Winter Bees: & Other Poems of the Cold
by Joyce Sidman
illustrated by Rick Allen
HMH Books for Young Readers, 2014
As I noted yesterday, J. Patrick Lewis' anthology title says it all: "Everything is a Poem." Today we'll look at science in poetry. Upcoming posts include nature, history, biography and imagination in poetry.
Joyce Sidman's Winter Bees is the perfect book to usher in this year's first Polar Vortex. Every day, compliments of the TV weather reporters, we are getting a science lesson in meteorology. Sidman's book will answer questions about how animals survive in the cold.
Each of the dozen poems, most about animals ranging in size from moose to springtail, but also including trees and snowflakes, is accompanied by a short sidebar of scientific information that expands the scope of this book to topics such as migration, hibernation, and the shape of water molecules, and introduces such delicious vocabulary as brumate, ectothermic, furcula, and subnivean.
The illustrations are simply gorgeous. You will want to spend as much time with them as you do savoring Joyce's poems. Watch out for that fox -- s/he wanders throughout the book!
As you and your students explore this book and Joyce's others, don't forget to check out Joyce's website. It is a treasure-trove for readers, writers, and dog lovers.
Keri has the Poetry Friday roundup this week at Keri Recommends.
I need this book today, right now! -8 in Denver! BRRR!
ReplyDeleteI've seen this book twice today in poetry friday and I'm wanting it. Should I say desiring it. Its such a lovely lovely book.
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see this one. Sounds gorgeous in every way!
ReplyDeleteI know it'll be good, just received my copy, for this weekend, just right for our winter blast!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great addition to a classroom, as well as wrapped under a Christmas tree!
ReplyDeleteThis looks wonderful, Mary Lee! Thank you so much for telling us about this book--I especially love the concept that "everything is a poem." = )
ReplyDeleteOn hold at my library - can't wait to read this one. =)
ReplyDeleteThis is the second time of hearing about this book. Maybe I'm supposed to get it.
ReplyDeleteGolly--Joyce just keeps churning out the winners (gracefully of course). Looking forward to this. And are you seriously driving here from Ohio???
ReplyDeleteThis looks like another magnificent treasure - and sending warm(er) thoughts from my corner of the country! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteOff to place a hold before the list gets too long. Love the nonfiction sidebars and can't wait to look for that fox.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to reading this one!
ReplyDeletePerfect choice for the weather. Can't wait to read it.
ReplyDeleteSounds lovely!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to get this in my house. I am going to pair it with Kate's book Under and Over the Snow!
ReplyDelete