BIOGRAPHICAL POETRY

DRUM DREAM GIRL: HOW ONE GIRL’S COURAGE CHANGED MUSIC

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Engle, Margarita. 2015. Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl’s Courage Changed Music. Ill. by Rafael López. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.  ISBN 9780761316657.

SUMMARY

As Engle explains in a Historical Note provided at the end of the book, this poem book is inspired by Millo Castro Zaldarriaga, a young girl who “broke Cuba’s traditional taboo against female drummers.” This poem follows a young girl who, even after being discouraged by her father and the townspeople, dreams of playing drums. She continues to pursue her dreams until her father agrees to find her a teacher and, ultimately, she is able to perform.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The Poet

Margarita Engle is a prolific children’s author and famous poet. She was awarded the Newbery Honor for The Surrender Tree, becoming the first Latina to receive this honor, and the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award for Enchanted Air. Engle is also the recipient of three Pura Belpré Awards. She is best known for her verse novels.

Layout

As this is a single poem, it is laid out in chronological sequence to tell the story of a young girl who pursues her dream. We are introduced to “the dream drum girl” and are soon told that “everyone/on the island of music/…believed that only boys/should play drums,” establishing the poem’s conflict early one.  The poem, however, focuses on the dream drum girl’s persistence to continue playing despite what anyone says.  In the end, her dreams and courage pay off, as she finally gains acceptance for all girls who want to play drums.

López’s rich, vibrant acrylic illustrations strongly reflect the Cuban culture.  The animated drawings perfectly complement the poem’s dream-like, whimsical tone. Readers will enjoy the detailed illustrations as much as the poem itself.

Poetic Elements

While the poem follows the concrete biography of a young girl, Engle is able to give her poem a much deeper, thematic meaning.  Drum Dream Girl is ultimately a story about the importance of following your dreams and about perseverance. Although the poem is written in free verse, Engle utilizes poetic elements such as sound techniques to invite readers into the protagonist’s story.  Engle uses alliteration to tell of how the “drum dream girl/dreamed,” repeating the d sound to create a rhythmic, drum-like sound for readers.  She also uses onomatopoeia, as when she describes the “pounding,” “tapping,” and “boom boom booming” of the girl’s drumming, appealing to readers’ sense of sound and providing sensory imagery.  Engle continually uses imagery, such as when she writes that “When [the drum dream girl] walked under/wind-wavy palm trees/in a flower-bright park/she heard the whir of parrot wings,” bringing readers into the girl’s experience so they, too, can partake in this girl’s dream.  When drum dream girl’s father tells her that only boys are allowed to play drums, readers will feel the girl’s disappointment momentarily only to, along with the young girl, continue to pursue what she wants. In the end, Engle creates an inspirational tone that will resonate with readers.

Appeal

As a poem picture book, Drum Dream Girl will definitely appeal to readers both young and old.  The format of this poem is simple enough for young readers to follow, and the sensory language is both easy to understand and thought-provoking, giving readers the chance to expand their linguistic ability.  Readers will be able to relate to the young protagonist and will see themselves in her. Because of the inspirational outcome, readers will thoroughly enjoy this poem.

Overall Quality

Engle’s Drum Dream Girl captures her poetic repertoire and skill, showcasing consistent quality throughout.  The poem is broken up into separate pages at appropriate times to allow López’s illustrations to help develop the story.  Readers will feel a range of emotions throughout the poem but will ultimately end up with a feeling of hope.

SPOTLIGHT POEM AND ACTIVITIES

Excerpt from Drum Dream Girl by Margarita Engle

When she walked under

wind-wavy palm trees

in a flower-bright park

she heard the whir of parrot wings

the clack of woodpecker beaks

the dancing tap

of her own footsteps

and the comforting pat

of her own

heartbeat.

This excerpt captures the essence of meaning, tone, and poetic quality of Drum Dream Girl. Readers are able to see Engle’s masterful onomatopoeic sounds, imagery, and positive tone to understand the inspirational message of the overall poem.

I would emphasize this part of the poem by first inviting students to observe the illustrations and predict what is about to happen in the poem.  As students come up with ideas, I would ask them what sounds they imagine hearing based on the pictures. I would softly play a drum beat sound clip while reading this excerpt to help students experience what the young girl in the poem likely feels or hears.  After reading the poem in its entirety, I would lead the class in writing a whole-class golden shovel poem about the importance of following your dreams using the this excerpt from Drum Dream Girl.

SOCIAL STUDIES POETRY

EUREKA! POEMS ABOUT INVENTORS

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sidman, Joyce. 2002. Eureka! Poems About Inventors. Ill. by K. Bennett Chavez. Minneapolis: Millbrook Press.  ISBN 9780761316657.

SUMMARY

As its title states, Eureka! Poems About Inventors is a collection of poems dedicated to inventors throughout history.  Each poem honors a single inventor for his or her invention and contribution to our modern world.  

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The Poet

Joyce Sidman is a renowned, award-winning children’s writer. She is the 2006 recipient of the Lee Bennett Hopkins Award for Song of the Water Boatman and ALA’s Best Book for Young Adults for The World According to Dog.  She is known to write works related to nature and set in nature, such as Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors. Sidman is also known for writing poems in different voices that she imagines, creates, and tells stories through.

Layout

Eureka! is made up of 16 poems altogether.  A “Contents” page at the beginning of the book not only lists poem titles and page numbers but also sets forth an organizational structure that makes the chronology of the poems clear to readers.  The poems are organized into 4 parts: The Tapestry of the Past, which consists of 4 poems; The Age of Invention, which consists of 5 poems; A Light Interlude, which consists of 1 poem; and Dawn of the Modern Age, which consists of 6 poems. Each part focuses on a different time period, beginning with primitive cultures with no recorded history and ending with modern culture. Each of the 4 parts ends with biographical information about each inventor, which includes what he or she is invented and how he or she came up with the invention.

K. Bennett Chavez’s illustrations accompany the poems, depicting each single inventor as well as the creation.  Drawn with careful details and bold colors, these illustrations nicely complement the poems and help readers envision these important historical figures.

Poetic Elements

Due to the nature of the content, the poems in Eureka! mostly focus on creating concrete meaning.  Since Sidman aims to inform readers about historical figures and their inventions, the poems primarily seek to do just that.  Most of the poems are written in free verse, which is an appropriate form for the purpose Sidman sets out to establish with this collection.  She does, however, incorporate elements such as rhyme, as in “Those Fabulous Frenchmen” where every alternating line rhymes.  Sidman also makes use of other sound elements like alliteration, such as when she writes about how Mary “Caresse” Crosby “fashioned [her] own freedom” in “A Length of Pink Ribbon” and how Barbara McClintock “was drawn deeper and deeper” into her scientific studies in “This Is My Life.”  Another element Sidman uses throughout her collection is similes.  In “The Light—Ah! The Light,” for instance, she describes how Marie Curie “swept aside” obstacles “like a handful of cobwebs,” emphasizing Curie’s persistence and dedication to her discovery of radioactivity. Similarly, in “Cockleburs,” Sidman describes how burrs “grip like mad to the fur/beneath my dear old Fifi’s chin,” helping readers visualize the attachment strength that burrs have and helping tell the story of George de Mestral’s Velcro invention.  Yet another poetic element that Sidman uses in this collection is sensory imagery, which can be seen in virtually every poem.  In “Ode to Spode,” for instance, readers will be able to visualize the “Fine-boned plates” and the “dainty cups” that are “carv’d, fired and painted/with such gentle art” and will be able to hear how the cup “shatters” as well as Josephine Cochrane’s “weep[ing]” at the loss of such delicate china. This exquisite imagery allows Sidman to narrate the history behind Cochrane’s invention of the dishwasher, making Cochrane’s story relatable and allowing readers to sympathize with her reasons for pursuing her invention.  Each poem, whether told through the eyes of the inventor or through third-person narration, carries a light-hearted tone that will resound within readers.

Appeal

Eureka! is perfect for older readers. The subject matter of the book is highly sophisticated, and many of the poems use elevated, academic vocabulary that is not easy to understand for young readers.  The poems are also lengthy, which may not catch young readers’ attention but will surely be of appropriate length for older readers.  The free-verse, narrative style of the poems will present stimulating information to older readers who will enjoy the history just as much as the lyricism behind the poems.  This collection will surely inspire readers to conduct further research into these noted inventors as well as to research other inventors.

Overall Quality

As usual, Sidman consistently employs high poetic quality in this collection.  It is apparent that the subjects are well-researched and Sidman does a fantastic job of bringing these people and their stories to life.  She is able to give these figures voices and characterize them in ways that make them real.  Readers will certainly be inspired by these histories, thanks to Sidman’s careful poetic craftsmanship.

SPOTLIGHT POEM AND ACTIVITIES

“Walt Tells It Like It Is” (Walter Morrison invented the Frisbee in 1957) by Joyce Sidman

It wasn’t a new idea.

People have been tossing lids

around for years.

I just did a little design work.

Aerodynamics.

Before the war, the ex-wife and I

would hit the beach

with a few cake pans and throw ‘em around—

called ‘em Pluto Platters.

We were deadly.

Someone would get between us

& we’d lift their hat off.

One day, a guy from Wham-O comes along,

likes what he sees.

Helps me get a patent.

The rest is history.

Sure, I came up with some other stuff:

a water-filled bowling ball, for one.

Never took off.

But that Frisbee, man!

The dough keeps rolling in.

I’m just sitting back, enjoying it.

When you’re poor, you start thinking of things.

When you don’t need it, you relax.

I’m just like anyone else.

Except I always liked throwing rocks.

“Walt Tells It Like It Is” is a perfect example of the way Sidman capture’s a character’s voice, a technique she often uses in her poems. This poem, written in first-person, narrates Walter Morrison’s story in a non-linear way, evoking a conversational tone that students will enjoy and respond to.

To introduce this poem, I would first tell students to pretend they will be interviewing an inventor about his or her invention. I would ask them to come up with a list of questions they would ask during the interview, and we would share these questions in a whole-class discussion. Before reading the poem, I would tell students that the poem “Walt Tells It Like It Is” tells about Walter Morrison’s Frisbee invention—all told through his point of view. I would tell them to pay attention to the sequence of events as they unfold in the poem and the way in which this sequence affects the story itself. I would then read the poem aloud, asking students to follow along with their own copies of the poem. After reading, I would lead a class discussion about the sequence of events in the story and have students create a chronological timeline of these events to help them get a better sense of the history behind the invention of the Frisbee. Finally, I would display students’ timelines on a wall. As an extension, I would have students research another inventor and write a poem using “Walt Tells It Like It Is” as a model.

SCIENCE POETRY

FOREST HAS A SONG

  

BIBLIOGRAPHY

VanDerwater, Amy Ludwig. 2013. Finding Wonders: Three Girls Who Changed Science. Ill. by Robbin Gourley. Boston: Clarion Books.  ISBN 9780618843497.

SUMMARY

In this collection, VanDerwater writes lyrical poems all about the forest.  She takes readers through various seasons and exposes the wildlife and plants that make up the forest, such as tree frogs, lichens, moss, and wintergreen.  

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The Poet

Inspired by the magical feeling of making things, VanDerwater delights in creating poetry. Her first book, Forest Has a Song, earned her critical acclaim. VanDerwater is the recipient of the 2013 Cybils Award in Poetry as well as the prestigious 2016 Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award.

Layout

Each of the 26 poems in Forest Has a Song is thematically linked to an overarching topic: Forest life. Whether describing a rotten log or a squirrel, the poems bring the forest to life. This collection appropriately begins with a poem titled “Invitation” in which a narrator describes how the sound of a pinecone falling and the smell of the forest breeze invite her into the forest. Thereafter, the poems go on to describe what the narrator discovers throughout her journey in the forest, taking readers through a vivid experience of the forest life in different seasons. Ultimately, the narrator says goodbye to the forest in “Farewell” as the forest urges her to “Remember/I am here.” VanDerwater carefully crafts each poem so that even without a table of contents, readers can easily access the poems and find the common thread that ties all poems into a cohesive narrative.

Moreover, Robbin Gourley’s charming watercolor illustrations help readers follow a young female protagonist as she encounters new findings while exploring the forest, involving readers into the storyline. Gourley’s drawings carefully depict both flora and fauna in various perspectives: close-ups, zoomed-out images, landscapes, and portraits.  They are accurate enough to resemble illustrations found in science textbooks but playful enough to appeal to young readers.

Poetic Elements

VanDerwater explores the concrete creatures and plants found in a forest while giving the poem collection an abstract, metaphorical feel.  By immediately personifying the forest that invites the narrator to “Come visit,” the forest and all its inhabitants come to life.  VanDerwater expertly displays a variety of poetic patterns in each individual poem, ranging from haiku to free verse to rhyming couplets. “Spider,” for instance, is a 2-line poem that is written in iambic tetrameter, which mimics the patterns of a spider knitting a web and gives the poem a sing-song feel.  Virtually every poem in Forest Has a Song follows a distinct form of rhyme, predominantly end rhyme. For example, “Maples in October,” an 8-line poem, uses an abcbdebe rhyme scheme. VanDerwater also uses other forms of sound techniques such as assonance and alliteration. In “April Waking,” she describes the way “Ferny frondy fiddleheads/unfurl curls from dirty beds,” emphasizing the f sound to give the poem a child-like, tongue-twister characteristic and repeating the u sound to recreate the slow, unfolding movements of a fern.  Additionally, VanDerwater makes use of onomatopoeia, as in “First Flight” when she describes the “FLAP FLAP FLAP FLAP FLAP FLAP—WHOOOSH!” sounds of a baby owl taking flight. This helps readers imagine the noises made by the owl’s powerful wings, reinforcing the meaning behind the poem that the baby owl is strong enough to overcome his fear of flying. To further bring forest life to life, VanDerwater incorporates figurative language and sensory images into her poems.  In “Chickadee,” a little bird is personified and given a voice to express that it is “watching./…thinking./…scared of [the]/Child” that is approaching it.  In “Lady’s Slipper,” VanDerwater plays on the flower’s name and uses metaphor to describe its petals as “silky slipper[s],” and in “Dusk,” readers are given detailed descriptions of “baby animals” that “snuggle in a tree trunk [and]/Crawl beneath a stone.”  Through her expert use of poetic elements, VanDerwater is able to shift the tone of each poem to best capture the feel of the subject matter behind each poem and recreate it for the reader.

Appeal

Forest Has a Song will immediately capture young readers’ attention, as they will connect with the narrator and, along with her, be invited to explore the wonders of the forest.  Since the poems are relatively short, young children will remain interested. Even more so, the steady rhythm of the poems will remind readers of nursery rhymes and will be highly memorable.  The subject of each poem will provide many rich learning opportunities for readers of all ages, especially those who may not be familiar with a forest setting.  VanDerwater’s rich, yet accessible language and imagery will stimulate reader’s imaginations, bringing them into the forest as if they, too, are exploring it.

Overall Quality

VanDerwater consistently delivers high-quality poetic techniques in each poem included in this collection.  It is clear that she put much thought and effort into every poem, whether the poem ended up being a 3-line haiku or a 27-line free verse poem.  The subject of every poem adds depth to the overall collection, highlighting a specific season, animal, plant, or even time of day.  VanDerwater beautifully writes about each occasion in a way that combines an informational tone with a playful tone, making the readers experience each new bit of knowledge with wondrous delight.

SPOTLIGHT POEM AND ACTIVITIES

“Invitation” by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater

Today

I heard

a pinecone fall.

I smell

a spicy breeze.

I see

Forest

wildly waving

rows of

friendly trees.

I’m here.

Come visit.

Please?

As its title implies, “Invitation” invites readers to learn about what a forest has to offer.  In this poem, VanDerwater uses rich images that appeal to the sense of sound, smell, and touch, which readers will enjoy visualizing.  Also, VanDerwater employs rhyme in such a way as to create a steady rhythm, which students will enjoy listening to. 

A great way to introduce this poem is to have students brainstorm ideas about what makes places inviting. I would write “Things that Make a Place Inviting” on the board and ask students to help me make a web of ideas by individually adding an idea to this web. After a short discussion about these ideas, I would tell students that the poem we are about to read is an invitation to a forest. I would make sure to provide a copy of the poem for each student to follow along as I read aloud. During reading, I would stop to ask students questions such as, “What sound would a pinecone make as it falls from a tree? What does a ‘spicy breeze’ feel like? What movement would ‘wildly waving’ trees make?” As a class, we would decide what sounds or movements to act out so we can do a poetry alive reading of the poem. Then, we would do a choral/poetry alive reading of the poem, incorporating the sounds and movements throughout the poem. After reading, I would ask students to write a response poem to the forest in which they ask the forest questions they may have about the forest. I would conclude the activity by having students read their poems aloud to the class.

NEW POETRY BOOK

FINDING WONDERS: THREE GIRLS WHO CHANGED SCIENCE

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Atkins, Jeannine. 2016. Finding Wonders: Three Girls Who Changed Science. New York: Atheneum Books.  ISBN 9781481465656.

SUMMARY

This verse novel follows the lives of three young girls who made significant contributions to science. Maria Merian, a girl living in 17^th century Germany, is curious about the real beginnings of caterpillars and sets out to discover the metamorphosis of insects. In early 1800s England, Mary Anning, with the help and guidance of her father, discovers fossils that provide clues about ancient creatures that once roamed the earth. Finally, the American Maria Mitchell takes her father’s teachings about star charts and teaches herself about the mysteries of the night sky and eventually discovering a comet.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The Poet

Heavily influenced by Laura Ingalls Wilder and Louise May Alcott, Jeannine Atkins bases her writing on courageous women. She has written many historical fiction books such as Stone Mirrors: The Sculpture and Silence of Edmonia Lewis, which she is best known for. She first dabbled into full-on poetry writing with Borrowed Names in 2010. Atkins is also a university and college writing professor.

Layout

Each of the three storylines focuses on one major theme: girls’ contributions to science. While there are no visuals to accompany each text, the “cover page” of each storyline does include a black-and-white illustration. Each young girl is drawn partaking in her particular discovery: Maria Merian is shown reaching one palm out to a butterfly while she hold a paintbrush in the other hand; Mary Anning is depicted excavating a fossil from a large rock; and Maria Mitchell is drawn looking into a telescope at a comet. In addition, Atkins’ lively and detailed imagery helps readers picture every single event that unfolds.  Each poem is treated as a chapter, so there is never more than one poem per page, and some of the longer poems stretch over two pages. This makes it easy to follow and makes it accessible to juvenile readers.  A Contents page at the beginning of the book gives a title to each storyline, and beneath each title the author includes the protagonist’s name. Thanks to this feature, readers can quickly and easily keep track of each story.

Poetic Elements

In this verse novel, each poem has concrete meaning, as this adequately keeps the events and narrative in each story moving forward.  All poems are written in free verse, so there is not distinct meter or pattern to be followed. This style, however, allows readers to become immersed in each character’s life and enjoy the plot as it unfolds.  As there is no meter, lines do not end in rhyme, but Atkins does include internal rhyme and near-rhyme such as in “The Empty Basket” where she writes that “Maria struggles into her old coat.” A couple of other poetic elements that Atkins uses particularly well in this novel are alliteration, assonance, and consonance. For instance, in “Lost,” she writes that “Only rich folks can afford/to pretend much stays the same. They hire maids to mend shawls and scour stained linen,/gardeners to smash nets and rake gutters.” This gives poems a song-like quality that will ring in readers’ ears. Atkins also expertly uses sensory imagery to bring her poems and storylines to life.  In “Metamorphosis,” Atkins details the “quiet revolution [that] Maria paints,” describing the illustrations in such detail that the reader can see “how the small egg breaks,” the “scrunching and sprawling/over leaves [as the caterpillar] struggles out of her old skin,/which splits and flakes/like the bark of a growing tree.” Atkins is clearly a master at painting pictures with words.

Appeal

Finding Wonders will appeal to various readers: those interested in science, those interested in history, those interested in courageous girls, and those interested in beautiful poetry.  There is certainly something for everyone! This book is perfect for slightly older readers who can follow a storyline and can keep track of the three different girls’ stories. The poems are of significant length, averaging about 18 lines, which might not be appropriate for young children. Atkins also uses some sophisticated language in her poems that many young readers may not understand. However, through context, older readers will understand what they are reading, and this vocabulary and language will help the readers picture the setting and details that drive the narrative. The topic of each story will definitely interest readers, as readers get to learn biographical information and scientific information in a story-like fashion. Because of the plot, readers will be immersed in the emotions of the characters as they make their fascinating discoveries and overcome obstacles that come in their way. Ultimately, readers will learn very valuable information through a book that they can enjoy for its lyricism and linguistic beauty.

Overall Quality

The poems in Finding Wonders clearly depict Atkins’ exquisite poetic quality. As each poem is a piece of a story, each is an important piece that helps readers make sense of the narrative.  For each storyline, the poems fulfill the plot structure, taking readers through the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution of each girl’s experiences. To this end, the poems reinforce the purpose of the book, which is to narrate the lives of three young girls as they make incredible scientific discoveries.  The poem format allows each chapter to unfold in a stream-of-consciousness manner, taking readers into the characters’ minds and revealing their innermost thoughts of fear, excitement, curiosity, and joy.  Additionally, Atkins nicely reflects the moods of the characters, not simply focusing on the positive but also showcasing the negative feelings they encountered. For instance, in “Flight,” Atkins captures Maria’s feelings of fear as she hears her parents arguing, thinking they might be arguing over her father’s discovery of her new hobby of studying insects. Overall, each poem delivers a consistent quality that is characteristic of Atkins’ style.

SPOTLIGHT POEM AND ACTIVITIES

Excerpt from “Playing Planets” by Jeannine Atkins

Maria loves how planets take measured places in the sky,

but also hold mysteries. Once, she wished she could be a comet,

soaring close to the sun to be seen,

appearing as if from nowhere

among the whirls of sisters and brothers,

her father steady in the center.

This poem reflects Maria Mitchell’s true passion for studying the night sky.  As she readies herself to give an astronomy lesson, she ruminates about her love for astronomy, remembering a time when she wished she could be a comet.  In this poem, Atkins uses wonderful imagery and carefully-chosen diction as well as alliteration, all of which readers will enjoy listening to and imagining.

To introduce this poem, I would have students write a short journal answering the following: “If you could be any object from the galaxy, which would you be and why?” After being given time to write, students would then pair-share their responses and then share-out with the class. I would then say that we would read a poem about Maria Mitchell in which she answers that very same question. I would also ask students to, on a graphic organizer, keep track of the alliteration and imagery Atkins incorporates into her poem to express this character’s emotions. After reading, we would share our graphic organizer notes and discuss the effect of both alliteration and imagery on the meaning of the poem. Then, I would have students write their own poems about their journal responses while imitating Atkins’ model. Finally, I would post students’ poems on the wall and have students do a gallery walk to read others’ poems.

VERSE NOVEL

GARVEY’S CHOICE

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Grimes, Nikki. 2016. Garvey’s Choice. Honesdale, Pennsylvania: WordSong.  ISBN 9781629797403.

SUMMARY

Written in verse, this novel follows a young boy named Garvey as he comes of age. Garvey feels like he is a disappointment to his father because he is not the athletic son his father wants. Instead, Garvey is interested in reading and singing, and he is everything but athletic. With the encouragement of his only friend, Garvey agrees to try out for his school’s chorus, where he makes a new friend.  Garvey soon finds himself as the lead soloist, and he slowly begins to gain confidence in himself. With his first recital coming up, Garvey finally confesses to his father that he is part of the school’s chorus. After his solo performance, Garvey scans the crowd for his father, whom he finds crying and moved.  Soon after, Garvey’s father confesses that he used to sing in a band many years ago, finding a way to connect with his son and embarking on a journey that unites him and Garvey.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The Poet

Nikki Grimes is a bestselling, award-winning author best known for her poetic works. She is the recipient of the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal, and the Virginia Hamilton Literary Award, among others. One of her best-known works, Bronx Masquerade, won the Coretta Scott King Award. Her works, including Garvey’s Choice and Words with Wings, have been featured on The New York Times bestseller list.

Layout

As this novel is a verse novel, each individual poem is arranged to help the reader follow along with the storyline.  The entire novel is made up of a total of 104 poems, each written in tanka form.  A Contents page at the beginning of the book lists each poem title.  This helps readers locate single poems and, more importantly, helps readers get a general sense of what the story is about. Since the titles are descriptive, it makes it possible for the reader to predict what each poem might discuss.  The first few poems appropriately set up the exposition of Garvey’s story, giving his background and setting up conflicts. The rest of the poems in the novel then follow the typical plot structure, moving into the rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution of Garvey’s journey, a suitable arrangement that allows readers to easily move along with the plot. At the end of the book, Grimes offers an explanation of the tanka form in which she discusses why she chose this poetic form for this novel, stating that her “focus is more centered on telling a story.”

Poetic Elements

Grimes relies on concrete meaning in this verse novel to be able to tell her story.  As the poems follow the traditional tanka form, they fit the particular rhythm of 5-7-5-7-7 syllable lines, creating a familiar beat for readers.  Because the poems primarily help tell a story, they do not focus too much on poetic sound techniques. Rather, Grimes uses sensory imagery to help readers visualize what is happening in the story. For instance, the poem “Garvey’s Choice” explains how Garvey “march[es] into the classroom/[and] squeak[s] out why [he’s] come[,]/Feeling numb [as he] take[s] a breath,/tickle[s] that first note, then soar[s].” By appealing to the sense of sound and sight, readers can experience what Garvey does.  Grimes also relies heavily on tone and mood throughout this verse novel.  In “Sci-Fi Novel,” she lets readers in on Garvey’s innermost feelings of anger as a response to his father’s disapproval of him. Grimes’ attention to poetic techniques makes this novel extra enjoyable.

Appeal

Garvey’s Choice will especially appeal to young readers, as they will relate to the protagonist’s struggle to pursue his own interests.  The parent-child conflict revolving around the child struggling to fit his father’s image will certainly resonate with juveniles, particularly pre-adolescent readers. They will be able to connect to Garvey’s insecurities as he ventures into new experiences, and they will root for him when he succeeds and finds a way to connect to his father. What is also appealing is that many young readers will find this novel non-threatening, as the chapters are short poems that can be read quickly and easily.  The language used throughout the novel is language that is typical of a young boy, adding a realistic dimension that readers will connect to.  Readers will also enjoy the syllabic rhythm behind each poem, even if they are unaware that the poems are written in tanka form.  Even though Grimes follows the strict syllable count of the tanka form, the poems have a natural flow that does not disrupt or distract readers.  In fact, readers will probably not be aware of the tanka form until they reach the author’s note at the end of the book.  Being aware of the form, however, will make the reading even more delightful, as they will appreciate how each syllable is carefully situated to create meaning and develop a story. Each poem consistently delivers the raw emotions and mood that will help readers relate to Garvey, and each also reflects thoughtful and thorough construction from the poet’s part.

Overall Quality

Grimes once again beautifully shows the range of her poetic abilities, as can be seen in the rich quality of each and every single poem that comprises this verse novel.  The original tanka form is meant to capture mood, which Grimes clearly does. In “Insult”, for instance, readers can feel the sting of a bully’s “word bombs [that] explode behind [Garvey].”  Because the poems trace Garvey’s story, readers are exposed to a variety of moods and emotions, ranging from fear to insecurity to passion. In “Assembly,” Grimes describes how Garvey’s “Legs [feel] like spaghetti” as he sings his first solo in public as well as the way
the music in [him] rises,” demonstrating his wavering emotions or nervousness and passion.  Readers can truly sympathize with Garvey, as Grimes makes him a believable, realistic character.

SPOTLIGHT POEM AND ACTIVITIES

“Fear” by Nikki Grimes

Fear is that flip-flop

in my belly, like when I

tried out for baseball.

All I got for my trouble

was being laughed off the field.

Will this be the same?

What if I open my mouth

And out comes—nothing?

Will kids laugh me out the door?

I can’t take that anymore.

In this poem, readers can see the internal conflict that Garvey, the novel’s protagonist, is experiencing. It beautifully captures his emotions through his thoughts of fear, which Grimes unfolds through her use of metaphors, similes, and imagery.  This poem clearly characterizes Grimes’ best poetic capacities, leaving readers wanting more.

An excellent way to introduce this poem is to have students generate a brainstorm of different emotions that one might have when trying something new. I would have students come up with ideas in small groups and write their ideas on a large paper. Then, I would have groups present their ideas with the rest of the class. I would explain that the poem we will be reading is called “Fear” and ask students to predict what the character may have a fear of.  After a class discussion, I would have students participate in a choral reading of the poem. After reading, students would be instructed to write a response tanka poem (having already gone over the tanka form in a previous lesson) giving Garvey, the character advice.

POETIC FORM

ORANGUTANKA: A STORY IN POEMS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Engle, Margarita. 2015. Orangutanka: A Story in Poems. Ill. by Renée Kurilla. New York: Henry Holt and Company.  ISBN 9780605860810.

SUMMARY

Orangutanka follows an orangutan family during a typical day in the rainforest.  Baby orangutan and big sister orangutan wake mama. Through a series of 17 poems written in contemporary tanka form, readers follow big sister as she takes them on a wild ride: swinging on vines, feasting on fruits, exploring the forest floor, and performing an orangutan dance in the rain while the rest of the family sleeps. Sister orangutan wishes for shelter from the rain and longs to be back in the treetops. Grandma orangutan comes to her rescue as children dance like orangutans on the forest floor.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The Poet

Margarita Engle is a prolific children’s author and famous poet. She was awarded the Newbery Honor for The Surrender Tree, becoming the first Latina to receive this honor, and the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award for Enchanted Air. Engle is also the recipient of three Pura Belpré Awards. She is best known for her verse novels.

Layout

All 17 poems in this verse novel are arranged to tell an overall story.  They follow an orangutan family, particularly big sister orangutan, and invite readers into a day in the life of orangutans.  Each poem follows the modern tanka form, which Engle explains as having a “mostly…loose line length structure rather than adhering to strict syllable counts.” In “A Note About Tanka Poems” at the beginning of the book, Engle provides a thorough explanation of the traditional tanka form and what it entails.  True to the form, the poems in this book do not have titles and have minimal punctuation.  Some poems take on a concrete poem form to better illustrate the experience to readers, such as the fourth poem that describes big sister as she “leaps and clings, swings/on vines,” the lines themselves curved to mimic the swinging motion.  Each page in the book is accompanied by beautiful illustrations. Renée Kurilla’s colorful and detailed illustrations complement the poems’ mood, helping narrate the overall story and adding depth to the characters, especially big sister orangutan. 

Poetic Elements

Engle nicely strikes a balance between creating both concrete and abstract meaning in her Orangutanka poems. While the poems serve to narrate a concrete story, a metaphorical feel lies behind them, allowing readers to interpret Engle’s complexity of ideas.  Due to the nature of the tanka form, these poems have a steady rhythm that is not tracked by syllables or meters but by line length. This gives the story a calm, carefree feel that matches the storyline. Engle also nicely uses sound devices such as alliteration and onomatopoeia. Readers will enjoy the “cha-cha-cha” sounds and the “flip-flop” descriptions, which further add to the sensory imagery that already appears throughout.  Readers will enjoy this light-hearted story.

Appeal

Engle’s modern take on a traditional form will surely capture readers’ attention. Thanks to the brevity of the poems and the simple yet sensory language, young readers will easily follow along. Young children will enjoy the steady rhythm behind each line and, even more, will enjoy reading about orangutans.  This book will also greatly inspire readers to learn more about orangutans, as they will want to hear more about how they live. Engle provides additional orangutan facts as well as sources for further research to encourage readers to continue learning about these creatures. In a final poem, Engle also presents “An Orangutan Activity” in which she invites children to “imagine/rainforest music” and perform a “happy orangutan” dance.

Overall Quality

Each poem in this book reflects Engle’s careful craftsmanship.  As the story follows a narrative plot, each poem helps develop that plot in its own unique way.  Engle clearly put a lot of thought behind the construction of each poem, meticulously arranging the lines by length in a way that helps the words flow seamlessly. Readers will appreciate the poems whether as a whole storyline or as individual poems that serve as snapshots of the lives of orangutans.

SPOTLIGHT POEM AND ACTIVITIES

“An Orangudance Activity” by Margarita Engle

imagine

rain forest music—

insects

buzz, zoom, and hum

while green leaves swish

twigs rattle

branches drum, and thunder booms—

can YOU dance

like a happy orangutan

with energetic arms and legs?

This concluding poem would be perfect as either an introductory or post-reading activity. It involves readers by directly addressing them, bringing them into the story by making them imagine the sounds of the rain forest and encouraging them to dance like orangutans. This poem is a great example of Engle’s impressive sensory details and rhythm that students will enjoy.

To introduce this poem, I would play an audio clip of sounds of the rain forest. As we listen to the audio clip, I would ask students if they could identify what some of those sounds are. I would also ask them to describe how they feel upon hearing these sounds. Afterwards, I would tell them to close their eyes as I read the poem aloud, telling them to sway and dance to rhythm of the poem. As a follow-up activity, I would have students discuss how they imagine a happy orangutan dances, and w would write a class poem describing this orangutan dance.