Joyful Noise

Title: Joyful Noise
Author : Fleishchman, Paul
Illustrator: Beddows, Eric
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Inc., 1988
Awards : Newbery Medal Winner
Genre: poetry
Age Range: 5th grade and up

Summary: This book is different than any other book you will ever read. "Joyful Noise" is a book of poetry. Each poem is about a different insect from the Bee to the Book Lice, many insects are represented. Each poem is unique in that it is divided into two columns and meant to be read out loud. It is interesting to try and read it yourself. Reading it silently does this book no justice. It needs to be performed and read aloud, just as the author notes in his note at the beginning!

Response: What a wonderful book of poetry! Paul Fleischman in conjunction with Eric Beddows creates a sensory experience through this book. I enjoyed reading, and hearing, Fleischman's metaphors come to like, "night - our parchment." I also enjoyed hearing dueling insect voices battle with one another, like in "Honeybees." The reader really gets a sense of how the two bee's lives are completely opposite. Through this book, the reader also gains a better understand of how reliable insects are upon one another. For example, "Water Boatmen" gives the listener and reader a wonderful sense of camaraderie as each insect calls out "stroke" in unison. My personal favorite poem is "Book Lice." I love how this poem, with the opposing voices, gives a sense of a love story. These lice become alive in this poem! Fleischman is so talented to be able to make these column-esque poems create such an experience for the reader. Below is an example of how the entire book is written..... Teaching Ideas: This is a book that will make several appearances in my classroom. What a wonderful, wonderful book to teach during a poetry unit! I think it would be so wonderful to have students learn the importance of performance poetry through this book. A good idea would be to have students pair up, practice, and perform. Then, as a group they could write their own dueling poems...to be performed! This would definitely give students a different perspective on traditional poetry. For another idea visit here. Fleischman is such a creative man, I would not want his presence in my classroom to end. Check out his website, and get more great ideas for your own classroom use!

I hope you all hear a JOYFUL NOISE in your classroom soon!
-jeana