2018 Cybils Poetry Finalist
Twenty six haiku capture moments in the city from A to Z.
Thoughts: Haiku has been one of my favorite forms of poetry since I was introduced to it as a high school freshman. In a college Japanese history class, I gave a presentation on haiku. As Rosenberg states in her note"What is haiku?", haiku cannot be gimmicked or shammed. Often writers strict adherence to the 5-7-5 rule results in stilted lines. Thankfully, Rosenberg avoids this. The twenty six haiku in this collection are authentic and fresh. Even though I know they were written some years ago, they have a timelessness. They could have been written yesterday or today. The poems are playful and visceral. The illustrations perfectly complement the poems. H Is for Haiku is a fun collection I think children will enjoy. My favorite poems are "first library card," "holding umbrella," and "lake water melting." This collection makes me want to write haiku again.
Illustrated by Sawson Chalabi. Penny Candy Books, 2018.
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