I had a great time serving as a round 1 panelist in the poetry category for the 2014 Cybils. I got to discuss children's poetry books with a great group of ladies...what could be better? The finalists were announced on January 1. You can see all the finalists
here.
Here are the Poetry Finalists along with the blurbs we (the panelists) wrote:
Water Rolls, Water Rises: El Agua Rueda, El Agua Sube by Pat Mora, published by CBP
In a series of free verse poems in English and Spanish, our most
precious natural resource takes center stage. Water rolls, rises,
slithers, hums, twists, plunges, slumbers and moves across the Earth in
varied forms and places. Mora’s three-line poems are filled with imagery
and emotion. “Water rises/ into soft fog,/ weaves down the street,
strokes and old cat.” (In Spanish: “El agua sube/ formando suave
neblina/ que ondula pro la calle, acacia a un gate viejo.”) The lyrical
movement of water described in verse is accompanied by Meilo So’s
gorgeous mixed media illustrations highlighting 16 landscapes from
Iceland, to China, to Mexico, the United States and more. Back matter
includes an author’s note and information about the images in the book. A
joyous, bilingual celebration, this collection brings water to life.
Tricia Stohr-Hunt, The Miss Rumphius Effect
http://missrumphiuseffect.blogspot.com
Dear Wandering Wildebeest:and Other Poems from the Waterhole by Irene
Latham, illustrated by Anna Washam, published by Millbrook
In Dear Wandering Wildebeest, Irene Latham’s poetry bounces with the
impala and peeps like the meerkat. With childlike illustrations by Anna
Wadham, Irene Latham takes us on a journey to the water hole of the
African grasslands. Each poem is accompanied with factual information
that will inform even the oldest readers.
To All the Beasts who Enter Here, there is word play with "Saw-scaled
viper/ rubs, shrugs,/ sizzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzles," form experiments in
Triptych for a Thirsty Giraffe, humor of "Dung
Beetle lays eggs/ in elephant poop,” and even danger, "Siren-howls/ foul
the air./ Vultures stick to task." Children and adults alike will love
the language and learning that wanders in this book along with the
animals of the watering hole.
Margaret Simon, Reflections on the Teche
http://reflectionsontheteche.wordpress.com
Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems selected by Paul B. Janeczko, illustrated by Melissa Sweet, published by Candlewick
Prolific anthologist Paul B. Janeczko brings the old and the new
together in Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems. The collection of
36 poems contains poems by classic poets such as Emily Dickinson and
Robert Frost. Intermingled with these are poems by well known children's
poets including J. Patrick Lewis and X. J. Kennedy. Firefly July takes
readers through the seasons beginning in spring and ending with winter.
The poems take readers to different locations as well. Both city and
country settings appear in the poems. As the subtitle states, the poems
are short, but the images they evoke are almost tangible. Melissa
Sweet's mixed media illustrations are colorful, playful, imaginative,
and whimsical. They draw readers into the poems. Firefly July is a
stellar collection that will likely be a family favorite for years to
come.
Bridget R. Wilson, What Is Bridget Reading?
whatisbridgetreading.blogspot.com
Santa Clauses: Short Poems from the North Pole by Bob Raczka, illustrated by Chuck Groenink, published by Carolrhoda
Who knew that among his many talents, Santa was an expert at writing
haiku? In this collection of 25 poems using the 5-7-5 format, Raczka
brings us Santa's many observations, some about his job: "Wishes blowing
in/from my overfilled mailbox--/December's first storm" and others
about the weather, the time of year, and Christmas preparations: "Clouds
of reindeer breath/in the barn, steam rising from/my hot chocolate". A
fun read all at once, or one per day in anticipation of Christmas, some
of the haiku work for winter in general as well: "Just after moonrise/I
meet my tall, skinny twin--/'Good evening, shadow.'"
Kelly Ramsdell Fineman, Writing and Ruminating
http://kellyrfineman.livejournal.com/)
Voices from the March: Washington, D.C., 1963 written by J. Patrick
Lewis and George Ella Lyon (WordSong/Boyds Mills Press, 2014) is a
historical novel in verse that focuses specifically on the momentous
march on Washington, D.C. on August 28, 1963, where Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr. gave his landmark “I Have a Dream” speech. Six fictional
characters (young and old, black and white) tell their tales on this
historic day in cycles of linked poems alongside the perspectives of
historic figures (the “Big Six”) and other march participants for a rich
tapestry of multiple points of view. It’s been fifty years since the
signing of the Civil Rights Act in 1964, when discrimination on the
basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin became against
the law, but as recent events attest, we still have progress to make as a
nation. In this powerful work, Lewis and Lyon tackle issues of racial
and social justice in 70 lyrical poems that reflect the perspectives of
young people and adults struggling with taking action for positive
change in peaceful ways. In addition, extensive and helpful back matter
includes a guide to the fictional and historical voices, bibliography,
index, and list of websites and related books.
Sylvia Vardell, Poetry for Children
http://poetryforchildren.blogspot.com
Brown Girl Dreaming written by Jacqueline Woodson, published by Penguin
Group, Nancy Paulson Books, 2014, is many things in one rich collection –
memoir, history, biography – and lyrical, exquisite poetry. Events of
the author’s personal and family history provide the framework for a
series of individual poems. Woven throughout are key events of the
Civil Rights journey and also personal effects of racism and
discrimination. In this beautiful and powerful tapestry of verse, one
hears the poignant reflections of Jacqueline Woodson, “one of today’s
finest writers,” who kept on dreaming through tough times and good times
and who keeps on writing in “mesmerizing verse.”
Nancy Bo Flood, The Pirate Tree; Social Justice and Children's Literature
www.thepiratetree.com
Hi Koo!: A Year of Seasons by Jon J Muth, published by Scholastic
Inspired by his twins, Muth wrote a haiku book that doesn't followe the
often used three line, 5-7-5 syllable form. This made this title a stand
out among other haiku books.
Readers take a seasonal journey from summer through spring by Koo the
panda. (Thus the pun in the title: Hi Koo!) Beginning with a simple
observation about the wind: found!/ in my Coat pocket a missing button/
the wind's surprise, to the last haiku: becoming quiet/ Zero sound/ only
breath, Muth offers to young readers a new way to experience haiku.
The watercolor and ink drawings complement the text. The subtle alphabet theme adds another dimension to the book.
The author's note at the book's beginning sets the tone: "...haiku is
like an instant captured in words--using sensory images. At its best, a
haiku embodies a moment of emotion that reminds us that our own human
nature is not separate from all of nature."
This book of poetry will help readers to slow down to appreciate the small moments of nature and daily happenings.
Jone Rush MacCulloch, Check It Out
http://maclibrary.wordpress.com
