Spotlight on Poetry!

Spotlight:  Poetry!

Some recent poetry finds!


Soccerverse: Poems About Soccer
written by Elizabeth Steinglass
illustrated by Edson Ikê 
22 poems about varying parts of the game told in varying poems!  My favorite poem is "The Fans" which is about parents coming to watch a game but when they are near, you pretend you don't hear the instructions they are yelling!  Ha, that's true regardless of the sport :)  
Backmatter includes information about the different types of poetry with a key that lists the poem names and the type of poem it is.


I Am Someone Else: Poems About Pretending
collected by Lee Bennett Hopkins
illustrated by Chris Hsu
Hopkins, the great collector of poetry, put together a wonderful anthology of pretend and role playing for his readers.  A fun collection of poetry about stepping into someone else's shoes from being a pirate to a pilot, these poems will delight young readers who love to imagine.


Thanku: Poems of Gratitude
edited by Miranda Paul
illustrated by Marlena Myles
A book that should be read and shared cover to cover.  This collection of poetry that celebrates what true gratitude is and can be - something that is done throughout the year, the seasons, celebrating nature and family and animals and everything in between.  
Each poem is labeled with the type of poetry and the backmatter includes a guide to each poetry - with a note saying please try this at home!  
Also included in the backmatter is a quick biography of all the poets and some of their other work.  Paul also includes a note that reminds us that while this book will often be put with Thanksgiving books, it really is meant to be shared year round.
A portion of the proceeds will be going to We Need Diverse Books.  Another celebration about this book!


Snack, Snooze, Skedaddle: How Animals Get Ready for Winter
written by Laura Purdie Salas
illustrated by Claudine Gévry
Told in lyrical verses, young readers learn tricks of animals to stay warm in wintertime.  Like other Salas' books, she includes small facts about each animal in small print on the page for further information.  The backmatter includes more information about the ways animals stay warm as well as additional information about each animal. 
This pairs well with the nonfiction book Wait Rest Pause: Dormancy in Nature by Marcie Flinchum Atkins.


Who Named Their Pony Macaroni: Poems About White House Pets
poems by Marilyn Singer
illustrated by Ryan McAmis
This time Singer points the spotlight at some of the 4-legged creatures that lived at the White House.  Each animal is spotlighted for its interesting contributions to the presidency.  I'm pretty sure these pets had no idea how big of a deal their owners were, and as such definitely acted like the animals they were!  I liked reading the additional information about the pets in the back of the book.


Happy, poetic reading!