POETRY! (my favorite!)

Title: The Great Frog Race and other poems
Author: George, Kristine O'Connell
Illustrator : Kiesler, Kate
Publisher: Houghton Millflin, 2005
Genre: Poetry anthology, picture book
Age Range: 2nd grade and Up
Awards: The Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award

Summary: It is so hard to give a summary of a poetry anthology, but I will talk a lot about themes. George (in this book) writes about nature, specifically the midwest. She uses a lot of outdoor imagery and figurative language (this tiny piece of flying cellophane.) Although George's poems are often short, they are not simple. The illustrations help play into this. The book is covered with beautiful photographs, many are which full spreads. One of my favorite photos is the full page in "Weeping Willow" and "September." The bale of hay perfectly resembles a weeping willow. This helps shows the complexity in the this poem as well. One of the types of poems George uses is a concrete poem. Egg is a perfect representation of this. She also experiments with rhyme and free verse. Although she does use some rhyme, it is not "sing-songy." This, too, helps create the more serious literary effect. This is one reason I enjoyed her so much, because I could really get inside the poem and not be distracted by rhyme. As I have mentioned before, George definitely uses imagery. She paints a picture for the reader in almost every poem!

Response: I have never heard of Kristine George before, but I am so glad I did! I loved her work. She is so sophisticated in such a simple way. Her sense of language, literary elements, and the world around her all come together perfectly in this book. I don't think I have found a children's poet that I like quiet as much (besides Silverstein, he will always be my personal fav.)

Teaching Ideas: I am definitely going to go out and buy this book! I want to use it in my classroom all the time. It teaches so many wonderful things such as imagery, personification, and point of view. The hardest things for high schoolers to learn can be easily seen in this anthology.

I think one of the best ways to teach poetry is by reading some to your students everyday. Share a new poet with them. Share their work with each other. And share your work with them. One of the most uncomfortable things for me is to read my poetry a loud. By doing this everyday, you are creating an environment in which it is welcomed. I think this is the perfect way to get kids to enjoy it!

Also, don't forget to read the poetry aloud!! DONT MAKE KIDS JUST SIT IN THEIR DESKS! They will not understand rhyme, rythm, and meter! Here is George's website on just that!

now, go have fun!
-jeana