enormous SMALLNESS: A Story of E. E. Cummings

enormous SMALLNESS: A Story of E. E. Cummings by Matthew Burgess and illustrated by Kris DiGiacomo

Four paw prints.  In October of 1894 a baby was born to a family in Massachusetts.  He was named Edward Cummings after his father, but his family called him Estlin.  It was the dawn of a new century and there was new art and technology all around the world to fascinate a young boy. But, with everything around him, he was still interested in simpler things like birds and nature. Even at a young age he would describe what he saw and how he felt in such a beautiful way that his mother started writing his thoughts on paper when he was only three.  He graduated from college with a degree in literature, but before he could really concentrate on his future career he joined the military where he was sent to France as an ambulance driver during World War I.  After the war he remained in France for a few years, but when he was done experiencing Europe he moved back home.  He settled in New York City where he began writing.  He experimented with different forms of poetry.  Some people didn't know what to make of his style, but many people loved his new style of expression.  As time went on he went from being known as Estlin Cummings to e. e. cummings, one of the most famous and influential poets in 20th century America.  I'll admit, this book left me a little confused.  I loved the story and I loved the illustrations, but I had a hard time understanding the poems.  But, I enjoyed the book so much that I now want to learn more about e. e. cummings and isn't that what a good book should do?  If you are interested in learning more about e. e. cummings (like I am) then visit http://www.biography.com/people/ee-cummings-9263274 or http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/146466/E-E-Cummings.  These websites are not as "kid friendly" as I would like, but they are a good start.

The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan and Peter Sis

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints! This is the fictionalized story of world famous poet Pablo Neruda. Pablo Neruda was a man who was fascinated by the world around him. He wrote poems for everyday "common" people to understand and not just for professors at universities. He was such a good poet that he won the Nobel Prize for literature. But before he became a world famous poet he was Neftali Reyes, a small boy from Chile whose father was so embarrassed by his son's daydreaming that Neftali had to change his name to Pablo so his father wouldn't know about the poems. Neftali grew up small, gentle, and quiet, but he made up for it by having good grades in school. But this wasn't enough for his father. His father wanted Neftali to be big, strong, athletic, and eventually go to college to study business. Neftali's father was NOT pleased that Neftali was curious about the world around him, and he hated that Neftali would be kind to other people...even people who didn't look, think, or act like his father or his father's friends. His father would go so far as to call Neftali an idiot in front of his friends from work. Luckily, Neftali had support from his mother, uncle, brother, sister, and local librarian, and they each helped him follow his dream of becoming a writer. I loved this book. It was beautiful. The story was as gentle as Neftali. You wanted to learn and understand the world with Neftali, and you hurt with Neftali when he was hurt by his father. Not only were the words important in this book but the pictures were important too. The pictures were like poems that helped the story come alive. I had a hard time putting this book down. If you like this book and want to read other books by this author or illustrator then visit http://www.pammunozryan.com/ or http://www.petersis.com/.

Fic Rya

The Surrender Tree by Margarita Engle

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. Once there was a land that was very beautiful. It was an island with warm weather, mountains, and lush land for farming. There was just one problem. The people who ruled the island, the Spaniards, believed in slavery. This is the story of one of those slaves. Through poems, Rosa explains how she learned about medicinal plants as a child slave. As she grows older we learn of the many civil wars that take over her island that cause a number of slaves to run away from their masters, including Rosa. Rosa and her husband start healing clinics throughout the island helping anyone in need, whether the injured is a friend or foe. After many years and many civil wars Rosa and her Cuban friends win their freedom, but it isn’t necessarily what they expected at the Surrender Tree. This is the true story of Rosa la Bayamesa who grew up and experienced many of Cuba’s civil wars and eventually saw freedom for all the people who lived there. What’s nice about this book is the way the story is told. Instead of reading a factual book that would probably be very hard to understand, the information is told through short, easy-to-understand poems. This then becomes a good book for American children to introduce a culture many of them know very little about. To learn more about Margarita Engle visit http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6640331.html.
811 Eng

Love to Langston by Tony Medina and illustrated by R. Gregory Christie

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Four paw prints. James Langston Hughes was born on February 1, 1902 in Joplin, Missouri. As an African American living during the time of segregation, life wasn’t always easy for Langston. This book tells the story of Langston’s life through poems. You learn how Langston was made fun of by school teachers, how he didn’t get along with this father, traveled the world, and loved libraries. After the last poem, at the end of the book, all the poems are explained and you learn how the different poems show different times in Langston’s life. With bright pictures to go with short poems, Love to Langston is a wonderful way to introduce children to poems, especially one of America’s most famous poets. If you love this book as much as I do be sure to visit http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/aa/hughes to learn more about Langston Hughes.
811 Med

Colonial Voices Hear Them Speak by Kay Winters and illustrated by Larry Day

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

Five paw prints. This is one of Miss Dewey's favorite books. First, it describes the happenings in Boston just before the American Revolution, from the viewpoint of a young messenger. Second, we find out what kinds of jobs helped Bostonians make a living in those times. Third, and most important, the author explains to us that there were honorable people supporting the sides of both the Patriots and the British. Miss Dewey thinks Colonial Voices is especially helpful because it talks about personal feelings that history books leave out. Third and fourth graders, you'll enjoy this story of early America, and by the time you finish the book you'll feel that you, too, like our young messenger, Ethan, have spent a day amid the excitement and turmoil of revolutionary Boston. This book gets a big, "Paws Up!" from Miss Dewey.
If you want to learn more about how colonists were affected by the American Revolution, there is a book list for you at: www.royalprovincial.com/etc/read/children.htm

973.3 Win

Dogku by Andrew Clements and illustrated by Tim Bowers

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

If you would you like to hear Ms Becky read this book then click HERE.

Duh…five paw prints
Everyone should have a dog
Wow…what a great picture book about a rescued dog
Everyone should read a book told in haiku
You can visit http://www.andrewclements.com/
or http://www.timbowers.com/ to learn more

If you would like to try writing your own poem visit https://www.poetry4kids.com/ for ideas.

811 Cle

Once I Ate a Pie by Patricia MacLachlan and Emily MacLachlan Charest and Illustrated by Katy Schneider

Reviewed by Miss Dewey at Orenda

FIVE paw prints. This book is wonderful. Never have I read such a good book that knows what dogs are really thinking. This book describes the world around us from the point of view of 13 dogs. You can learn why Mr. Beefy loves pies, Lucy loves her pillow, and why Pocket is huge. But my favorite poem is Three because it’s about whippets. I don’t care what you say…it’s NOT about greyhounds. It’s about WHIPPETS! So why would I recommend this book? Not only is it a book about dogs, but you learn about the dogs through individual poems. It’s a good way for families to introduce poetry to younger students because each poem is told as an individual story. It’s also good for older students, especially students reluctant to read poetry, because many students love dogs and these poems are very easy to interpret and understand. The pictures are nice too. They are clear enough to recognize while being grainy enough to leave some of the poem to your imagination.
811 Mac