Poetry Friday -- Metaphorically Speaking

LITANY
by Billy Collins

You are the bread and the knife,

You are the bread and the knife,
the crystal goblet and the wine.
You are the dew on the morning grass
and the burning wheel of the sun.
You are the white apron of the baker
and the marsh birds suddenly in flight.
.
.
(the middle part of the poem is here)
.
.

It might interest you to know,
speaking of the plentiful imagery of the world,
that I am the sound of rain on the roof.

I also happen to be the shooting star,
the evening paper blowing down an alley,
and the basket of chestnuts on the kitchen table.

I am also the moon in the trees
and the blind woman's tea cup.
But don't worry, I am not the bread and the knife.
You are still the bread and the knife.
You will always be the bread and the knife,
not to mention the crystal goblet and—somehow—the wine.



Here's what I want to know. What are you? It would interest me to know, "speaking of the plentiful imagery of the world," what you are.

And what am I?

I am the frost on my car's windshield in the morning,
and I am the stacks of papers and files that haven't been put away,
but I am also the piece of rainbow that the crystal in the window makes
when the sun comes in at just the right angle.

What are my students? They are...

...the annoying squirrel on the porch,
...the book, with so many ideas,
...the sneakers on the baseball field,
...the hair on a golden retriever,
...the sun in the summer.

They are...

...the homework that is not finished,
...the wind slowly blowing,
...the soft butter on the roll,
...a feather,
...the letter D,
...an airplane that flies over the clouds.

They are...

...popcorn in the microwave,
...syrup on pancakes,
...the moss that stays forever on the rock,
...the brush that makes the painting,
...the volcano that erupts,
...a hare on the prairie,
...a worm in an apple,
...the wind of a tornado.

They are...

...the sunset in the evening sky,
...the moon and the sun,
...the noise in my mother's house,
...the thorn on the rose,
...the sugar in a chocolate bar,
...the H in hurt,
...but most importantly, the snowflake on a snowy day.


Elaine has the round up this week at Wild Rose Reader.

Cool Teachers

It's been a long time since we've received a nomination for a Cool Teacher to add to our list of 100+ Cool Teachers in Children's Literature. Yesterday, Sue suggested Mr. Beggs from Suellen Holland's Mountain Whippoorwill. We're up to 115!

You've done a lot of reading this past year. Think back. Were there cool teachers in any of the 2008 books you read? Remind us, and we'll add them to the list.

Edited to add:

Thank you, Tricia, for Mr. D'Matz of the Clementine books! (Keep 'em coming, folks! This makes 116!)

Diversity Rocks -- Native Peoples

Every child should be able to find him or herself in books. We're doing better, but we're not there yet. Not anywhere near there.

Today I share two books that will hold up a mirror for Native American children. One that acknowledges the pain of the past, and one that is full of hope for the future.






Shin-chi's Canoe
by Nicola I. Campbell
illustrated by Kim LaFave
Groundwood Books, 2008
review copy provided by the publisher

From the flap copy: "Nicola I. Campbell is Interior Salish and Métis...Many members of her family, including her grandfather and mother, attended residential school."

In order to "civilize" them, Europeans forced hundreds of thousands of Native children to attend residential schools, where they were taught European culture, religion and language in replacement of their own.  Shin-Chi's Canoe tells the story of a little girl and her brother riding in a cattle truck away from their family and the beloved landscape of their home, which they would not see again "until the sockeye salmon return," to the separation and strange routines of the residential school. The strength of the children and the power of their own culture is shown when the little brother finds time to go alone to the river, experience nature deeply, sing his grandfather's prayer song, and send the little canoe his father carved down the river back towards home. We also see strength and resilience when the little brother and his new friend find a way to steal food from the school's root cellar! 

The beautiful but spare illustrations communicate with gesture, line and color the pull of home, and the children's resistance to the dulling experience of the school.

Niwechihaw (I Help)
by Caitlin Dale Nicholson
text translated into Cree by Leona Morin-Neilson
Groundwood Books, 2008

From the flap copy: "Caitlin Dale Nicholson is a graduate of the First Nations Studies program at the University of Norther British Columbia...Leona Morin-Neilson teaches Cree at the "Power of Friendship" Aboriginal HeadStart Program in Prince George, British Columbia and at the University of Norther British Columbia. She also teaches people in her community about traditional plants and how they can be used for medicinal purposes."

This is a very simple story about a boy and his grandmother out for a walk in the woods to pick rosehips. Everything his grandmother does, he does in his own way. Some things seem universal -- "driving" his toy car while grandmother drives the car, walking, helping, picking. But some things show how culture and tradition are passed on -- he listens and he prays. In the end, when his grandmother sits, he says, "Not me!" as he pulls back on his slingshot. No matter what else he is, he's a BOY!

Each page features a beautiful painting of either grandmother or the grandson.  There is one short sentence below the picture, first in Cree, then in English. For example, "Kohkom pimohtew. Kohkom walks." is paired with "Nipimohatan. I walk."

A recipe for rosehip tea is included at the end.

Dublin Librarians Rock!

I am lucky to teach at a school that is close to our the Dublin branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Libraries. Early in the year, I met with Loren Scully, the children's librarian, who is committed to connecting the work that we do. She had such great ideas about ways we could work together and we've been having lots of fun. So many benefits from working together. First of all, the kids at our school get the benefit of learning from the amazing librarians there. Second, by helping the students at school build relationships with the librarians at the Dublin branch, their visits to the library will be even better. And third, it is always interesting for me to see the kids and watch/listen when I am not the one teaching. I learn so much about them.

Earlier this month, Loren Scully visited the library and talked to 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders about the Caldecott Award, sharing her list of possibilities with them. The kids had a great time, learned lots, and have already mentioned to me (since the visit) that they saw her while visiting the Dublin Library. Ray, another one of the librarian, comes to the school weekly to work with a student. We have lots of informal chats about books while we pass in the hallway!

This week, one of the other librarians, George Morrison, came to share stories and songs with our K-1 students. He is quite the entertainer and the kids (and teachers) had a great time. I have never heard anyone read Piggie and Elephant quite like he did--with voices and all. The kids loved it. He shared songs and books and stories. (You can hear the song and others on his blog.) This event was to get kids excited about another event we'll be doing with the library. We have been invited to a PAJAMA STORYTIME at the library. In the evening, when it is dark, kids can visit the library with parents and families (wearing their PJs of course!) and participate in more songs and stories with George.

These three librarians are helping me realize just how powerful the connection to the library can be. I am already hearing comments from kids about wanting to visit the library, wanting to get a library card, etc. These librarians are quickly becoming part of our school community!

January Mosaic

I am participating in Project 365 on Flickr this year. I'm not following the rules exactly, so even though I have "joined" the group, I haven't really. Here's why: I can't take a picture a day. Or enough pictures each day so that I can choose one per day. (And if I take two really good ones on the same day, I want to use them both!)

The goal of taking 365 pictures in a year is like my goal of reading 52 children's novels in a year -- sometimes I'll go days without taking pictures and then "make up" the lost time; sometimes I go for weeks without finishing a book until the next chance I have to read multiple books. As always, the day job gets in the way of this project...especially this time of year when I get to work in the dark and leave for home in the dark. Kind of limits the photo ops, as it were.

Rules or no rules, this is a fun project that has made me more aware of the world around me -- of shape and color, texture and contrast. I carry my camera with me at all times now, and that alone has been worth its weight in gold. I am learning to navigate Flickr. I made the mosaic on fd's Flickr Toys. This is one of the ways that I am working on my 21st Century Literacies.

What Can You Do WIth A Rebozo? by Carmen Tafolla

During the announcements of the ALA awards on Monday, I was pleased to know so many of the books on the lists. But I am finding that it is just as fun to discover some of the books that I didn't know about. The Caldecott and the Newbery tend to get the most publicity that day, but so many of the other awards share such important pieces of literature for children. Discovering new titles has been fun for me this week.

WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH REBOZO? by Carmen Tafolla is a book I learned about when the ALA awards were presented on Monday. This book was a Belpre Illustrator Honor Book. A great picture book by all accounts. The book starts out with the title question, "What can you DO with a rebozo?" and then continues to answer the question of all of the ways you can use one. You quickly learn that a rebozo is a traditional Mexican woven shawl. Each page gives one or two new ways to use a rebozo--from keeping warm to making a secret tunnel.

The illustrations are stunning --a definite celebration of life and family.

So glad that I found this book! A great addition to the library:-)

WOLFSNAIL: A BACKYARD PREDATOR by Sarah C. Campbell

Another reason I love Cover to Cover is that they had all of the ALA award-winning books on display at the store--right when you walk in the door. I knew lot of the books that were winners but I found a few that I hadn't seen. One of the books I picked up today was WOLFSNAIL: A BACKYARD PREDATOR by Sarah C. Campbell. What a great book. I had no ideas that there were snails that ate other snails. This book was named a Geisel Honor Book on Monday. I am SOOOOO happy to see nonfiction on that award list. And this book is amazing. I picked it up and immediately knew that it would be a great read aloud for all age levels. So many things make it an amazing book:
*Amazing photos and many of them take up the full page
*Simple text packed with information
*Great language along with introductions of topic-specific words
*Some extra info on the last page, because once you know about this wolfsnail, you want to know more!
*A glossary with some of the "snail words"

Really, this is a spectacular book. I so love a book that teaches me about something I didn't even know existed. I am pretty sure that the kids will love this one!

PRINCESS PEEPERS by Pam Calvert

At least twice a week, one of the Kindergarten or first grade girls at school asks for a "princess book". That is what they look for and they are not easy to please. They want the new pink and purple princess of today. And these young girls seem to decide immediately by the cover, whether this is a princess that they want to read about.

So, I was very excited to find PRINCESS PEEPERS by Pam Calvert. The cover is perfect--pink and purple. And Princess Peepers is pretty fun. She wears glasses and loves to wear many different kinds of glasses. Quite the fashion statement. But then the other princesses make fun of her so she goes without her glasses. Well, as predicted it is a disaster and she can't see. All kinds of trouble occurs until she realizes that she does need her glasses. The ending is a good one and everyone, of course, lives happily ever after.

A cute book that will definitely make a good addition to the library!

(Thanks to Marshall Cavendish Children's Books for the review copy!)

Poetry Friday -- The Dog Wish

Man
is troubled
by what might be called
the Dog Wish,
a strange and involved compulsion
to be as happy and carefree
as a dog.

James Thurber

The round up this week is at Adventures in Daily Living.

2 New Picture Books

I didn't even have to read THE ODD EGG by Emily Gravett or THE GREAT PAPER CAPER by Oliver Jeffers when Beth showed them to me at Cover to Cover this week. I love both authors so much that I knew that I would want the books. So I bought them and read them when I got home. And I was not disappointed!

THE ODD EGG by Emily Gravett is a cute story of about lots of birds who have eggs. And Duck, who does not. But he finds an egg and waits anxiously for it to hatch. Gravett's illustrations are fun and the expressions on the animals' faces are worth a close look. There are some partial size pages that adds to the fun of the book. And of course there is a fun surprise at the end. A simple story with text that young children can tackle on their own. And of course, lots of Gravett's humor that makes this a book adults won't tire of. So glad I picked it up!

THE GREAT PAPER CAPER by Oliver Jeffers is the second book that I picked up. This book is a mystery of sorts. Tree branches are disappearing in the forest and the animals investigate. The language of a mystery (alibi, culprit, suspects) are used throughout which add to the fun. The clues come together for a happy ending. Jeffers great story, humor and unique art style combine to make this a great book to add to the library. Fun for all ages, I think!