Picture Poetry Book: Dictionary for a Better World by Irene Latham & Charles Waters

Poems, Quotes, and Anecdotes from A to Z

Illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini

2020, Carolrhoda Books

120 pgs.

Goodreads rating:  4.68 - 213 ratings

Goodreads blurb:  How can we make the world a better place? This resource for middle-grade readers is organized as a dictionary; each entry presents a word related to creating a better world, such as ally, empathy, or respect. For each word, there is a poem, a quote, a personal anecdote from the authors, and a "try it" prompt for an activity.

EMPATHY

Ears open

Mouth closed

Paying

Attention

To the other person

Helping them know

Yes, they matter.

                Charles Waters

                 an acrostic poem

COURAGE

Sometimes

courage can be

getting up to face life's

stormy world when you'd rather hide

in bed.

                  Charles Waters

                   a cinquain

KINDNESS

Kindness boards a bus.

Kindness stands

so you can sit.

Kindness unwraps

a sandwich

and gives you the bigger half.

                    Irene Latham

                    a cherita (a three-stanza poem that tells a story.  The first stanza has one line and sets the scene, the second stanza has two lines, and the third stanza has three lines.)

VOICE

a poem for two voices

I like to shout                I like to whisper

loud, proud,                   tender,

strong words                  remember-me words.

                 words have power

words can split a city     words can rain down,

with the speed                 bringing spring bouquets

of an earthquake              to a barren desert

Picture Book - A Poem in Your Pocket by Margaret McNamara

Illustrated by G. Brian Karas
2015 Schwartz & Wade Books

HC $16.99

32 pgs.

Goodreads rating:  3.94 - 355 ratings

My rating:  5, It's a terrific book

Endpapers:  Deinm blue with denim pockets with slips of papers (with words) sticking out of each
  

1^st line/s:  "Mr. Tiffin's class had never had an author visit them before."

My comments: This is a terrific book, telling both the story of a teacher and his class and the cool way he teaches them about poetry - including similes, metaphor, concrete poetry,  acrostic poetry, and haiku.  And, so importantly, that poetry doesn't have to rhyme!  There's a bit of a theme about not trying to be perfect, as one of the clever kids in the class never writes a poem because she doesn't think it's good enough.  (Funny that no one's ever written a book about kids writing really bad poems...)

Goodreads:  Usher in National Poetry Month with Mr. Tiffin and his students, stars of the hugely popular How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? and The Apple Orchard Riddle. 
          Once again, Margaret McNamara sets her playful, child-friendly story in the classroom, and this time, poetry—from metaphors to acrostics to haiku—is the name of the game. The focus here is on Elinor, whose confidence falters as she tries to write something "perfect" for Poem in Your Pocket Day and impress a visiting poet. G. Brian Karas's accessible, adorable illustrations add to the fun.
          Includes a list of Mr. Tiffin's tips for celebrating Poem in Your Pocket Day.
          "A nimble introduction to poetry as well as a sensitive look at the perils of perfectionism." —The New York Times
          "Pair this book with the works of Shel Silverstein, Paul B. Janeczko, Jack Prelutsky, Douglas Florian, or Robert Louis Stevenson." —School Library Journal, Starred

POETRY PICTURE BOOK - Book Speak! - Laura Purdis Salas

Poems About Books
illustrated by Josee Bisaillon
2011, Clarion Books (Houghton Mifflin)
32 pages
Goodreads rating:  4.31
cag:  5
21 poems - all about books and words!
Endpapers:   Plummy, purple gorgeous
Illustrations:  mixed media, collage, washes and paper cuts - a REAL mix of media!

One of the poems is a poem for 3 voices - about the beginning, middle, and end, from each point-of-view.  A class could present - but I need to get my hands on two more copies of the book!

The author's from Minneapolis, the illustrator's from Quebec.

CALLING ALL READERS

I'll tell you a story.
I'll spin you a rhyme.
I'll spill some ideas ----
and we'll travel through time.

Put down the controller.
Switch off the TV.
Abandon the mouse and
just hand out with me.

I promise adventure.
Come on, take a look!
On a day like today,
there's no friend like a book.

TOP SECRET

Describe your desires and they become mine.
I'm a treasure box where feelings can shine.
All thinkers need pages where dreams can take flight.
Reveal all
Your secrets, one entry per night.

BOOK PLATE

I don't need your napkin.

I'm not your soup bowl's mate.

I don't want your peas or bread.

I'm not that kind of plate!

Write your name upon me.

I'm a paper love tattoo.

Paste me in your book to show

That I belong to you.

POETRY - Please Bury Me In the Library - J. Patrick Lewis

illustrated by Kyle M. Stone

2005, Gulliver Books

Goodreads rating:  4.03

My rating:  3.5

32 pages, 16 poems

Endpapers:  Pale yellow

Illustrations:  Cover the page from edge to edge with color (though many facing pages, with the poem, are on white. Acrylic paint and mixed media.

16 poems about the library, and books.  Many are based on poems of others (similar rhyme, rhythm).  Of them all, the two following most speak to me...I really love "Acknowledgements"

Necessary Gardens

Libraries

Are

Necessary

Gardens,

Unsurpassed

At

Growing

Excitement.

Acknowledgments

Whose book this is I hardly know,

Considering the debt I owe

To Lewis Carroll and Edward Lear.

To X. J. K. - a toast (root beer)!

To Shel and Jack, and Myra Cohn,

Who always give this pup a bone.

To those word wizards I've left out,

The only thing to do is shout:

Who book is this?  The bottom line . . .

It's partly theirs.  It's partly mine.

POETRY - Silver Seeds – Paul Paolilli & Dan Brewer

Paintings by Steve Johnson & Lou Fancher

32 pgs.

2001, Penguin

HC $15.99

“Ages 5-9”

Endpapers:  Dark green

Title page: Cream, center 3 inches is a square of green with a hummingbird sippi9ng nectar from a purple, petunia-like flower.

Super acrostic poems -- Acrostic poems that REALLY make sense –finally, some great models for kids (and me!)

Down goes the moon

And up comes the sun,

Welcoming the

New day.

Sliding through the window,

Underneath the door,

Nudging us out to play.

Tiny hands

Reaching up from the

Earth, tickling an

Enormous

Sky.

Bobbing

Up and down;

Twinkling

Through the air

Ever so gently,

Roaming among the

Flowers

Landing lightly on

Your shoulder.

                (I’m going to make a poster for this poem RIGHT NOW!!!)

Creamy scoops of ice cream

Lying

Out

Under a

Dreamy blue

Sky.

Okay, okay, I won’t put all of them.  But this is another poetry book that should be in EVERY classroom library, young or old!