Book Review: POETREES
1. Bibliographic Data
Florian, Douglas. 2011. POETREES. Ill. by Douglas
Florian. Beach Lane Books. ISBN: B00702M6US
2. Plot Summary
This is a very first poetry book by Douglas Florian, and it is
a collection of poems about trees. Florian uses witty, rhythmic and visually
appealing poems to explain different types of trees, their history, and their
role in the environment to young readers. He has illustrated all the poems and has
incorporated the text into his illustrations in a very creative way. The poems are
humorous and know how to deliver information in a smart way, using, for
example, the term “his-tree” for history and at the same time making the
readers appreciate the role of trees in the world. The last part of the book
has the appearance of a glossary where more factual information about the trees
presented in the poems can be found.
3. Critical Analysis
The pace of this collection is well controlled by Florian’s
great control of rhythm and rhyme. The flow of words is natural as to mimic the
motion of trees, thus making the poetry rather organic. This use of final consonant
timing throughout the poems gives the text a strongly poetic and often amusing
delivery.
The organization of the text in visual form also plays a
crucial role in the interpretation of poetic works. For instance, in a poem
about tree rings, the words are circled around a tree stump to emphasize the
concepts of growth and time. In one more, the word ‘spreading’ is written
across the page, which gives the visual representation of how the tree roots
expand underground. Such an approach to the text layout enriches the reader’s
experience and makes it more engaging and playful for children.
As for the wordplay, the author of the book is quite
inventive and, at the same time, pedagogical. The title POETREES is self-explanatory,
the author has used the term POETREES, a combination of POETRY and TREES to
create the title of the book and, indeed the whole collection. Scientific
information is introduced in a way that is both enjoyable and easy to remember.
One of the funniest quatrains describes a monkey climbing up a tree and ending
with the question of how he gets down being left as a ‘mystery.’ This encourages children’s interest in the
questions they have and their imagination.
The pictures help to implement the concept of the poetic
works and make the trees come to life. Florian’s mixed media paintings are textual
and realistic, in harmony with the humorous but educational tone of the verses.
The color scheme is very natural and tends to earth colors which go well with
the subject of the book. The end has a glossary of trees, Glossatree, with
factual information about each tree separate from the poetry, and a note from
the author about why he wrote the book and his love of trees.
In general, POETREES is a perfect measure of what a
children’s nature poetry book should be: it educates through entertainment,
while entertaining through education, and does all this with the help of
poetry.
4. Review Excerpts
- Kirkus
Reviews: "Trees receive a witty and informative rhyming
appreciation... The poems live up to his usual high standard... Readers
and listeners will learn and laugh."
- Booklist:
"Starting with the book’s title and ending with a final
'glossatree,' the wordplay in Florian’s latest poetry collection provides
plenty of fun... The final fascinating notes on each tree, and on leaves,
stems, and roots, spell out the call for conservation that is part of the
poetry and pictures."
5. Connections
- Poetry
Activity: Have students create their own shape poems about nature,
using word placement to mimic elements like waves, mountains, or leaves.
- Science
Connection: Use the book as an introduction to a unit on trees and
their importance to the environment. Discuss how trees grow, their
different parts, and how they help our planet.
- Other
Books by Douglas Florian:
- INSECTLOPEDIA
(ISBN: 978-0152163357)
- LIZARDS,
FROGS, AND POLLIWOGS (ISBN: 978-0152052484)
- COMETS,
STARS, THE MOON, AND MARS (ISBN: 978-0152053726)
Book Review: ORCHARDS
1. Bibliographic Data
Thompson, Holly. 2012. ORCHARDS. Random House
Children’s Books. ISBN: 978-0385739788
2. Plot Summary
ORCHARDS is a novel in verse that explores the themes
of grief, guilt, and healing following the suicide of a classmate. The story
follows Kana, a half-Japanese, half-Jewish eighth grader, who is sent to stay
with her extended family in rural Japan after her classmate Ruth takes her own
life. Kana struggles with anger, confusion, and self-reflection, blaming Ruth
for her decision while also questioning her own role in the bullying that may
have contributed to it. Through her time in Japan, she begins to reflect on her
culture, family, and the weight of her choices, ultimately realizing the
importance of empathy and choosing to live with purpose. The novel’s lyrical
structure and introspective voice make Kana’s emotional journey raw, real, and
deeply personal.
3. Critical Analysis
Thompson’s choice of using free verse makes Kana’s thinking
and feelings flow like a diary. The absence of rigid rhyme creates a sense of
comfort, as if Thompson is sharing a private conversation with the reader,
something Kana can easily converse with her inner thoughts. The positioning of
the lines and white spaces is also done in a way that depicts the meaning of
certain words; hesitation and comprehension is shown through pauses. For
instance, when Kana denies doing anything, the space is left to the reader to
reflect on that guilt, as she does as well. It also gives the story more depth and
makes some interactions more impactful, such as her mother’s hissed
response. Japanese culture also helps
Kana in her process of healing. Throughout the novel, Thompson includes
Japanese words and practices, and each time she defines them, which helps the
reader understand more. Obon festival is particularly significant and contributes
to the development of the main ideas, especially the idea of respect for the
past and decision to live in the present. Also, Newton’s Third Law of Motion is
used figuratively for the unexpected news from home, for every action there is
an equal and opposite reaction. The aftermath
of Ruth’s suicide is depicted as a broken beaded necklace – every girl is now
scattered, lost, and searching for her place. This scientific metaphor helps to
continue the idea of the effects of actions and their consequences in a subtle
way. The organization and layout of the
novel is quite good and thus makes it easy to read. Not many illustrations are
used but the black and white drawings are used at moderate intervals, and they
help to bring out some important concepts. The age range (12-17) is good
because the book deals with issues like mental health, bullying and identity to
young adults in a way that they can
relate to. The emotional effect is very intense, especially in the moments, for
example, when the mother of Ruth tells the girls, “Choose to live.”
4. Review Excerpts
- School
Library Journal (Starred Review): "Thompson has crafted an
exquisite, thought-provoking story of grief and healing that will resonate
with teen readers and give them much to discuss."
- Kirkus
Reviews: "A fast-paced page-turner that explores the rippling
effects of suicide."
- Booklist:
"Readers will want to talk about the big issues, especially the
guilt of doing nothing."
5. Connections
- Discussion
Activity: Use the Newton’s Third Law metaphor in a class
discussion on how individual actions can create ripple effects in
friendships, families, and communities.
- Writing
Activity: Have students write a personal reflection in verse
about a moment they regret or learned from, mimicking the style of ORCHARDS.
- Related
Books:
- FALLING
INTO THE DRAGON'S MOUTH by Holly Thompson (ISBN: 978-0803739773) –
another novel in verse exploring bullying and resilience.
- THE
LANGUAGE INSIDE by Holly Thompson (ISBN: 978-0385374194) – a verse
novel about identity and cross-cultural connections.
- INSIDE
OUT & BACK AGAIN by Thanhhà Lai (ISBN: 978-0061962790) – a verse
novel about a young girl’s refugee experience and emotional journey.
Book Review: ZOOBILATIONS!: ANIMAL POEMS AND PAINTINGS
1. Bibliographic Data
Florian, Douglas. 2022. ZOOBILATIONS!: ANIMAL POEMS AND
PAINTINGS. Ill. by Douglas Florian. Beach Lane Books. ISBN: 978-1534465909
2. Plot Summary
In ZOOBILATIONS! Douglas Florian has created a playful and
humorous book of poems about animals in verse and illustrations. In the form of
poetry, each creature is presented with a witty turn of phrase, a pun, and a
good rhythmic meter that will appeal to children and adults alike. Each poem is
funny in its own way: a giraffe’s residence is called ‘Gir-Africa,’ and the caw
of a crow is expressed on the phonemic level. Thus, every poem is different and
funny in its own way. The jokes, the witty language, such as calling a
giraffe’s habitat Gir-Africa, and playing with the sound of a crow’s caw , fit well with Florian’s whimsical
illustrations done in chalk and in a
cartoonish fashion that suit the light mood of the poems. Full of interactive
language, this collection contains bold words and visual wordplay that will
appeal to young readers looking to have fun with poetry.
3. Critical
Analysis
Florian’s rhythm and rhyme are natural, which means that the
reader is able to focus on the content discussed without much intervention. The
rhyme scheme does not seem to be imposed in any of the poems, which makes for
smooth and easy reading. Some of the other devices that he uses include word
play and puns which are humorous and involve the use of pun to arrive at the
meaning of a word as in the case of antelope where he plays on the word ‘elope’ to create comedy in the poem ‘Parrots
parrot.’ These creative elements are not
only fun, but also serve to teach phonemic awareness to young readers,
in a fun way.
The visual
arrangement of the poems also plays a role in their meaning. For instance,
Florian stands the word ‘giraffe’ vertically to mimic its tallness and has fun
with the letter ‘l’ in the llama poem, using it in ‘llamas llove, llive, llike,
llearn, llay. Emphasis is placed on certain words, such as the use of Star in
starling and Thick and I’m strong for the African elephant, while italicizing horsing
around brings out the playful aspect. The teacher can use these text features
to help the young readers to decode the meaning of the text and have fun doing
so.
The illustrations are also funny and are done in cartoon
form and the chalk textures that the drawings have given the poems the perfect
comic feel that the poems have. The cartoon-like illustrations in bright colors
are in harmony with the funny and active text, which gives the feel of a lively
book. The age-appropriate design of the book (for ages 4-8) will help children
to be able to interact with the text in a very basic way and relate to it on a
visual and linguistic level.
In general, ZOOBILATIONS! is a charming and comical poetry
anthology that is accompanied by humorous artwork and offers an exciting approach
to the animal world for children. In this regard, the use of language, visual
word play, and rhythmic devices to develop this work makes it a good example of
a poetry collection for early elementary students.
4. Review Excerpts
- Horn
Book: "Florian’s experimentation with word meanings and usage
models how to have fun with writing, imagery, and verse."
5. Connections
- Poetry
Activity: Have students create their own animal poems using
Florian’s style—playing with rhymes, puns, and creative text placement.
- Art
& Literacy Connection: After reading, students can illustrate
their own animal poems using chalk drawings to mirror Florian’s art
style.
- Related
Books by Douglas Florian:
- BEAST
FEAST: POEMS & PAINTINGS (ISBN: 978-0152017377) – Another
animal-themed poetry collection with engaging wordplay.
- LIZARDS,
FROGS, AND POLLIWOGS (ISBN: 978-0152052484) – A playful introduction
to reptiles and amphibians in verse.
- COWS
AND SHEEP AND CHICKS THAT CHEEP (ISBN: 978-1534465923) – A
farm-themed poetry collection similar in style and humor.
Book Review: BROWN GIRL DREAMING
1. Bibliographic Data
Woodson, Jacqueline. 2014. BROWN GIRL DREAMING. Nancy
Paulsen Books. ISBN: 978-0399252518
2. Plot Summary
BROWN GIRL DREAMING is a memoir in verse, chronicling
Jacqueline Woodson’s childhood as she navigates her identity and family history
in both the segregated South and New York City during the Civil Rights era.
Divided into five sections, the book follows her journey from birth to
self-discovery, weaving in historical references to figures like Martin Luther
King Jr., Rosa Parks, and Ruby Bridges to provide context for the world she was
growing up in. Through vivid imagery and powerful storytelling, Woodson shares
memories of her strict yet loving grandmother, her mother’s struggles, and the
deep bond with her grandfather, who encouraged her love of storytelling. The
book also captures her early relationship with writing, detailing her
hesitation to use her first composition notebook and the gradual realization
that writing would become her passion.
3. Critical Analysis
Woodson’s choice to write in free verse gives the memoir a natural,
flowing rhythm, making it feel like a personal conversation rather than a
structured narrative. While the poems do not rhyme, their carefully chosen
words and pacing create an emotional depth that enhances the storytelling. The
memoir includes references to classic literature, such as Langston Hughes’
poetry, the nursery rhyme Henny Penny, and biblical stories like Adam
and Eve, all of which add layers of meaning to her experiences.
Use of sensory details makes Woodson’s memories real, and
the reader can almost feel like they are there with her. She describes her
grandmother’s smell of Pine-Sol and Dixie Peach hair grease, the fear of racial
tension although the country was desegregated, and her first composition
notebook which she clung to before mustering enough courage to write in it.
These details allow the reader to be a part of her journey of identity.
Woodson also uses historical and cultural markers to ground
her personal story within a larger social context. The references to the Black
Panthers, segregated buses, and societal expectations provide a backdrop for
her childhood, showing both the progress and the struggles of the time. Moments
of foreboding and foreshadowing, such as her baby brother licking the paint,
add layers of meaning to her story.
The organization and design of the book make it both intimate
and visually engaging. A family tree at the beginning helps readers understand
her lineage, and photographs at the end further personalize her story. She also
includes poems which are a response to some key events, for instance when her
mother left her father, or when she was with her grandmother. These elements develop
the effect of the memoir making it a very personal yet easily relatable to
experience.
4. Review Excerpts
- School
Library Journal: "An exquisite memoir in verse that captures
the heart and history of a young girl discovering her voice."
- Booklist:
"Woodson’s lyrical free verse tells a deeply personal yet
universal story of self-discovery, family, and the power of words."
- Kirkus
Reviews: "A powerful tribute to childhood, perseverance, and
finding one’s place in the world."
5. Connections
- Writing
Activity: Have students create their own memoir in verse, inspired by
a significant childhood memory.
- History
Connection: Use the book as a discussion starter about the Civil
Rights Movement and its impact on families like Woodson’s.
- Related
Books:
- OTHER
WORDS FOR HOME by Jasmine Warga (ISBN: 978-0062747808) – A novel in
verse exploring identity and belonging.
- LOCOMOTION
by Jacqueline Woodson (ISBN: 978-0399231155) – Another novel in verse
about a young boy’s journey of self-expression.
- FEATHERS
by Jacqueline Woodson (ISBN: 978-0399239892) – A lyrical story about hope
and change.
