This issue's special - 30% off

October 5, 2004

Poetry!
"Soft Hay Will Catch You"
Teacher Featured Book:  Science Verse
Ben Mikaelsen/"Tree Girl"
October and Upcoming Events
"A Sound Like Someone Trying Not to Make a Sound"
"Soft Hay Will Catch You"


Greetings from Gaylene,

How does life get so busy? We are all on the run, and it's time to slow
down!  Sometimes life gives us a surprise that mandates slowing down and
taking stock. That has happened for me this week, and in thinking about what
I could include in Teacher Feature, it seemed a good time for poetry. As I
perused the Poetry shelf in the Children's section, I found some wonderful
surprises.

Soft Hay Will Catch You is a treasure, and I just stumbled across it. It
is a collection of poems by young people compiled by Sandford Lyne and
illustrated by Julie Monks. (Simon & Schuster, ISBN: 0689 834608, $17.95)
Sandford Lyne has designed and presented a 5 year program to introduce
poetry writing system-wide in Lawrence, Kansas and has worked with students
across the country in poetry writing workshops.  This book is dedicated "to
my heroes, the classroom teachers".  Here is one of many specially chosen
poems by students whose writing is featured in the book....

A WONDERFUL PLACE

In my dreams I dream of a barn,
not just any barn,
a special barn.
When you go inside, a bright light shines,
and a ladder to heaven stands before you,
and if you fall--
no worry--
soft hay will catch you.

                         Crystal Kim
                         Grade 4

____

The Teacher Featured Book combines Science and verse in a humorous vein.
Science Verse by John Scieszka and Lane Smith is fun!  Mr. Newton, in
Science class, tells the students that if they listen closely, they will
hear the poetry of science in everything. Soon our main character is zapped
with a curse of Science Verse. With song and poem parodies on a science
theme, I promise this will make science more enjoyable for teachers and
students!   Check out "Scientific Method at the Bat" or "Mini Ha Ha (Or the
Atomic Joke is on You)".  Ages  8 -10 will enjoy this book!  Published by
Penguin Young Readers Group, ISBN 0670 910570, $16.99, discounted to 30
percent off for this issue, $11.89)

____

I had the pleasure of hearing author Ben Mikaelsen speak to teachers,
librarians, and students last Thursday evening and Friday morning at Allison
Middle School.  Those who couldn't attend really did miss an inspiring talk
about overcoming great difficulties, as the author did in his childhood, and
working toward a dream.  As a son of missionary parents in South America who
was not educated at all until 4th grade, Ben Mikalesen struggled with the
English language.  He faced great failures and discouragement almost every
step of the way in his young life, but there were just a few adults who took
time, in each case only a few minutes, but took that time to make a
struggling young boy believe that he had something to dream about and work
toward.   Those three people included a teacher, a librarian, and an airline
pilot.  It makes me stop and ask myself if I have taken the time today to be
that kind of encouraging person to someone in my midst who may desperately
need attention and encouragement.  A few moments of kindness can be a
turning point that is remembered years later by the recipient of that
kindness.

"Tree Girl" is Mikaelsen's latest book, written for young adult readers.  It
was inspired by the real story of a girl from Guatemala who shared her story
from the protection of a safe house one long night.  In "Tree Girl",
Gabriela is about to celebrate her quinceanera, a coming of age celebration
for girls as they turn 15.  As her family prepares for this wonderful day,
there is unrest in their country, with Latino soldiers and guerilla soldiers
each intimidating and threatening the people of the village.  Gabriela is a
strong, capable girl, the only one in her family who is able to attend
school. She has always been a climber of trees, because her Mami told her
when she climbed a tree it took her closer to heaven.  One day her climb
into a tree helped her escape the violence and destruction that killed
everyone else in the village, but she witnessed such horror and felt such
guilt that she vowed never again to climb a tree.  This book is not for
young readers and deals with extreme cruelty, violence, rape, and war.  The
message that hope can prevail, in spite of tragedy, shines through in its
ending. (Recommended for readers above age 13)

____

"A Sound Like Someone Trying Not to Make A Sound" by John Irving,
Illustrated by Tatjana Hauptmann (Random House, ISBN:  0 385 74680 6,
$15.95) is just a treat!  Tom woke up in the night because he heard a sound.
He woke up his father and his father repeatedly asked Tom what this sound
was like.  Tom's descriptions and the pictures to go with them are
priceless.  "It was a sound like someone pulling the nails out of the
floorboards under the bed.  It was a sound like a dog trying to open a door.
Its mouth was wet, so it couldn't get a good grip on the doorknob, but it
wouldn't stop trying..... It was a sound like a ghost in the attic, dropping
the peanuts it had stolen from the kitchen.  It was a sound like someone
trying not to make a sound"  It seemed to Tom that the sound was definitely
an armless, legless monster dragging its thick, wet fur.  Finally the
mystery was solved, and Tom could go back to sleep.  Read the book to find
out what made the sound! (ages 3-6)

____

Coming in October:

It's almost time for TOMIE DE PAOLA to visit Watermark!    At 4:00 to 5:00
p.m. on October 14, you can help us wish Tomie dePaola a Happy Birthday and
have his new book, "Guess Who's Coming to Santa's for Dinner" signed.   With
the purchase of the book, you will receive a ticket to the signing.  The
line is first come, first served.  Please call if you have questions!

October 21 and 22 we look forward to seeing some of you at the KATE
conference at the Marriott.  (Kansas Association of Teachers of English).
Dr. Phil Nel will speak and have two of his books available:   "Dr. Seuss:
American Icon" and "J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter Novels:  A Reader's Guide".

October 23:  June Rae Wood, author for middle readers of "The Man Who Loved
Clowns" will be at Watermark on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. to sign books
and visit with readers.  Please come!

____

"This Place I Know: Poems of Comfort" surprised me as I pulled it off the
shelf. (Published by Candlewick Press, ISBN 07636 1924 8, $16.99)  I had
bought this book at my school's book fair two years ago in Colorado, not
knowing if I'd ever find a way to use it in my music classroom, but knowing
I just had to have the book. Our school held a ceremony in commemoration of
the first anniversary of September 11, and it was very touching to see our
Fourth grade Boy Scouts raise the colors while students and teachers
remembered those lost on that day.  Shortly after, we had our Book Fair, and
I found "This Place I Know."   Finding it on Watermark's shelf was a bit
like rediscovering a treasure.  It's a wonderful book compiled by Georgia
Heard at the request of the superintendent of District 2 in Manhattan.  Her
task was to gather poems of comfort which could be read to schoolchildren
who witnessed the World Trade Center tragedy.  With selections by great
poets and illustrators that touch on feelings of fear, loss, and hope, it is
almost too difficult to choose a single selection, since they are all so
good.  But writing about poetry is never as good as reading it. So I'd like
to share this  poem by Eloise Greenfield in closing...

THIS PLACE

There is this place I know
where children go to find
their deepest feelings
they look behind the trees
for hiding wants and angers
bashful joys
this place is quiet
no shouts may enter
no rolling laughter
but only silent tears
to carry the feelings
forward in waves
that wash the children
whole


Until Next Time,

Gaylene

 

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