Welcome SPRING, Seasons, and POETRY MONTH

 A collection of poems by a single author is a rare accomplishment in the current publishing world. Those with a golden track record (Nikki Grimes, Nikki Giovanni, Shel Silverstein, etc.) are worthy of such an investment and their works become well-worn classics. Otherwise, poetry for children tends toward anthologies by multiple authors, present and past. In the case of POEMS FOR EVERY SEASON, the work was originally published in the Netherlands and then brought to the US market with the addition of a skilled translator. 

Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2024/2026

POEMS FOR EVERY SEASON; A YEAR OF HAIKU, SONNETS, and MORE 
offers text by Bette Westera and illustrations by Henriette Boerendans, with translations by David Colmer. This creative team has produced a seamless whole. The collection provides a wealth of poems, each lovely as a stand-alone. But there are many other benefits to the arrangement of poems in this subtle and sensory picture book, including that each poem is labeled with its poetic form. Back matter develops further understanding of the patterns and encourages attempts by readers. As the title suggests, the collection features the four seasons, launching with SPRING. A gentle haiku introduces each season, followed by  poems revealing scenes and emotions of that particular season. 

Illustrations feature the talented woodcut art and textured coloration that suit each poem and each season. The full conceptual organization is bracketed with endpapers of migrating geese, markers of annual changes across many regions and climates. The animals featured, and some of the poetic forms, will be familiar across many ages. Structures like the  SONNET, often considered challenging and/or off-putting, become pleasing and evocative when describing lambs in spring. Any time a translator is trusted with lyrical text, the bar is especially high: to sustain the original meaning while adjusting for differences in syllable counts, rhythm, rhyme, etc. The English versions of the poems read naturally and appealingly. 

This picture book will reach the hearts and minds of young people and offer a rich read-aloud by adults. The poems and structures provide mentor text for older aspiring writers, and inspiration for anyone aiming to create works that offer lyrical insights across many layers of appeal. It is a timely offering as we savor SPRING, and APRIL is NATIONAL POETRY MONTH. (<<< Click to find an easy link for a free POETRY MONTH poster!)

Ready for a Reading Road Trip? LEAFY LANDMARKS!

 

SLEEPING BEAR PRESS, 2024

With a few weeks of summer still ahead, and a gorgeous fall forecast (quote me- I'm predicting it!), you'll want to know about this remarkable new picture book, LEAFY LANDMARKS: Travels with Trees, written by Michelle Schaub and illustrated by Anne Lambelet. I have nothing but praise for this new picture book which is structured with individual poems about specific iconic trees, paralleled by informational sidebars providing details and background about that tree, beyond the rich content of the poems themselves. Each poem is also in a particular poetic form that is named and explained briefly, and each is masterful in execution. 

The premise is revealed in end papers that feature the named trees and poetic forms on leaves with brief descriptions, followed by a double-spread map of the continental USA showing the trees, their approximate locations, and the coast-to-coast-and-back route that the imagined explorers are traveling. The explorers on this journey represent a diverse and delightful family, with others along the way equally representing our mosaic of Americans. 

Some  trees are familiar (Japanese Cherry Blossom trees in Washington, D.C.) while most will be exciting discoveries and offer new connections to familiar history. In the same way, the poetic forms range from those that will be familiar to even young children (list poems, narrative poems) to forms that offer entirely new challenges and fun. 

The blend of poetry and informational text is well-balanced and appealing, moving readers from the lyrical lilt of a poem that evokes emotions and reactions to the nonfiction content that is accessible and often intriguing. The only drawback to this lovely new offering is my question about how it will be shelved-- with poetry, with nature, with history, with geography, or...? The good news is that Leafy Landmarks offers such appeal to individual readers and for use by teacher and librarians, it is not likely to be left for long on whatever shelf is used. Give it a look and plan to hit the road!

 Whether you and your own carload of leaf-lookers attempt cross-country travels like these, or locate one of these remarkable living-history trees within a day-trip of home, just learning about them should be an inspiring mind-trip for readers of any age.