This Same Sky: A Collection of Poems from Around the World

This Same Sky: A Collection of Poems from Around the World

Written by: Naomi Shihab Nye

Junior High and High School Grades

"An award-winning multicultural compilation of poetry introduces more than 125 poems from sixty-eight countries around the world, many translated into English for the first time, and offers glimpses of similarities across people despite cultural differences."

Publishers Description

Online Resources:
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/naomi-shihab-nye

Acolytes

Acolytes
Written by: Nikki Giovanni

Junior High and High School Grades

This collection of eighty new poems from distinguished author and poet Nikki Giovanni offers a variety of subjects evoking images from history such as Rosa Parks and Civil Rights activists as well as contemporary events like Hurricane Katrina. I've read many of Giovanni's works and this one in particular struck me as a book that teachers could use for a read-a-loud choosing one poem to read and focus on for a literary, social, or political discussion.

Jennie's Review

Product Description

Online Resources:
http://nikki-giovanni.com/acolytes.shtml

Roots and Blues

Roots and Blues

Written by: Arnold Adoff
Illustrated by: R. Gregory Christie

Elementary Grades

"Through poems and poetic prose pieces, acclaimed children's author Arnold Adoff celebrates that uniquely American form of music called the blues. In his signature “shaped speech” style, he creates a narrative of moments and joyous music, from the drums of the ancestors, the red dirt of the plantations, the current of the mighty Mississippi, and the shackles, blood, and tears of slavery. Each chop of the ax is a beat, each lash of the whip fashions another line on the musical staff. But each sound also creates the chords and harmonies that preserve the ancestors and their stories, and sustain life, faith, and hope into our own times."

Product Description

Online Resources:
http://www.arnoldadoff.com/

Red Hot Salsa: Bilingual Poems on Being Young and Latino in the United States

Red Hot Salsa: Bilingual Poems on Being Young and Latino in the United States

Written by: Lori Carlson

Junior High and High School Grades

"Carlson follows up Cool Salsa (1994) with another bilingual collection of poems that appear in both Spanish and English. Included are many well-known writers, such as Gary Soto and Luis J. Rodriguez, who appeared in the first volume, as well as emerging poets. Divided into loose categories--language, identity, neighborhoods, amor, family moments, "victory"--the poems often speak about the complex challenges of being bicultural."

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2005/09/author-interview-lori-m-carlson-on-red.html

Cool Salsa: Bilingual Poems on Growing Up Latino in the United States

Cool Salsa: Bilingual Poems on Growing Up Latino in the United States

Written by: Lori Carlson

Junior High and High School Grades

"As hot as jalapenos and as cool as jazz, this collection serves up "ingles con chile" and Spanish that "you feel in the blood of your soul." Lyrical, traditional poems share space with street-smart free verse, and works by the likes of Sandra Cisneros and Gary Soto are juxtaposed with entries from lesser-knowns. Illustrating the "beat and pulse" of generations of U.S. writers of Latin American heritage, the poems are presented both in the original and in translation; poems making use of both languages are easily accessible to English-only readers by virtue of an appended glossary of Spanish terms."

Publishers Weekly Review

Online Resources:
http://cynthialeitichsmith.blogspot.com/2005/09/author-interview-lori-m-carlson-on-red.html

On My Journey Now: Looking at African-American History Through the Spirituals

On My Journey Now: Looking at African-American History Through the Spirituals

Written by: Nikki Giovanni

Junior High and High School Grades

"The songs written and first sung by African-American slaves were inspired by a host of human needs: to express emotion, to call God, to remain heartened under oppression, and, perhaps most importantly, to communicate covertly, often about the Underground Railroad. Giovanni brings these motives home in this short, impressionistic look at the lives of the slaves, beginning with their holding in places such as Cape Coast Castle and Goree Island, through the end of the Civil War, when members of divided families desperately attempted to track one another down. Giovanni is a poet, and the book has cadence; in tone, it almost reads like the transcript of a speech or sermon, as the author is generous with her own opinions and often refers to herself within the text."

School Library Journal Review

Online Resources:
http://nikki-giovanni.com/
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/bio/nikki-giovanni

Love To Mama: A Tribute To Mothers

Love To Mama: A Tribute To Mothers

Written by: Pat Mora
Illustrated by: Paula Barragan

Elementary Grades

"In this beautifully illustrated book, 13 Latino poets write with joy, humor, and love about the powerful and undeniable bond between mothers, grandmothers, and children. These talented poets write passionately and vividly about the tremendous influence their mothers and grandmothers had on them."

Publishers Synopsis

Online Resources:
http://www.leeandlow.com/p/mama_tg.mhtml

Poems to Dream Together/poemas Para Sonar Juntos: Poemas Para Sonar Juntos

Poems to Dream Together/poemas Para Sonar Juntos: Poemas Para Sonar Juntos

Written by: Francisco X. Alacorn
Illustrated by: Paula Barragan

Elementary Grades

"A young boy dreams that "all humans / and all living / beings / come together / as one big family / of the Earth." So begins this delightful bilingual collection of poems by Francisco X. Alarcón. As we travel through the boy's colorful universe, we learn about his family and community working together and caring for each other and the world in which they live. Neighbors help repair adobe homes. The boy and his family share old photographs, tend their garden, and pamper Mamá who "works day and night." Tribute is paid to those who toil in the fields, and to César Chávez. Most of all, we see how dreams can take many forms, from the fantastic imaginary ones that occur while we sleep to the realistic ones that guide our lives and give us inspiration for the endless possibilities of the future."

Publishers Description

Online Resources:
http://www.leeandlow.com/p/alarcon_interview.mhtml

Animal Poems of the Iguazu/Animalario del Iguazu

Animal Poems of the Iguazu/Animalario del Iguazu

Written by: Francisco X. Alacorn
Illustrated by: Maya Christina Gonzalez

Elementary Grades

"In the lush rainforest of the Iguazú National Park, toucans and butterflies flit through the trees while sleek jaguars prowl the jungle floor. Dazzling waterfalls provide a thunderous backdrop while great dusky swifts keep watch overhead. In this magical journey through one of the wonders of the natural world, renowned poet Francisco X. Alarcón follows the Amerindian oral tradition, allowing the animals to speak for themselves in their own roaring, soaring, fluttering voices. Maya Christina Gonzalez’s glorious mixed media illustrations bring the vibrant colors and textures of the rainforest to life."

Publishers Description

Online Resources:
http://www.iguazuargentina.com/espanol/

Voices: Poetry and Art From Around the World

Voices: Poetry and Art From Around the World

Written by: Barbara Brenner

Junior High and High School Grades

"Voices: Poetry and Art From Around the World juxtaposes poetry and visual art from around the world. The poems and artworks vary from ancient to modern, urban to folk, with different styles displayed on the same pages. Whether they’re environmental, political, historical or simply loving, the messages of the words and images are generally uplifting, lending them to multiple applications in many classroom settings."

National Geographic Society

Online Resources:
http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=4545

Tap Dancing on the Roof

Tap Dancing on the Roof
*2010-2011 Texas Bluebonnet Award*

Written by: Linda Sue Park
Illustrated by: Istavan Banyai

Elementary Grades

"A sijo, a traditional Korean verse form, has a fixed number of stressed syllables and a humorous or ironic twist at the end. Like haiku, sijo are brief and accessible, and the witty last line winds up each poem with a surprise. The verses in this book illuminate funny, unexpected, amazing aspects of the everyday--of breakfast, thunder and lightning, houseplants, tennis, freshly laundered socks. Carefully crafted and deceptively simple, Linda Sue Park's sijo are a pleasure to read and an irresistible invitation to experiment with an unfamiliar poetic form. Istvan Banyai's irrepressibly giddy and sophisticated illustrations add a one-of-a-kind luster to a book that is truly a gem."

Publishers Description

Online Resources:
http://suzyred.com/2010_Tap_Dancing_on_the_Roof.html

Navajo: Visions and Voices Across the Mesa

Navajo: Visions and Voices Across the Mesa

Written by: Shonto Begay

Junior High and High School Grades

"Begay presents a very personal view of contemporary Navajo life in this picture-book collection for older readers. Pairing 20 of his paintings with original poetry, Begay moves from the spiritual aspects of Navajo life through personal childhood memories into striking present-day images, concluding with an affirmation of continuing life and rebirth. Although his poetry especially speaks to the ongoing struggle of living in a "dual society," his paintings are firmly rooted in the Navajo culture. His work is not angry or sentimental; there is an honesty and straightforwardness that allows his readers/viewers insight into his world-view. The variety of images reflects the complexity of life that many contemporary Navajo face. An excellent addition to poetry and art collections."

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
http://shontogallery.com/
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/SSLANavajoPoetryCulture36.htm

Pass it On: African American Poetry for Children

Pass it On: African American Poetry for Children

Written by: Wade Hudson
Illustrated by: Floyd Cooper

Upper Elementary and Junior High Grades

"A collection of poetry by fourteen distinguished African-American poets features the work of Langston Hughes, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Gwendolyn Brooks, and Eloise Greenfield, among others."

Publishers Description

Online Resources:
http://frank.mtsu.edu/~vvesper/afampoet.htm
http://www.cedu.niu.edu/~carger/culture/female.html

Followers of the North Star: Rhymes about African American Heroes, Heroines, and Historial Times

Followers of the North Star: Rhymes about African American Heroes, Heroines, and Historical Times

Written by: Susan Altman and Susan Leachman
Illustrated by: Bryan Woodsen

Upper Elementary and Junior High Grades

"Through rhymed verse, Altman and Lechner present the history of African Americans from the early slaves who followed the North Star to freedom, to youngsters today. Most of the poems are vignettes about individuals such as Crispus Attucks, Benjamin Banneker, Harriet Tubman, George Washington Carver, Matthew Henson, Rosa Parks, Jackie Robinson, Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, Lorraine Hansberry, Martin Luther King, Jr., Thurgood Marshall, and Guion Stewart Bluford, Jr. Groups such as the Buffalo Soldiers, the Little Rock Nine, and participants in the sit-ins of the civil rights movement also receive attention."

Publishers Description

Online Resources:
http://www.npl.org/pages/kidsplace/Sites/afr.html

Federico Garcia Lorca

Federico García Lorca

Written by: Georgina Lázaro,
Illustrated by Enrique S. Moreiro

Upper Elementary and Junior High Grades

"Written in Spanish, Georgina Lázaro’s lyrical poetry evokes the spirit and style of the beloved 20th century poet and playwright, Federico García Lorca. Lázaro gives children a close personal experience with classic Spanish literature in a picture book biography. She uses the cadence and style of Lorca to paint a picture of the artist as a fragile, sensitive young boy who finds his strength in stories, songs, plays and books. “Federico García Lorca” celebrates the beauty of the Spanish language and the healing power of words."

Publishers Synopsis

Online Resources:
http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/163

Diego: Bigger Than Life

Diego: Bigger Than Life

Written by: Carmen T. Bernier-Grand
Illustrated by: David Diaz

Junior High and High School Grades

"In this well-written and beautifully illustrated volume, the life of Mexican artist Diego Rivera, best known for murals depicting working people, is introduced in free verse. Similar in format to Bernier-Grand’s César: Sí, se puede! = Yes, We Can! (2004) and Frida: Viva la vida! Long Live Life! (2007), the book offers a chronological sequence of poems, each appearing either on a single page accompanied by a small illustration or on a left-hand page with a full-page picture on the right. Almost all written in first person from the artist’s point of view, the poems convey information succinctly within a context of colorful narrative and clearly expressed emotion. Each poem stands alone, yet some words, ideas, and images recur, creating an interconnected sequence. A three-page appended biography clarifies and amplifies the information in the verse. Also appended are a glossary, a chronology, a source bibliography, notes, and quotes from the artist."

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
http://www.carmenberniergrand.com/

My People

My People

Written by: Langston Hughes
Photographs by: Charles R. Smith Jr.

Elementary Grades

"Some 86 years after its original publication, Langston Hughes’ poem “My People” finds celebratory interpretation in Charles R. Smith Jr.’s elegant sepia photography. Echoing the graceful simplicity of Hughes’ verses, Smith’s pictures capture African American faces of every size, shape, age, and hue, their countenances shining out from fields of glossy black.

The expressions are as varied and captivating as the subjects, from crying babies to radiant children and adults. The pages outnumber the words, 40 to 33, allowing the text, printed in gold, to sweep across the darkness with the titular refrain. In an endnote, Smith shares the questions he asked himself as he began his photographic interpretation, noting Hughes’ intent “to celebrate the pride he had for his black brothers and sisters.” In the aspects that he has captured, and their artful arrangement across the page, he does just that."

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
http://www.charlesrsmithjr.com/

The Negro Speaks of Rivers

The Negro Speaks of Rivers

Written by: Langston Hughes
Illustrated by: E.B. Lewis

Upper Elementary, Junior High, and High School Grades

"Like the steady and determined flow of a river, this poem carries readers along as Hughes draws a metaphorical connection between the waterways of the world and African-American culture. Moving from ancient times ("I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young" or "I looked upon the Nile and raised pyramids above") to the Mississippi River and its connection to slavery, the poem offers both a time line of the African-American experience and a comment on the perseverance of the African-American soul."

School Library Journal Review

Online Resources:
http://www.poetryoutloud.org/poems/poem.html?id=173693

My Chinatown: One Year in Poems

My Chinatown: One Year in Poems

Written and Illustrated by: Kam Mak

Elementary Grades

"Chinatown -- a place of dragons
and dreams; fireflies
and memories

Chinatown -- full of wonder
and magic; fireworks
on New Year's Day and a delicious
smell on every corner

Chinatown -- where every day
brings something familiar
and something wondrously new
to a small boy

Chinatown -- home?

Kam Mak grew up in a place of two cultures, one existing within the other. Using extraordinarily beautiful paintings and moving poems, he shares a year of growing up in this small city within a city, which is called Chinatown."

Publishers Synopsis

Online Resources:
http://free-reading.net/index.php?title=Introduce_Vocabulary:_My_Chinatown:_One_Year_in_Poems_%28Mak%29

Los Gatos Black on Halloween

Los Gatos Black on Halloween

Written by: Marisa Montes
Illustrated by: Yuyi Morales

Elementary Grades

"A cat's green eyes stare out from the book's cover. Inside, there are more of los gatos--as well as las brujas (witches), los fantasmas (ghosts), and los esqueletos (skeletons looking like they have come from a Dia de los Muertos celebration. The pithy, rhyming text tells a frightening, if familiar, story. The ghosts and ghoulies are off to a Monsters' Ball at Haunted Hall, and though there's plenty of scary stuff around, the guests are most frightened by the children who come knocking at the door for trick-or-treat. Montes' evocative poem deserves exceptional artwork, and Morales obliges. Her soft-edged paintings glow with the luminosity of jewels, and her witches, werewolves, and corpses are frighteningly executed. Therein lies what may be a problem for preschoolers. These fiends aren't particularly kid-friendly; they are dead-eyed, Day of the Dead folk who scare. For slightly older children, however, this spookiness is what Halloween is all about. The Spanish is neatly integrated into the text, but for those who need clarification, a glossary is appended."

Booklist Review

Online Resources:
http://www.marisamontes.com/GatosBlack.htm