Poetry

Book 1 for this Module: Poetry

Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars: Space Poems and Paintings by Douglas Florian

 

Bibliography:

Florian, D. (2007). Comets, stars, the moon, and mars: Space poems and paintings. Orlando: Harcourt. 

Summary: 
All the poems in the book have to do with entities in the sky. Every two pages contain one short poem and wonderful art to accompany the content of the poem. The end of the book also contains a Galactic Glossary to explain some term further. “A Galaxy” is my favorite poem in this book, the text is written in a fun spiral shape to show the shape of our galaxy and all the pictures show other possible shapes galaxies.

My Impression: 

The poems are not only nice to listen to but they have interesting science facts about our solar system within them. The poem can be enjoyed by youngers elementary students, but also utilized by older elementary students to introduce the topic of the solar system in a fun, creative, and informative way.

Reviews: 

“This large-format book looks at astronomy through the magnifying, clarifying lens of poetry .Each broad double-page spread features a short, accessible poem about a subject such as the sun, each of its planets, a comet, a constellation, or the universe, set within an impressive painting. A concrete poem entitled “a galaxy” is a curling spiral of words set against the midnight-blue sky and surrounded by other galaxies. Stamped type, cutout pages, collage elements with printed papers, and seeping brushstrokes all figure prominently in the expressive collage artwork, which ably illustrates the verse. The last pages carry “A Galactic Glossary” with a paragraph on the topic of each poem, followed by a list of books and Web sites. Florian’s ode to Pluto matter-of-factly notes its demoted status, but even better is his pithy poem on Jupiter: “Jupiter’s jumbo, / Gigantic, / Immense, / So wide / Side to side, / But gaseous, not dense. / With some sixteen moons / It’s plainly prolific- / So super-dupiter / Jupiterific!” Read this aloud.” - Booklist (Gr. 3 - 5)

Phelan, C. (2007). Comets, Stars, the Moon and Mars. Booklist, 103(15), 50.

“Nothing gladdens the heart of believers in good poetry for children more than a new collection by Florian, whose verses and paintings consistently capture the essence of his featured themes. This one literally sings the music of the spheres. Twenty playfully lyrical poems treat topics such as the universe, the individual planets, constellations, and black holes. Each selection is presented on its own spread and adorned with a magical painting done in gouache, collage, and rubber stamps on brown paper. Circles abound in the artwork, and many pages have round cut-outs that lead into the next picture. For example, "the earth" ("Two-thirds water./One-third land./Valleys deep./Mountains grand") is illustrated with a colorful globe decorated with circled collage prints of animals and plants. A smaller orb appears nearby, made from a cut-out circle that reveals part of the illustration for the next selection, "the moon." Some of the paintings incorporate mythological names and images. The pleasing blend of faded shades and brilliant colors, of old-fashioned prints and fanciful sketches, makes the illustrations seem both antique and high-tech. An appended "Galactic Glossary" provides additional information. In both language and artwork, Florian strikes the perfect balance between grandeur and whimsy. Like Myra Cohn Livingston and Leonard Everett Fisher's Space Songs (Holiday House, 1988; o.p.), this book is a work of art worthy of the vastness of its subject.” - School Library Journal (Gr. 1 - 5)

Use in Classroom Setting:

Lower elementary students read Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars and investigate the five outer planets. Students explore various websites and create trading cards with facts about the planets in our galaxy. This creative project will allow students to express some of the beautiful paintings in the book and still provides important science material.

As students learn about the planets in Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars, they can focus on one planets of their choice. Students do research on the planet and use a computer program, like Microsoft Publisher, to create a travel brochure about the planet.

Book 2 for the Module: Poetry (Verse Novel)

Who Killed Mr. Chippendale?: A Mystery in Poems by Mel Glenn

Bibliography:

Glenn, M. (1996). Who killed mr. chippendale?: A mystery in poems. New York: Lodestar Books.

Summary: 

Robert Chippendale, English teacher is seeing his last day when he goes for a run on the school track and is shot. Someone in a hoodie is upset with him because they bump into each other as he ties his shoes. Robert lets it go because he doesn’t want to deal with the problem, but the sweatshirt wearer is angry he wasn’t acknowledged. As Robert starts on his run he reflects on his life and sees nothing special about it, he wonders if he is happy. Each page contains thoughts or feelings about how this death has affected them, the reader sees different perspectives; students, teachers, principal, counselor, reporter, police. The reader sees how people perceived the teacher while most are good, some are not. The books spans the event, the funeral, and afterwards. People share their thoughts about how they feel about school and life. A new teacher is hired and ready to move on but some people are not ready they need closure. In an effort to provide that closure and catch the killer Angela Falcone, the counselor, set up a memorial in Robert’s honor. She finds out the identity of the killer and finally put her emotions to rest. 

My Impression:

Reading this verse novel was like reading a play. Mostly it’s just one person’s words and sometimes an interchange with another character. There are some great statements that ring true about the life we live. Some comments that really got me where a student is talking about school and how it only asks for “Blindness obedience and mindless repetition” another was about the elation and then sadness a student felt about going to college “I’m too rich to afford the college of my choice.” This was a great book that allowed the reader to see the story unfold through the many characters involved.

Reviews: 

 “High school English teacher Robert Chippendale is shot and killed one morning while running on the Tower High track before class. Moments earlier, he’d had a confrontation with a shadowy figure in a red-hooded sweatshirt. That’s all readers learn early on in this mystery in poem format. But more than a whodunit, this unique offering explores a multitude of issues in its pages. Single-page conversational poems are presented, each of which bears the name of a different student, teacher, or community member touched by the murderer. Not only do the poems clue readers into the characters’ personalities and sensibilities, but they also provide a telling commentary on the attitudes toward violence reflected in our society at large. The cast is large, ranging from students who loved or hated “Mr. C” to guidance counselor Angela Falcone, who ties the book together. An epilogue takes readers 13 years into the future to shoe what the characters, including the murder, are doing with their lives. Glenn delivers a starkly realistic view of modern high-school life. A clever idea executed in a thoughtful, compelling, and thoroughly accessible manner.” – School Library Journal (Gr. 7 & Up)

Korbeck, S. (1996). Junior high up: Fiction. School Library Journal, 42(7), 98.

“Teens who have enjoyed Glenn's previous free-verse peeks at contemporary high-school life, such as My Friend's Got This Problem, Mr. Candler (1991), will probably want to see this one, even though it is not as successful. Violence, a top concern among today's teens, is the unifying theme, and the idea of presenting a mystery in free-form verse should have great appeal. The aftermath of the unexplained shooting death of a high-school teacher is presented through the eyes of a variety of different people--students in his classes, investigating cops, a counselor with whom he had an affair. Unfortunately, even accounting for Glenn's attempts to differentiate the characters, the poetry is painfully turgid at times ("black holes appear in the constellation of my memories"), and his story lacks punch. His previous, more intimate books, which present characters and problems more varied and more emotionally compelling, will continue to draw readers long after this one is forgotten.” – Booklist (Gr. 7 - 12)

Zvirin, S. (1996). Books for older readers: Nonfiction. Booklist, 92(19/20), 1688.

Use in Classroom Setting:

After reading Who Killed Mr. Chippendale students take in all the comments by the students and evidence presented.  After collecting their thoughts they decide how they want to structure the text using Web 2.0 tool Glogster EDU to create a news report depicting the goings on of the investigation at Tower High. Something like the Glogster poster found at http://hopperkc.edu.glogster.com/who-killed-mr-chippendale/.

Review elements found in a mystery; clues, deduction, foreshadowing, hypothesis, powers of observation, red-herring (distractions). Then ask students how these elements were prevalent in Who Killed Mr. Chippendale. Together the class creates a large sized casebook to report and explain the answer to the mystery.

Mystery & Series Book

Book 1 for this Module: Mystery

Close to a Killer by Marsha Qualey

Bibliography:
Qualey, M. (2000). Close to a killer. New York, N.Y: Dell Laurel-Leaf.

Summary:
Barrie has no choice but to live with her mother Daria when her father and stepmother Melissa take off to Paris for a year. Barrie is getting use to living with her ex-con mother and working at her mother’s business, Killer Looks Salon. Daria started the business with other ladies she met while doing time for homicide at Washburn State Women’s Prison. Barrie is getting to know a lot of shady characters not only from her the salon but from the bookstore she hangs out at. Most of them are guests of the People’s Center where troubled people go for help. When two people are murdered people start suspecting that the employees of Killer Looks are to blame especially since they are clientele. Barrie doesn’t know who to trust and soon Barrie and her mother are the target of a burglary of their home and arson of the salon. After one last visit to the bookstore Barrie starts to see everything makes sense and she is caught up in the mess of it all.

My Impression:   
There is never a dull moment in Barrie's life with her having to adjust to a new life in the city, getting to know her mom again, and just when she is starts finding a routine her life is turned upside down with the criminal activity lurking at every corner.This book was an intriguing mystery that had me guessing who the guilty culprit was until the last minute, because there are plenty of suspicious characters with troubled pasts. Though the guilty party was a surprise it made sense when the details were laid out.

Reviews 
“This whodunit with a teenage protagonist isn't particularly graphic, but it's not your usual naive teen amateur investigator stuff, either. Part of that is due to the vivid inner-city backdrop, and part to the reference to some thoughtful moral questions (Is murder ever justified? Is a killer damned forever?). When not working for her mother, Daria, at Killer Looks, a beauty salon her mother started on being released from prison, Barrie finds solace in old photos and in reading vintage career romances. She thinks she's especially lucky when the friendly proprietor at a local bookstore presents her with three new books as well as some old pictures. Unfortunately, luck is nowhere in her personal forecast. Instead, her mother's salon is linked to two murders; their home is trashed; and the salon is torched, resulting in the death of an elderly woman. Coincidence? Not on your life. Qualey handles the mystery mechanics with exceptional flair, working in just enough of Barrie's ruminations about her mother's past and their awkward relationship to give the plot variety without slowing it down. The author also throws out a satisfying assortment of red herrings--after all, whom do you trust with ex-cons and street people all around? A good lead-in to adult mysteries; even the jacket suggests "older teens."”- Booklist (Gr. 9 - 12)

Zvirin, S. (1999). Close to a killer. Booklist, 95(11), 970.

“Barrie Dupre, raised in the suburbs by her father and stepmother, must now spend her junior year of high school in the heart of the city with her mother, an ex-con. Daria Dupre, imprisoned for manslaughter when Barrie was five-years old, is now the owner-operator od  Killer Looks, a successful beauty salon staffed entirely by women who, one way another, have killed someone. When two of the salon’s clients are murdered in their homes, Barrie is caught up in a plot that keeps bringing her even closer to a killer. The path that leads the teen to the murder is convoluted and the revelation of the truth smacks more of a deus ex machina than logical end of a carefully crafted plot. However, this book is difficult to put down because of the author’s deft hand with dialogue and wry way with characterization. A combination of sophisticate, smart-aleck, and innocent, Barrie collects 1950’s career romances and old photographs, writing imaginative but morose stories about the people in the pictures. Every character in the book, particularly Barrie, rings true. Qualey has delivered another successful YA novel” – School Library Journal 

Halsall, J. (1999). Close to a killer. School Library Journal, 45(3), 214.

Use in Classroom Setting:
Students are asked to think back to when they were reading Close to Killer and  explain who they thought was the guilty culprit was before the answer was revealed in the text. Students investigate stereotypes people have about people’s past and whether people deserve a second chance. The students are asked to think about their own life and choices and decide if people are able to change for the better. 
 

Students explore the guilt that Barrie’s mother, Daria, feels for the big mistake that landed her in prison. Students discuss the importance of forgiveness and making positive choices. Students examine and discuss emotions and the concept of forgiving and how it can make them feel.

Book 2: Mystery/Series

The Dark Stairs by Betsy Byars

Bibliography:
Byars, B. C. (1997). The dark stairs: A herculeah jones mystery. New York, N.Y: Puffin Books.

Summary: 
Herculeah Jones can tell when something is awry and no wonder with a police officer as a father and a private investigator as a mother. Her interest in the “Dead Oaks” residence gets sparked after she finds her dad in front of the home responding to a call that someone has been seen lurking around the place. Then she get home to find Meat, a friend, waiting at her home to warn her about a strange client her mother is talking to. This creepy character has hired her mom to find a body. The body is his father’s body, the only inhabitant of “Dead Oaks” that went missing years ago. The police were never able to produce one when they serched the home.  Herculeah, with some help from Meat, work the case to satisfy her search for the truth.

My Impression:  
Herculeah is not your average damsel in distress that just happens to come upon the truth. She is a smart kid who uses her brain and her strength to get at the truth. The truth of what happened to the Crewell family at “Dead oaks” is a surprise that you will not see coming, but it will change the way you feel about the scary son, William Crewell, who the kids nickname the "Moloch." This is a good series for kids at the elementary level.

 
Reviews: 

“Move over Nancy Drew, Herculeah Jones has arrived! Strong and agile, she lives up to her name and seems capable of solving any case that  comes her way; with a private investigator mother and a police detective father, she has a natural interest in mysterious situations. In this first volume of what is sure to be a popular series, Herculeah becomes fascinated with a forbidding estate and a frightening-looking client of her mother’s. She capitalizes on her contact in the police department (her father) and listens to her mother’s recorded interviews with her client; by refusing to follow rules set by her parents when she is driven to get closer to the truth, she succeeds in closing the case. She escapes after being locked in a dark musty basement and discovers a hidden staircase, at the bottom of which lays the long-missing dead owner of Dead oaks. Byars has created a likable case of main characters. Herculeah’s friend Meat serves as the perfect comic foil for her intensity; he seems as if he could be a first cousin to Bingo Brown. There is plenty to laugh at in this book, including classic chapter headings guaranteed to cause shivers for the uninitiated; practiced mystery readers may feel that they are in on a bit of a joke an appreciate the hint of parody. This is a page-turner that is sure to entice the most reluctant readers.” – School Library Journal (Gr. 5 - 7)

Fader, E. (1994). Book review: Grades 3-6. School Library Journal, 40(9), 214.

“The Dark Stairs is the second Herculeah Jones mystery by Betsy Byars (a Puffin Paperback from Penguin Books Canada Limited, 160 pages, $ 5), and it puts the adolescent Herculeah on the trail of a possible murder at the Dead Oaks estate. With the nervous participation of her best friend Meat, a hefty boy with no stomach for trouble, Herculeah sets out to discover why a gigantic stranger appears to have an interest in Dead Oaks and what became of the old man who once lived there. This book -- probably best for Grades 4 and up -- is a page-turner, partly because of the intriguing plot and partly because Herculeah's self-confidence and fearlessness are so refreshing.” – Calgary Herald

Kate Zimmerman, For the Calgary Herald. (1998). Modern hero arrives for girls: Final edition. Calgary, Alta: Infomart, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.

Use in Classroom Setting:

After reading the mystery The Dark Stairs students are given photographs at random and asked to write their own mystery. The story by organizing the pictures in a sequence that they wish to convey then they write an outline of a mystery story using the elements found in a good mystery. 

Students discuss the ending of The Dark Stairs and whether they though the ending was plausible and fit the story well. They discuss how important a good ending is especially in mystery books. Students draft ideas about other possible endings that could have effectively provided a resolution to the mystery.