Spi-Ku: A Clutter of Short Verse on Eight Legs by Leslie Bulion & illustrated by Robert Meganck. Published by Peachtree Publishing Company

ISBN: 9781682631928
Hardcover $16.99
Peachtree Publishing Inc.

My thoughts: When I see the word "clutter" I immediately think of a messy mess. Stuff cluttered about. So imagine my surprise when I learned that "clutter" is a collective noun for spiders! And then, I have this dream-nightmare of spiders. Goes back to my childhood when I was so afraid of the huge garden spiders that spun their webs across our garden gate. Enough about me and spiders (just don't let them creep, leap, hop, crawl off the pages of this book).

This is not your little kiddie book but it is a children's book. The illustrations are so very realistic. The side bars of information contain tidbits that will educate nicely. The poetic tone of the book's text, while not all in rhyme, is an introduction to a form of literature sometimes missed.

Educational text "The World of Spiders," "Spectacular Silk," "Spiders on the Move," etc. present instructional text on specifics of spider life and attributes. What is so much fun in each of these sections is the short verse that so entertainingly tells the read about that aspect of spiders. For example: "Worldwide Webbers" has this little nugget.....

Black-and-Yellow Garden Spider

An orbweaver called it a night.

Belly stuffed in the dusk's waning light,

Then a hurrying fly

Crashed her web and stuck by,

And the spider shrugged, "Well... one more bite."

The back matter pages at book's end include Glossary, A Few Notes on Poetic Form, Spi-ku Spider Identification, Spider Hunt!, and For Further Study. So  much to delight in as the author and illustrator bring entertaining lessons on the world of spiders and do it in such a poetic method. Entertaining education!

School librarians, public librarians, home schools, and classroom teachers should all include this one in their collections.

About the book: Leslie Bulion, award-winning educator favorite and master of science poetry, is back with a humorous exploration of the silk-spinning, bungee-jumping, hunting, trapping, trick-filled world of spiders!

Meet spiders that spit silk, roll like wheels, scuba dive, hide under trap doors, strum tunes, and so much more. Watch as they find mates, find prey...or find mates that become prey!

Award-winning poet Leslie Bulion and illustrator Robert Meganck team up again for this clutter (a collective noun for spiders) of Haiku and other short poems and humorously accurate illustrations that celebrate the amazing attributes of Araneae.

The book is also packed with helpful sidebars, call-outs, and backmatter, including a glossary of science terms, notes about the poetic forms, a list of common and scientific names, a spider-hunting adventure how-to, resources for further study, and a relative-size chart. A feast for science and animal fans and a bonanza for teachers and students interested in cross-curricular studies!

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given.

The Poetry of US edited by former U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis [Giveaway US/CANADA]

Welcome to The Poetry of US Blog Tour!

To celebrate the release of The Poetry of US edited by former U.S. Children's Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis, blogs across the web are featuring selected poems from The Poetry of US plus 8 chances to win a copy! Follow along on this road trip across the U.S. through poems and pictures!

Introduction
by J. Patrick Lewis, former U.S. Children's Poet Laureate and editor of The Poetry of US

Have you ever traveled across the United States but not in a car, bus, plane, or train? If you have, you know what it’s like to play a true “mind game.” Because your brain is the best and fastest vehicle to get you from Alaska to Florida, New Mexico to Maine, and everywhere in between. Well, it helps, of course, if you have the comfort of a chair and this book, The Poetry of Us, sitting squarely in your lap.

It’s true, you know, as the great poet Robert Frost once said, “All poetry begins with Geography.” Some people call such writing “the poetry of place.” I call it a ticket to ride, a road atlas of words, or perhaps a word atlas of roads. Here you will find the Chicago River on St. Patrick’s Day suddenly turned green, the Montana State Fair’s hog-calling contest, colorful Native American celebrations, Los Angeles traffic jams, the wealth of America as well as its inner city poverty and despair.

So open this book to find out about places you might know or places you’ve never been. You may even be encouraged to write a poem about your own hometown or somewhere that exists only on the map of your imagination.   

Power to the People: Signs of Our Democracy

(A Found Poem)

I AM A MAN. I AM A MAN.

You Are on Stolen Land.

Your Backwards Views Are Older Than the Dinosaurs.

We Can’t Feed the Poor But We Can Fund a War.

Jim Crow Must Go.

End Segregated Rules. Put Prayer Back in Schools.

Stop the H8. The World Can’t Wait.

Don’t tread on me. Stop Police Brutality. We Demand Equality.

From Adam’s Rib to Women’s Lib.

Pro-Life. Women’s Choice.

Your Vote Is Your Voice.

No More! Outrage! Consumers Crave a Living Wage.

Occupy Wall Street. No More Pollution.

Government Is the Problem, Not the Solution.

Clenched fist. Peace sign. Flying dove.

We are America . Love and Let Love.

Activism is not a crime.

I’m tired of marching for what should already be mine.

-Carole Boston Weatherford

*****

Blog Tour Schedule:

November 26th — Chat with Vera
November 27th — Beach Bound Books
November 28th — Christy's Cozy Corners
November 29th — Bookhounds
November 30th — YA and Kids Books Central

December 3rd — Java John Z's
December 4th — Word Spelunking
December 5th — A Dream Within a Dream

“...an expansive gathering, with dazzling visuals” - Kirkus

Buy: National Geographic | Amazon | Indiebound

Add on Goodreads

Follow Patrick: Web site | Twitter | Instagram

Follow National Geographic Kids: Website | Twitter | Books Twitter | Facebook | Youtube

It's all about us! Join former U.S. Children's Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis on a lyrical journey through the United States to experience the wonders of America's people and places through 200+ inspiring poems and stunning photographs.

Celebrate the gift of language and the vibrant culture of the United States with this collection of classic and never-before-published poetry. Poems are arranged by region, from coast to coast, and among them you'll find works by Langston Hughes, Dorothy Parker, Robert Frost, Naomi Shihab Nye, Walt Whitman, and more. From the familiar to the surprising, subjects include people, places, landmarks, monuments, nature, and celebrations. Designed for sharing, but geared to younger readers, this beautifully illustrated treasury is a must-have for the whole family.

About the Author: J. PATRICK LEWIS is a former U.S. Children's Poet Laureate. He earned a B.A. at Saint Joseph's College, an M.A. at Indiana University, and a Ph.D. in economics at the Ohio State University. Lewis taught in the department of Business, Accounting and Economics at Otterbein College until 1998, when he became a full-time writer. He is the author of more than 50 books of poetry for children, including Spot the Plot: A Riddle Book of Book Riddles (2009, illustrated by Lynn Munsinger); New York Times Best Illustrated Book The Last Resort (2002); The Shoe Tree of Chagrin (2001) which won the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators' Golden Kite Award; A Hippopotamusn't: And Other Animal Poems (1990); and he has collaborated with other poets on several collections.

His children's poetry has been widely anthologized, and his contributions to children's literature have been recognized with the 2011 Poetry Award from the National Council of Teachers of English and the Ohioana Awards' 2004 Alice Louise Wood Memorial Prize. His poetry for adults includes the collection Gulls Hold Up the Sky: Poems 1983-2010.

GIVEAWAY

• One (1) winner will receive a copy of The Poetry of Us
• US/Canada only
• Begins Nov. 26 and Ends December 10 at 12:01 a.m. EST

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy of the book as a token of appreciation for posting this prepared material about the book and author. Opinions are not mine but those of author and publicist. Giveaway copy is provided by publicist or publisher and sent directly to the winner by them. NOTE: I can not personally endorse some of the content of this book of poetry. While some is that which I can endorse, there is some which I find strident, divisive, and that which condones or applauds ill speaking either societal or grammatically. Simply not "Vera's style."

Sing a Song of Seasons: A Nature Poem for Each Day of the Year curated by Fiona Waters & illustrated by Frann Preston-Gannon [Review & Giveaway USA/CANADA]

My thoughts:  From little two or three line rhymes to famed poetry such as Robert Frost's "Stopping By Woods On A Snowy Evening" or the poems of Robert Louis Stevenson, Sing A Song of Seasons is a delight. With illustrations from the skilled hand of Frann Presto-Gannon the book presents as a volume to cherish for years of reading poetry through the year.

The book is quite large  and hefty which precludes very young children holding. However, it is nicely sized for lap-holding and read-aloud times. The monthly collections of poems are numbered by the day, an arrangement that makes for easy reading on a regular basis. Indexed nicely in the back for looking up favorites.

What a wonderful pairing - the seasons and poetry. There is so much in Sing A Song of Seasons that evokes the seasons - wind, sun, snow, ice - that the beautiful properties of nature expressed in the poetic phrase or artistic drawing simply capture the reader's rapt attention. The reader will gain a better grasp of what the poems are saying through the illustrations, likewise the illustrations will have beautifully descriptive words expressed in the poems that help the viewer see more of the artistic details.

I highly recommend this beautiful book for the home where the poetic word is enjoyed, where the love of seasonal charm and beauty is appreciated, and where a good read-aloud session is pleasure indeed.

About the book: Sing a Song of Seasons is a lavishly illustrated collection of 366 nature poems — one for every day of the year. Filled with familiar favorites and new discoveries written by a wide variety of poets, including William Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, John Updike, Langston Hughes, N. M. Bodecker, Okamoto Kanoko, and many more, this is the perfect book for children (and grown-ups!) to share at the beginning or the end of the day.

Sing a Song of Seasons: A Nature Poem for Each Day of the Year
by Fiona Waters (Editor), Frann Preston-Gannon (Illustrator)

Read a few pages by clicking here to access Google books. Buy it here

A Christmas gift perfect choice

GIVEAWAY

1 Winner receives 1 copy of book

Begins November 14

Ends December 3 at 12:01 a.m. ET

Open to USA and CANADA addresses

NO P.O. BOXES, Please!

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from Candlewick Press on behalf of Nosy Crow Publishing an imprint of Candlewick to facilitate this review. Opinions are mine alone and are freely given. Winner's copy is provided and shipped by the publisher directly to the winner.

Classic Poetry: Candlewick Illustrated Classic, Michael Rosen (Editor), Paul Howard (Illustrator) [Giveaway "Miss Emily" USA/CANADA]

Over the next few days, I shall be reviewing three very well done children's books that feature the classical literary world. With these reviews will come a giveaway of one of the books as a courtesy of Candlewick Press. So we'll have a look at Charles Dickens, an anthology of Classic Poetry, and a delightful rendering of a fictional tale about Emily Dickerson. The books are......

• Classic Poetry An Illustrated Collection by author/anthology editor: Michael Rosen & illustrated by Paul Howard
• Miss Emily author by Burleigh Muten [This will be the giveaway prize book.]
• Charles Dickens England's Most Captivating Storyteller by author: Catherine Wells-Cole

Classic Poetry An Illustrated Collection by author/anthology editor: Michael Rosen, Paul Howard, illustrator

ISBN13: 9780763642105
Softcover $12.99

This is a beautiful collection of poetry specific to English language poets. They are from countries across the World. The book is strikingly illustrated with a rich array of paintings and drawings that the artist developed after studying the poetry, traveling to some of the countries, and trying to put to paints what the authors put in words. A daunting task.

This books is not a young child's book, as the content is more suited for age 10 and up. So while this is published by a primarily children's press (Candlewick Press), it is suitable for children and adults. This will make grand addition to the home library for those who wish to read or study poetry and for those who wish to introduce their children to the words of great poets. A truly nice collection.

The poets in this anthology encompass a timeline from 1564 AD (William Shakespeare's birth) to 2000 AD (Judith Wright's death). There are brief biographies of the poets and paintings of them as well. This provides easy access for children (students) to become acquainted with the poets, aid their research into English literature and the authors of that genre. Provided also is a grand little index in the back of the book. And then there are the delightful lines of poetry themselves.....

The Mock Turtle's Song (Lewis Carroll) p.84

"Will you walk a little faster?"

said a whiting to a snail.

"There's a porpoise close behind us,

and he's treading on my tail.

See how eagerly the lobsters and

the turtles all advance!

They are waiting on the shingle--

will you come and join the dance?

Will you,  won't you, will you, won't you,

will you join the dance?...........

O Captain! My Captain! (Walt Whitman) p.76

O Captain! my Captain! our fateful trip is done,

The ship has weather'd every rack, the prize we sought is won,

The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,

While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring;

But O heart! heart! heart!

O the bleeding drops of red,

Where on the deck my Captain lies, 

Fallen cold and dead.

This eclectic anthology of poems includes serious, deep thinking thoughts as well as light hearted, jovial. However, true to poetry, there is often loneliness and heartbreak hidden in the lines of the funny or lighthearted.

About the book: Poetry provides the best introduction to the marvels of the English language. This volume, collected by award-winning author Michael Rosen, presents a glorious selection of classic poetry, chronologically arranged from the seventeenth century to modern day—poems by such celebrated poets as William Shakespeare, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Emily Dickinson, Carl Sandburg, and Langston Hughes— complete with biographical sketches of the poets, information on individual poems, and notes on poetic forms. Paul Howard's full-color illustrations illuminate some of the most brilliant poems of the English-speaking world with stunning breadth and beauty. A book to be treasured, Classic Poetry belongs on every shelf—every child should know these poems and keep this book with them as they grow.

GIVEAWAY

Begins August 30

ENDS September 20 @ 12:01 a.m. ET

Open to USA & CANADA addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a complimentary copy by Candlewick Press to facilitate this review. Opinions are solely my own. I was not compensated for this review.

"Out and About: A First Book of Poems" by Shirley Hughes [Review & Giveaway]

About the book: In this joyous collection of poems, Katie and her little brother, Olly, are ready for whatever each day offers—sunshine, wind, rain, mist, or snow. From the happy sights and sounds of the beach to the quiet beauty of leaves in a rain puddle, this exuberant volume captures to perfection the everyday wonder of being out and about.

My thoughts: From time to time, I come across books written and illustrated in such a way that my heart is warmed and blessed. They might not necessarily be religious in content or from a Christian publisher. Yet, they are a blessing to look at and to absorb the words. Such is the case in my experience with Out and About: A First Book of Poems by Shirley Hughes.

Let’s just say I am charmed. I am delighted. The sheer sweetness of the pictures and sweet poetic thoughts draws and captures my attention and will that of the child as well. The watercolor and pen illustrations are detailed with facial expressions and scenes of the most pleasant of atmospheres. The colors soft yet vibrant. There is a wealth of experiences on the pages inhabited by these visual delights.

The poems are short, expressive and capture each of the seasons and experiences as the child is “Out and About” the neighborhood or down at the seaside. It has been said by Philip Pullman, “Shirley Hughes is a national treasure.” How true. Families will treasure this delightful book and probably pass it along to future generations.

“Waves pouring in

To a sand-castle moat.

Mend the defenses!

Now we’re afloat!

Water’s for splashing,

Sand is for play.

A day by the sea

Is the best kind of day.”

Wet

Dark clouds,

Rain again,

Rivers on the

Misted pane.

Wet umbrellas

In the street.

Running noises,

Damp feet.

GIVEAWAY 

1 Copy of "Out and About: A First Book of Poems"
Begins July 5 & ENDS July 23 @ 12:01 a.m. EDT. 
Open to USA & Canada addresses only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
About the author: Shirley Hughes has illustrated more than two hundred children’s books and is one of the world’s best-loved writers for children. She has won the Kate Greenaway Medal twice and has been awarded an OBE for her distinguished service to children’s literature. In 2007, her book Dogger was voted the U.K.’s favorite Kate Greenaway Medal–winning book of all time. Shirley Hughes lives in London.

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a complimentary copy  by Candlewick Press to facilitate this review. Opinions are mine alone. I received no compensation for this review.