IGUANAS IN THE SNOW AND OTHER WINTER POEMS

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Alarcón, Francisco X. 2001. IGUANAS IN THE SNOW AND OTHER WINTER POEMS. Ill. by Maya Christina Gonzalez. San Francisco: Children’s Book Press. ISBN 0892391685.

Iguanas in the Snow and Other Winter Poems is a delightful reading experience and one that children are sure to love. It captures and expresses the exhilarating experience of life both with word and paint. Iguanas in the Snow is a bilingual book of poetry that celebrates life in San Francisco and northern California from a child’s perspective. The poems in this book are free verse, short and fresh. Some of the poems are humorous while others are nostalgic, reminding us of the history of San Francisco and the cultures that have thrived there for many years. I read the words of these poems and all my senses become involved.

The book begins with Starfish on the Beach, “a five-fingered hand full of salt” accompanied by a drawing of two children closely examining a starfish; evoking memories of playing as a child. Poems about the weather, San Francisco; old places, life in the barrio, school, and family comprise this book. Some poems in the book are followed by a note explaining something mentioned in the poem. The book ends in the snow covered mountains of northern California with a poem expressing the optimism of tomorrow. In Ancestors of Tomorrow, “children are the blooming branches of trees…their seeds will become the roots.” The poem In My Barrio expresses the mood of this book.

In My Barrio

you can hear
the music
of life

coming out
of murals
in full color

The artwork by Maya Christina Gonzalez enhances and complements the poetry with another dimension of enjoyment. The illustrations are happy with vibrant colors and involved characters, mostly children. Old maps of California and Mexico add intriguing background for some of the poems. The background illustrations for the Clouds and In Winter poems at the beginning of the book show the weather while the words describe it making the reader feel cold and wet. The poem First Snowfall is written on falling snowflakes. Playful iguanas are interspersed throughout the book.

Iguanas in the Snow reflects the “music of life.” I am eager to read other books by Francisco X. Alarcón.

Poetry Break: Barbara Esbensen

Introduction
I would display a bunch of both new, long, sharpened pencils and broken pencils along with some of those oversized pencils. I would ask the students how much writing they think one pencil can do.

PENCILS
by Barbara Esbensen

The rooms in a pencil
are narrow
but elephants castles and
watermelons
fit in

In a pencil
noisy words yell for attention
and quiet words wait their turn

How did they slip
into such a tight place?
Who
gives them their
lunch?

From a broken pencil
an unbroken poem will come!
There is a long story living
in the shortest pencil

Every word in your
pencil
is fearless ready to walk
the blue tightrope lines
Ready
to teeter and smile
down Ready to come right out
and show you
thinking!

From A JAR OF TINY STARS: POEMS BY NCTE AWARD-WINNING POETS, Boyd Mills Press, 1996.

Extension
Let the students choose a pencil (broken or new and long). Then let them tell why they chose a broken or new pencil. I would let them choose from a variety of shaped paper (elephant, star, fruit, square) to write what they are thinking.

Poetry Break: Douglas Florian

Introduction
I would display a variety of books with a cutout figure of a person showing above the pages. I would not define schnook before reading the poem. I would ask the students what they think the person in the book means.

Book Schnook
by Douglas Florian

Sidney Schellman is a schnook—
Went to sleep inside a book.
Sidney sprang this silly scheme
So he could read inside his dream.

From BING BANG BOING, Harcourt Brace & Company, 1994

Extension
I would begin by just listening to where the conversation goes after reading the poem. If necessary, ask what the students think a schnook is. I would then ask them what would they read inside their dream. Finally, I would give each student a cutout figure (boy or girl) and let them choose which book they would like to sleep in.

MY AMERICA: A POETRY ATLAS OF THE UNITED STATES

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Hopkins, Lee Bennett. 2000. MY AMERICA: A POETRY ATLAS OF THE UNITED STATES. Ill. by Stephen Alcorn. New York: Scholastic. ISBN 0439372909.

REVIEW
This is a collection of poems that pays tribute to our country. As the title of the book states, it is about “my” America and uses the map of the United States as a format. The book is separated into eight sections that cover the entire country. Each section begins with interesting facts about each state in that section. One particularly engaging point is the great fact included about each state. There is also a color map at the beginning of each section. The book has a table of contents listing the poems and authors in each section. The end of the book features indexes of authors, titles, and first lines.

The purpose of this book is to celebrate America. Each individual poem supports this purpose while independently focusing on a myriad of topics, places, and people. The poets included are both familiar and new to this reviewer. The outstanding poems range from humorous to serious with a plethora of moods sandwiched between. This book would enhance a social studies curriculum by adding not only the map pieces and bits of factual state information but adding a depth and feeling to each area or state being studied.

Both traditional and contemporary poets are included in this anthology. Some of the poets included Lee Bennett Hopkins, Nikki Giovanni, Langston Hughes, Frank Asch, Carl Sandburg, Myra Cohn Livingston, and Tom Robert Shields.
The illustrations by Stephen Alcorn add depth and meaning to the poems. Many of the illustrations show minute details that require close examination while enhancing the poem.

This anthology has short and long, urban and country, simple and complex poems allowing readers to find just the right fit. The poems invoke images children both know and can visualize as well as introducing new, unknown places, ideas, and activities that encourage thought and growth by them. A child from the southwest will not have the experience of gulls and lighthouses or lobsters and ocean waves, just as a child from New England will not know the experience of living with cactus, lonely long distance roads, and New Mexico dust.

The rich language in this broad collection of poems will allow readers to feel a variety of emotions and use the full range of senses. Many of the poems invoke images of the earth. Conjuring up the smells of a growing garden full of fresh vegetables and freshly worked soil, Nikki Giovanni’s “Knoxville, Tennessee” poem reminds this reviewer vividly of trips to visit her grandparents on the farm. This short poem, “Farmer” by Prince Redcloud brings immediate memories of a father coming home late after a long hard day of work.

Farmer

The farmer, worn from
long field-days, trods home to a
welcome, warm supper.

This anthology of poems offers a welcoming glance at America and is an engaging and enjoyable addition to any collection.

I WON THE PRIZE

Poetry Break

Introduction
I would have some trophies (spelling bee, AR) and other “prizes” along with some books about games, contests, winning, and losing displayed. I would ask the students if they have ever won anything.

I Won the Prize
By Kalli Dakos

I won
I won
I won
The prize
I won it
Right before
Their eyes
I’m the best kid
In this class
I came out first
Instead of last
I studied hard
I won the game
My life will never
Be the same
I won
I won
I won
The prize
I won it
Right before
Their eyes.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Dakos, Kalli. 1990. IF YOU’RE NOT HERE, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND: POEMS ABOUT SCHOOL. New York: Simon & Schuster.

Extension
The students may just start repeating the, “I won,” with you, however, if they don’t, have them do those lines chorally. Let the children tell about something they have won and how they felt. After everyone has had a chance to share, have the students tell about when they lost at a competition. The poem says, “I studied hard.” Another discussion to initiate would be about preparing for different games or contests.

LOVE DON'T MEAN

Poetry Break

Introduction
I would ask the children what they think love is. I would then tell the students that the poem I am about to read is special to me because it reminds me of my dad and what he used to say to me when I was a child.

LOVE DON’T MEAN
by Eloise Greenfield

Love don’t mean all that kissing
Like on television
Love means Daddy
Saying keep your mama company
till I get back
And me doing it

Bibliography
Greenfield, Eloise. 1978. HONEY, I LOVE AND OTHER LOVE POEMS. Ill. by Diane and Leo Dillon. New York: HarperCollinsPublishers. ISBN 0690038453

Extension
Encourage a discussion on how love is shown in the students’ families. Guide the discussion to include what they do to show love to their parents.