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Poetry for Children and Teenagers
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From: Megan Schliesman <Schliesman>
Date: Thu, 03 Apr 2003 12:57:29 -0600
Thank you to Kathy Isaacs for kicking off our discussion of poetry this month with reference to Sharon Creech's marvelous Love That Dog, and to her own upcoming Book Links article on novels in verse.
Love That Dog is an interesting blend of our two topics this month: outstanding books of poetry, and novels told through poems or verse. I find the original poems that comprise Love That Dog make for a compelling story--they feel authentic to the voice of a child. In them, we see Jack grow--as a writer, and as an individual who is moving through grief. And although his is the only voice in the novel, we nonethless get a delightful portrait of a terrific teacher-- sharp, savvy, caring Miss Stretchberry.
And then there are the poems Miss Sretchberry reads to her students, included at the back of the book--something every teacher and librarian to whom I've shown the book has greatly appreciated. It's not an anthology by any means, but it IS a wonderful look one way to integrate poetry--challenging poetry--into a classroom.
I can't imagine that Love That Dog doesn't inspire children to write their own poems, and Kathy's own experience with her sixth graders underscores that thought.
What are your favorite books to share to get children and young adults excited about poetry, or to invite them to take a closer look at the interior and exterior landscapes of their lives?
Megan
Megan Schliesman, Librarian Cooperative Children's Book Center School of Education, UW-Madison 600 N. Park St., Room 4290 Madison, Wi 53706 608&2?03 schliesman at education.wisc.edu
Received on Thu 03 Apr 2003 12:57:29 PM CST
Date: Thu, 03 Apr 2003 12:57:29 -0600
Thank you to Kathy Isaacs for kicking off our discussion of poetry this month with reference to Sharon Creech's marvelous Love That Dog, and to her own upcoming Book Links article on novels in verse.
Love That Dog is an interesting blend of our two topics this month: outstanding books of poetry, and novels told through poems or verse. I find the original poems that comprise Love That Dog make for a compelling story--they feel authentic to the voice of a child. In them, we see Jack grow--as a writer, and as an individual who is moving through grief. And although his is the only voice in the novel, we nonethless get a delightful portrait of a terrific teacher-- sharp, savvy, caring Miss Stretchberry.
And then there are the poems Miss Sretchberry reads to her students, included at the back of the book--something every teacher and librarian to whom I've shown the book has greatly appreciated. It's not an anthology by any means, but it IS a wonderful look one way to integrate poetry--challenging poetry--into a classroom.
I can't imagine that Love That Dog doesn't inspire children to write their own poems, and Kathy's own experience with her sixth graders underscores that thought.
What are your favorite books to share to get children and young adults excited about poetry, or to invite them to take a closer look at the interior and exterior landscapes of their lives?
Megan
Megan Schliesman, Librarian Cooperative Children's Book Center School of Education, UW-Madison 600 N. Park St., Room 4290 Madison, Wi 53706 608&2?03 schliesman at education.wisc.edu
Received on Thu 03 Apr 2003 12:57:29 PM CST
