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.