The Wishing Bone and Other Poems

Bibliography

Mitchell, S. 2003. The Wishing Bone: And Other Poems. Ill. by Tom Pohrt. Massachusetts: Candlewick Press. ISBN 978-0763611187.

Review

Nine whimsical narrative poems are presented on heavy duty paper that gives this book a special quality that will appeal to children. The language of the poems is rich and rhythmical. The poems are divided into stanzas that allow for easy pauses as children read these lengthy poems. The rhyming stanzas provide a predictable form that will be comforting to children of all ages. The illustrations are created using soft watercolors and add to the magic created in the stories. Students will be delighted with stories such as “The Trial” where a sweaty pig is trying to prosecute an animal, but he’s not quite sure which one. They will also be curious to answer questions posed in the poem “Questions” that asks “How long must circles spin around?” and “Who taught the hummingbird to fly?” Students will be entertained as well as left wondering after reading this lovely book.

Classroom/Library Connection

Recommended audience: younger elementary students

Before reading: Allow students to share what they think they will be doing when they grow up.

During reading: Read the poem aloud.

When I grow up and I am wise,

I’ll know if needles shut their eyes,

If shadows dance, if worms have knees,

If bears say “Bless you” when they sneeze.

When I grow up and I am old,

I’ll know where secret tales are told,

Where dreams are born, where dragons fly,

Where ladders lean against the sky.

And when they think that I am dead,

I’ll know who puts the moon to bed,

Who lights the starts, who lifts the sun,

Who leads the planets, one by one.

After reading: Ask each student to write a question they will know the answer to when they grow up. Display their questions on a library bulletin board.

Eureka!: Poems about Inventors

Bibliography

Sidman, J. 2002. Eureka!: Poems about Inventors. Ill. by K. Bennett Chavez. Minneapolis: Millbrook Press. ISBN 978-0761316657.

Review

These sixteen biographical poems are divided into sections titled “The Tapestry of the Past”, “The Age of Invention”, “A Light Interlude”, and “Dawn of the Modern Age”. Celebrating creativity and determination, the poems each tell a short narrative of how an idea was conceived and born. From the first person to mold clay into a bowl to the new age of the World Wide Web, each poem will spark curiosity and encourage students to learn more about the inventors and their life changing inventions. Each illustration that accompanies the poem brings the inventor and his or her invention to life in a detailed portrait. Students can learn more about the inventors by reading the short biographical notes that conclude each section. 

Classroom/Library Connection

Recommended audience: upper elementary to middle school students

Read the poem “Walt Tells it Like it is” about Walter Morrison the inventor of the Frisbee.

It wasn’t a new idea.

People have been tossing lids

around for years.

I just did a little design work.

Aerodynamics.

Before the war, the ex-wife and I

would hit the beach

with a few cake pans and throw ‘em around—

called ‘em Pluto Platters.

We were deadly.

Someone would get between us

& we’d lift their hat off.

One day, a guy from Wham-O comes along,

likes what he sees.

Helps me get a patent.

The rest is history.

Sure, I came up with some other stuff:

a water-filled bowling ball, for one.

Never took off.

But that Frisbee, man!

The dough keeps rolling in.

I’m just sitting back, enjoying it.

When you’re poor, you start thinking of things.

When you don’t need it, you relax.

I’m just like anyone else.

Except I always liked throwing rocks.

After reading: Put students into groups of 3-4. Have several lids, plastic plates, and cake pans available. Have them hypothesize which one they think may go the furthest when thrown. Have them test the hypothesis by throwing each object and measuring the distance. Then after they have found their answer, let students throw Frisbees just to have some fun!

Messing Around on the Monkey Bars: And other School Poems for Two Voices

Bibliography

Franco, B. 2009. Messing around on the Monkey Bars: And other School Poems for Two Voices. Ill. by Jessie Hartland. Massachusetts: Candlewick Press. ISBN 978-0763631741.

Review

This book is a collection of nineteen school poems with topics ranging from classroom lessons to fun at recess. In the introduction, Franco explains to students how to read the individual parts as well as the parts that should be read in unison. Each part is shown in a different font boldness and size. The poems are best read aloud with partners, but they could also be enjoyed by an individual reader or as a class. Students will relate to the school situations and will enjoy the rhythmic beat of the poems. Many of the poems encourage movement such as bouncing a basketball along to “Backboard Rap” or tapping out a rhythm to “Jenny’s Pencil”. Students will enjoy interacting with these creative poems.

Classroom/Library Connection

Recommended audience: elementary students

Before reading: Have students tap out a rhythm on their desk with a pencil.

During reading: Choose one student to read the bolded words as you read the tap, tap of the pencil. All of the other students should be tapping their pencils on the desk. Here is the first half of the poem:

Tap, tap

Tap, tap

Tap, tap

Tap, tap

Tap, tap                       While we’re reading

Tap, tap                       and we’re writing,

Tap, tap

Tap, tap

Tap, tap                       multiplying

Tap, tap                       or dividing,

Tap, tap

Tap, tap

Tap, tap                       Jenny’s pencil

Tap, tap                       can’t keep quiet.

Tap, tap

Tap, tap

After reading: After reading through the poem once, divide the room into three groups. The first group reads the lines “tap, tap”, the second group reads the words in bold, and the third group keeps the beat with their tapping pencils.