animals are scared and wet- readers will feel satisfied and content with the happy ending. Readers may be able to relate to finding friends in even the most unexpected places and will enjoy making connections between their own relationships and the one created between this cat and dog.

Layout and Organization: Because this is one story told through different concrete poems, they aren’t arranged according to a particular theme. Instead, the poems achieve fluidity. The illustrations are great in this book! They are bright, bold and allow plenty of space for Sidman to show her poems in the many different shapes and forms. The overall visual design of this book is very pleasing! With concrete poems the formatting, spacing and line breaks are pivotal in achieving a successful story- Sidman does so beautifully.

C. Example: Poem: (In the shape of a tree)

Each

Leaf

A map of

Branches

Each twig

A branch

Of leaves

Each branch

A tree of twigs

Each tree

A green

Haired

Slim

Chested

Great

Hearted gnarl-armed

Strong

Legged

Deep-rooted

One

Introduction: Though these concrete poems are made to be shared together to tell a complete story, I do think this poem could stand alone. In introducing it to students, I would begin by first reading the poem aloud and asking students to draw a picture of what’s described as I read. Of course the students will know the poem is about a tree (though there is no title) but it will be interesting to see their own interpretations of what a tree looks like. Once everyone has shared their drawings, I will show the illustration in the book and re-read the poem aloud. Class discussion will be encouraged as well as a time for students to share their opinions about this particular type of poetry.

Ideas for Sharing: Because there are so many lines to this poem, I think it would be neat for students to share this poem one by one. I envision the students in their own tree formation sharing each line while holding a leaf with their word on it. A little corny, but I think it would have a really nice effect in the end!