Janeczko Poetry

Home on the Range: Cowboy Poetry

Selected By: Paul B. Janeczko

Pictures By: Bernie Fuchs

Janecko, Paul B. 1997. Home on the Range: Cowboy Poetry. Ill. by Bernie Fuchs. New York, NY: Dial Books.

ISBN: 0803719116

Home on the Range is a collection of 19 cowboy poems.  All the poems in the collection were selected by Paul Janeczko.  Jeneczko uses many different poetic elements throughout the book.  Rhyming words are used in many of the poems.  "You Probably Know This Guy" uses lots of rhyming words.  This particular poem was my favorite.  This poem talks about a farmer and his morning routine of getting up and feeding and taking care of his cows.  "Hayin" is another very enjoyable poem that uses rhyming words.  It is about hay seasons and their workers.  Some of the poems are written in free verse.  "Sold Out" and "Range Cow in Winter" are examples of poems that are written in free verse.

All of the poems fit well together and are about cowboys and cowgirls and the type of work they do.  The poems further the readers knowledge about the hard work these people do.  Cowboys is a very interesting topic that children love to read and learn about.  The poems talk about cowboys who drove cattle and cowboys who work on a ranch or farm.  Janecko has done a wonderful job of selecting poems from a wide range of authors, including both men and women.  

Bernie Fuchs has provided beautiful and captivating paintings.  There is one poem on every page and an illustration to go with the poem.  Fuchs blends colors such as brown, purple, yellow, orange, and black to represent the American cowboy.

Home on the Range is a terrific book to add to any poetry collection.  The book is educational and fun.  It provides a deeper look into the lives of interesting people and the work they do.

You Probably Know This Guy

He gets up in the mornin', way before dawn,

Feeds the wood heater, turns a pot of coffee on,

Tunes in the radio for the market report.

He could stay in bed, but he's just not that sort.

He scrambles some eggs, while his family sleeps upstairs.

Thinks over coffee 'til first light appears.

He climbs into his coveralls when it's light enough to feed.

Some folks wait 'til it's warmer, but he's not of that breed.

Activity: This is a great poem to teach younger children about rhyming words.  First complete a brief mini lesson over rhyming words, explaining and brainstorming what they are.  Next read the poem to the students out loud 2 times through.  After reading the poem divide the students into small groups and give a copy of the poem to each group.  Let students underline each set of rhyming words in different colors.  When each group is finished allow them to share with the whole group some of the rhyming words their group found.

Poetry By Kids

Falling Hard: 100 Love Poems By Teenagers

Edited By: Betsy Franco

Franco, Betsy. 2008. Falling Hard: 100 Love Poems By Teenagers. Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press. 

ISBN: 9780763634377

Falling Hard is a collection of 100 poems that are written by teenagers about the topic of love.  The authors of the poems come from a wide range of age and ethnic backgrounds.  These teenage poets  have a variety of sexual preferences, straight, gay, bi, and transgender.  

Some of the poems in the book have a rhythm or beat, while others have rhyming words.  Most of the poetry is written in free verse.  Sense imagery is dominant throughout the entire book revolving around love.  Many of the poems are written abstractly and left up for interpretation.  

All the poems are written from experiences these teenagers have been through.  Some of the poems are sweet and the reader can tell the authors of these poems have an innocence about love and being in a relationship.  Other poems are written from a raw perspective from teens who are more experienced.  Some of the poems deal with heart break, new relationships, crushes, sex, and self-esteem.  Love is a topic that all teens deal with, so the topic of the book is appealing to the age group targeted.  Love is  dealt with in different ways and it shows in the book.  The poems stir up various moods and emotions while being read due to the variety of the authors of the poetry.  The reader can tell these teen authors have poured their heart and soul into their poetry.  

Some of the poems are rough and difficult to read, and I wouldn't allow young teens to read the poems that are explicit. However, Falling Hard is an inspiration to any young writer.  It shows young people that they can write and have a voice just like adults.  Falling Hard is an example of teenagers pouring their hearts out onto paper and inspiring other teens to do the same.  


Love is Like


the sweetness of honey
falling from a bee hive.


You have to be careful
not to get stung.


Hector Jasso, age 16


Activity:  This poem is a good example of how poets often use similes in their poetry.  "Love is like the sweetness of honey" is a simile the poet has used.  Students can brainstorm other similes for the emotion and feeling of love, or students could pick another emotion such as anger or happiness and write similes for them.  After students have listed their similes they take them and write a poem using their similes. 

Free Choice Poetry

Declaration Of Interdependence: Poems for an Election Year

By: Janet Wong

Wong, Janet. 2012. Declaration of Interdependence: Poems for an Election Year. Princeton, NJ: PoetrySuitcase.com.

ISBN: 9781937057206 

Declaration of Interdependence is a collection of poetry compiled into an electronic format.  The poems focus around the topic of an election year.  There are 20 poems in the collection.  Some of the poems rhyme.  "Occupy the TV" is an example of a poem that has rhyming words.  It is a funny poem about watching political debates on the television.  Some of the poems are more along the lines of a narrative.  "We the People" tells a story about a fifteen year old and her eagerness to vote.

Wong does a great job of taking topics such as politics and writes in a way kids can understand.  All the poems appeal to young people.  Many of the poems are funny and witty and put a different spin on a stereotypical election.  Wong turns a topic that might be considered boring to some, especially kids, and makes it into an interesting topic.  Freedom of speech and the Bill of Rights is also addressed throughout her poems.   "F Words" is another poem that has an element of humor.  It is about a child listening in on an adults conversation about foreign policy, feminism, facts, fossil fuels, and other words that start with f.

I enjoyed reading through Wong's collection of poems.  Since this is an election year this book is a great resource and learning tool to use with students.  Declaration of Interdependence is a wonderful book with a sense of humor to use to expose and teach students about politics and the election year.

Once Upon A Time

Listen to old people

and it seems like

Once upon a time

the world was so different.

I wish

I could click the remote

And poof!

Instead of the boring nonsense

There would only be

Once Upon a time:

Snow White for President!

Activity:  This is a great poem to read to students during times of televised political debates.  There could be a class discussion about the debates and the teacher can ask the students if they have seen them on T.V.  After discussing the debates the teacher reads the poem.  The teacher points out the humorous fact that the author would like Snow White to be president.  After discussion students can brainstorm who they would like to be president, and either write a story or a poem about their candidate.

Performance Poetry

The Friendly Four

By: Eloise Greenfield

Illustrations By: Jan Spivey Gilchrist

Greenfield, Eloise. 2006. The Friendly Four. Ill. by Jan Spivey Gilchrist. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers.

ISBN: 0060007591

The Friendly Four is a collection of poems designed to be read as performance poetry. The book is about four children who become friends and play together during summer vacation. Their names are Dorene, Drum, Rae, and Louis. The book is divided into four parts or chapters. The book starts off in chapter one with only one of the children, and each chapter adds a new child until there are four children in chapter four. Each child has their own speaking lines, and a lot of the lines are written so that all four children can say them together. This layout of poetry makes it available for students to learn to read out loud as performance poetry.

The poems throughout the entire book carry the theme of friendship and imagination. The children get art supplies and construct a whole make believe town. "At the Bank" is a poem about the children going to the make believe bank and checking to see how much money is in their bank account to find they have one million dollars. Some of the poems contain words that rhyme such as "Drummond," while others have a beat because the poems are divided into different reading parts.

Friendship is something that all kids deal with so the topic is very appealing to young readers. All the poems stir up emotions and memories of childhood friendships among older readers. The book is written as performance poetry, and this element gives children the opportunity to see a different type of poetry and a different way of how it can be performed.

Jan Spivey Gilchrist has painted wonderful illustrations that are very colorful. There is an illustration on every page that goes with every poem. The illustrations are very appropriate for the book.

The Friendly Four is a poem picture book that offers many poetic concepts to children to help them understand that poetry is more than one person reading out loud. The book also reinforces friendship and shows children ways summer vacation can be spent playing outside with friends and using their imaginations.

We Did It!

Rae: We painted for days and days,

Louis: Monday through Friday,

and Monday through Friday again

Louis and Rae: (not counting the day Drum knocked over a can of paint, and we had to clean it up).

Dorene: But now, it's finished,

so let's lift our tired arms and say,

All: "Hooray! We did it! We built our own town!"

Drum: We've got:

All: One bank, one library, one church, two toy stores, one bookstore, one school, and so forth, and so forth.

Rae: To get here, just drive

south, east, west, and north.

Drum: You can't miss it. Look for

the sign that says:

All: Welcome to the Town of Goodsummer

Population 4

Activity: This is a great poem to use while teaching performance poetry. Divide students into groups of four and give each each student a part in the poem. They could be either Rae, Louis, Dorene, or Drum. Distribute poems to students and allow them to practice presenting their poem to the class. Next, pass out big pieces of white butcher paper or poster board and have each group draw and color their own picture of the town. Finally, allow groups to present poems along with their own illustration.

Hopkins Award Poetry

Jazz

By: Walter Dean Myers

Illustrated By: Christopher Myers

Myers, Walter Dean. 2006. Jazz. Ill. by Christopher Myers. New York, NY; Holiday House.

ISBN: 978083421732

Jazz by Walter Dean Myers is an award winning collection of poems focusing on the elements of jazz music. Many of the poems contain words that express the sound of jazz. "Twenty-Finger Jack" is an example of how Myers takes words such as, "Be ba boodie", and gives the reader the sense imagery of hearing the jazz music actually being played.

All of the poems in the collection stir up different emotions as the poems are read. "Be-Bop" is an example of a poem that makes the reader excited and happy about jazz music. "Good-Bye To Old Bob Johnson" is a poem about a funeral precession and even though the poem displays the emotion of sadness, the reader understands that jazz music can be played and heard in many different types of situations.

Music is something that all kids enjoy. Learning about a special type of music appeals to young readers. The poems that are featured enrich and extend a person knowledge and insight about jazz music. Myers has included a timeline about the history of jazz as well as a glossary of jazz terms in the back of the book. These things also help enrich the reader's knowledge about jazz.

Christopher Myers supplies the book with vibrant illustrations of African American jazz musicians and their musical instruments. The paintings in the book are very appropriate and go well with the poems.

Jazz is a collection of poems that all readers will enjoy. The words and rhythm that make up the poems allow the reader to actually hear the jazz music as if it was really being played. Myers has done an amazing job of making the music come to life through poetry.

Be-Bop

Oh be-bop be-bop, oh whee

OH WHEE!

Oh be-bop be-bop,

don't you dig I'm free?

Oh be-bop be-bop,

do you dig my jive?

This jazz that I'M playing

is keeping me alive!

The sweet honey changing

And the mood rearranging

And the ax that I'm grinding

And the melody I'm finding

Goes screa---min',

Goes screamin',

Goes screa---screa---screamin'

To the moon!

Activity: This poem is great to use to teach children about onamonpias. The teacher would start off telling students to try to think of the instrument that is being used in the poem. Students should listen for onamonpias that are used in the poem they read. After the teacher reads the poem several times students share what instrument they think is featured in the poem. The teacher then tells the students that the poem has the sound of a saxophone in it. The teacher plays a recording of a saxophone and discusses with students the onamonpias that are used in the poem, such as "be-bop" and "oh whee." Next students can listen to other instruments and brainstorm other onamonpias for their sounds.

Sidman Poetry

Red Sings From Treetops: A Year in Colors

By: Joyce Sidman

Illustrated By: Pamela Zagarenski

Sideman, Joyce. 2009. Red Sings From Treetops: A Year in Colors. Ill. by Pamela Zagarenski. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.

ISBN: 9780547014944

Red Sings From Treetops is a poem picture book that gives detailed descriptions about the four seasons by using the visual effects of colors. The book starts with the season of spring and ends with the season of winter. Joyce Sidman takes the reader on a whimsical and imaginative journey involving the four seasons and the colors each represent. "Green is new in spring," is an example of how Sidman takes a simple color and expands the mind into thinking about how these colors represent each season. Many colors are used throughout all the poems.

The colors and the seasons are concepts that children are taught at an early age so the topic of the book appeals to all ages and is familiar to all children. The poems enrich a person's knowledge and challenges them to take a closer look at the colors in nature. Sidman's poems are descriptive, but leave room for the imagination. Many of the poems are written in a free verse format, but the topic of the poems is inviting to young readers.

Pamela Zagarenski is the illustrator for the book and won a Caldecott Medal for the illustrations. The paintings in the book are full of color and life. The pictures fit well with the poems and are appropriate for the book.

Red Sings From Treetops opens a world of new meaning and appreciation for nature and the changing seasons. This book is fun for young readers who are learning about colors and seasons for the first time, and the book is also for older children because the depth of the words within the poems is visually stunning.

Fall

Orange ripens in

full, heavy moons,

thick with pulp and seed.

Orange flickers,

all smoke and candles.

Orange eyes.

Orange cheeks.

Orange teeth.

Activity: This poem is a great example of how visual these poems can be. The teacher could have the students close their eyes and visualize what is being read from the poem. Any part of the book would work for this activity. After the teacher reads part of the book she could have the students draw what they visualized and share with the class as a whole group. Once everyone has shared the teacher can then show the class the amazing illustrations from the book.

Biography Poetry

Carver: A Life in Poems

By: Marilyn Nelson

Nelson, Marilyn. 2001. Carver: A Life in Poems. New York, NY" Scholastic Inc.

ISBN: 0439443393

Carver is a collection of poems formed into a bibliographic novel about the life of George Washington Carver. Carver was a scientist, educator, artist, and inventor. He made a large impact on the African American community. He made great discoveries in the area of agriculture, and mostly with peanuts. The book is laid out with poems written from people's perspective that were a part of Carver's life. Nelson also includes important dates and facts about Carver's life on some of the bottoms of the pages. Also, real black and white photographs are located throughout the book with dates and captions, and they provide good visual aides.

Nelson's poetry is filled with figurative language and many of the poems are abstract. This type of writing style leaves room for much interpretation from the reader. The book leans more towards the young adult. The poems can be understood by the audience, but the writing does expand the readers linguistic ability. Many young adults may not know who Carver is or what he accomplished, but after reading this novel they will gain insight into the man that had such a lasting impact.

Some of the poems focus on the kind heart Carver appeared to have. "Friends of the Klan" is about one of Carver's friends being a part of the KKK, and Carver praying for his friend. Other poems focus on the hardship that Carver went through as he enrolled in college to further his career. "Cafeteria Food" is about the hurt feelings Carver endures as he attended Iowa State College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts in 1891. Carver: A Life in Poems is a great example of how poetry can read not only to entertain but also to inform.

Goliath

for J.B.

Professor Carver smiles. "God is right here.

Don't loose contact with Him. Don't yield to fear.

Fear is the root of hate, and hate destroys

the hater. When Saul's army went to war

against the Philistines, the Israelites

lost contact, fearful of Goliath's might.

"When we lose contact, we see only hate,

only injustice, a giant so great

its shadow blocks our sun. But David slew

Goliath with the only things he knew:

the slingshot of intelligence, and one

pebble of truth. And the battle was done."

Activity: This poem is about overcoming racism. This poem would be great to share with students during the month of February, which is black history month. After sharing this poem and discussing what it means to overcome hardship, students can research other great leaders in the African American community and make presentations to share with the class. Students can write a poem and create a poster to share about their leader of choice. Posters and poems can be displayed in the hallway all through the month of February.