Mirror, Mirror (Poetry)

Singer, Marilyn. Mirror, Mirror. Ill. by Josee Masse. New York: Dutton Children’s     Books, 2010.

Plot Summary
The book brings to light the difference one’s point of view can make. Mirror, Mirror is an amazing poetry puzzle that can be read from beginning to end and end to beginning resulting in new takes on the same story.  This new type of poetry, the reversible verse or reverso, makes for interesting and playful character studies of classic fairy tale heros, and the occasional villain.

Critical Analysis
This book of reversos will have both adults and children captivated by its unique charm and creativity. Popular fairy tale characters come to life in new ways as Singer allows them to express their perspective.

The layout of the book has been chosen to emphasize the alteration of the poems, as each reverso is paired side by side with its counterpart. In the same way, Masse has provided vivid illustrations for each side of the poem. They are juxtaposed perfectly next to each other. Bright crisp images divide pages in half and yet they comfortably entwine, showing the connection of stories.

The poem “Have Another Chocolate”, based on the story of Hansel and Gretel, is a great example of the books entirety. It demonstrates the dichotomy between the main characters by merely placing carefully worded lines in reverse and changing some punctuation. This combined with the discerning use of simile and carefully chosen words create delightful twists. Suddenly images change with words and “When you hold it out/your finger/feels like a bone” becomes the sage advice of another captive in “a bone/feels like/your finger/when you hold it out.”

“In the Hood” is another poem that will appeal to readers with its strong rhythm, refreshing rhymes, and delightful diction. Readers will appreciate the dual use of the word hood. As used by the innocent Red Riding Hood it is traveling cape but when the Big Bad Wolf relates his thoughts it is his territory through which Red Riding Hood is trespassing.

Mirror, Mirror is a new and exciting look at children’s poetry that is sure to impact authors and aspiring poets of the future.

Awards and Review Excerpts
Booklist- “will have readers marveling over a visual and verbal feast”
Kirkus- “celebration of language, imagery, and perspective”
School Library Journal- “a marvel to read” with “vibrant artwork”

Connections
*Discuss point of view after reading this book of verse in reverse. Use other books to continue discussion of point of view.
Bret, Jan. Town Mouse, Country Mouse. New York: Puffin, 2003. ISBN 069811986X
Housey, Amber. Just Because: Where Another Point of View Makes a Better You! Ill by Denise Clemmensen. Ferne Press, 2011. ISBN 1933916907
Scieszka, Jon. The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs! Ill by Lane Smith. New York: Puffin Books, 1996. ISBN 0140544518
Stevens, Janet and Susan Stevens Crummel. Help Me, Mr. Mutt!: Expert Answers for Dogs with People Problems. Ill. Janet Stevens. Orlando: Harcourt Children’s Books, 2008. ISBN 0152046283

*Invite students to perform a duo of poems from Mirror, Mirror. Students will love reenacting poems, especially when given prompts and taught to manipulate their voices.
*Use Mirror, Mirror as an opening in Math to discuss the importance of position and placement. This would be particularly well suited to lessons in writing word forms of numbers and ordering numbers.
*Pair this book with a favorite fairy tale to add more complexity to students understanding of the characters.

Button Up! Wrinkled Rhymes (Poetry)

Schertle, Alice. Button Up!: Wrinkled Rhymes Ill. by Petra Mathers. New York: Harcourt Children’s Books, 2009.

Plot Summary
Button Up! Wrinkled Rhymes is a collection of poetry written from the perspective of items of clothing. Well loved childhood favorites, such as the soccer jersey and galoshes each get their own poem, as well as some still familiar, but less enjoyed items like the wool sweater. Colorful and often humorous watercolors illustrate each poem, showing animals (and human) donning their clothing with pride. The poems are upbeat and display strong rhythm, making them perfect for reading aloud to young children.

Critical Analysis
The book provides upbeat, fast paced poetry well suited to the theme of this collection. The personification of clothing items provides a unique and fresh prospective for writing poetry aimed at younger audiences. Pre-kinder and kindergarten students will find the topics relevant and a comfortable place to begin learning poetry.

The poems demonstrate clear, but occasionally forced rhymes. For example, in "Hand-me-down Sweatshirt" the rhyme becomes confusing and feels unnatural when the sweatshirt explains it “was passed down to may/ she passed me to Karly/ I’m Andrew’s today.” 

Despite some weaknesses, the collection is interesting and fun. In "Clyde’s Costume", Schertle uses a combination of alliteration, rhythm, and easy rhyme that will engage young listeners. Other poems, such as "Jennifer’s Shoes" provides strong tactile and visual information that captivate the senses. Readers will involuntarily wiggle their toes when they hear “toes are curled/the softness of carpet/ the steepness of stair/the curve of the chair”. The "Song of Harvey’s Galoshes" will be another favorite when read aloud with its repetition and sing-song use of onomatopoeia, “Squash-galosh, squash-galosh, through the slime” that will have children eagerly chiming in.

Some of the poems will create an immediate emotional connection with the reader, perfectly expressing a point of view and sentiment. Listeners will connect with "Rick’s Wool Sweater" when he admits guilty pleasure, “Still.../To tell the truth it tickles me/To be a little prickly.” The poems are meant to entertain and do so wonderfully.

The illustrator has created bright, cheerful, and quirky images of joyful animals with her watercolors. There is a great sense of textural quality to the paintings that will allow readers to study the pictures carefully. Certain images, such as the illustration for The "Song of Harvey’s Galoshes" provide a strong sense of movement which serves to provide a carefree joy to the work.

Awards and Review Excerpts
Booklist- “begs to be read aloud”
Children’s Literature- “whimsical watercolor illustrations are engaging”
School Library Journal- “small, snappy verses”

Connections
*Have students create poems from the perspectives of familiar objects (such as the crayon) in the classroom and create a class book.
*Teach rhyme to younger students using poems with strong rhymes, such as “Bill’s Blue Jacket” and “Hand-me-down Sweatshirt”.
*Use the familiar clothing items in the poems to work on visualization. Read a poem aloud to students without sharing the illustrator’s image. Have students create and share their own illustrations.
*Follow up Button Up! with The Man Who Wore All His Clothes as a read aloud chapter book with non readers or as an independent text for readers.

Ahlberg, Allan. The Man Who Wore All His Clothes. Ill. Katherine McEwen. London: Walker Childrens Paperbacks, 2002. ISBN 0744589959

One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies (Poetry)

Sones, Sonya. One of those hideous books where the mother dies. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2004. ISBN 0689858205

Plot Summary
This fast paced novel in verse is told through the perspective of a young teenager named Ruby. Early in the book readers discover that Ruby is no ordinary teenager, but the daughter of a recently deceased mother and an estranged father, who just happens to be a famous actor. The plot reveals the everyday turmoil and confusion of being a teenager, with common teenage themes of relocation, friendship, and first love. More unexpected, the novel follows Ruby’s emergence through the grief of losing a mother and stress of developing a relationship with her previously unknown father.

Critical Analysis
One of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother Dies is full of predictable plot and over the top scenarios, locations, and drama. Despite this, its quick pace and laugh out loud humor gives it an addictive quality similar to eating chocolate or watching a soap opera on daytime television. Teens will have fun imagining going from middle class teenager to offspring of the rich and famous. Furthermore, this book goes beyond a fun read and becomes memorable and recommendable because of the deep and honest quality of it’s star character, Ruby. The book details the personal thoughts of its main character in a language that will feel relaxed and familiar to the average American teenager. Finally the reader can openly relate to the book and make connections beyond wishful or sympathetic thinking.

The free verse of the book provides an ideal avenue to express Ruby’s many emotional states. Sones’ arrangement of stanzas and lines within each poem serve to emphasize or articulate the expression of certain emotions. For example, when Ruby uses three lines to state “Now I hate the rain” the reader fully digests how even the small things in Ruby’s life have changed since her mother’s death (208). Direct, meaningful, and occasionally laconic language will find home with reluctant and avid readers alike.

Review Excerpts
Publisher’s Weekly- “winning portrayal of a teenage girl's loves and losses”
Booklist- “acrimonious, raw, and very funny”
Kirkus Reviews- “the fulfillment of many a teen's fantasies”

Connections
*Other suggested books in verse by Sonya Sones
Sones, Sonya. What my mother doesn’t know. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2001. ISBN 0689841140
Sones, Sonya. What my girlfriend doesn’t know. New York: Simone & Schuster Books for Young   Readers, 2008. ISBN 0689876033
Sones, Sonya. Stop pretending, what happened when my big sister went crazy. New York: Harper  Teen, 1999. ISBN 0064462188

*University of Texas suggests these texts with related themes (http://www.edb.utexas.edu/resources/booksR4teens/book_reviews/book_reviews.php?book_id=124).

Cisneros, Sandra. House on Mango Street. New York: Vintage Press, 1991. ISBN 0679734775
Janeczko, Paul B. Preposterous: Poems of Youth. New York. Orchard Books, 1991. ISBN 0531059014
Mackler, Carolyn. Love and Other Four-Letter Words. New York: Delcorte, 2000. ISBN 044022831X