April 21, 2006

More Poetry Friday fun

Quick -- hop over to Fuse #8 for a wonderful recommendation and review from my favorite New York City children's librarian. Fuse #8 calls A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms, edited by Paul Janeczko and illustrated by Chris Raschka, "the most useful of poetry tomes I've found in quite some time":
It's a truly interesting collection of poetic forms done in such a way that kids will not only understand them, but want to write some of their own. ...

The book contains twenty-nine different poetic forms. Everything from your basic haikus and limericks to triolets, aubades, and pantoums. There are blues poems and clerihews, and even the rare riddle poem or two. [But not the au courant Fib, no doubt...] Janeczko has culled the most amusing and child-friendly versions of these forms possible, and it works.
It sounds wonderful -- something to request from interlibrary loan as soon as possible and add to our ever-growing list of poetry books and other materials.

Even better, Fuse #8 discovered the book while preparing some Poetry Month selections and activities for the homeschool book group she runs -- NYC homeschoolers and holidaymakers, take note! And run to the Donnell's Central Children's Room, headquarters of the delightful Fuse #8 and her companions, Winnipeg native Winnie the Pooh and daily friends, and Mary Poppins's umbrella.

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