Cullinan, Bernice E., ed. 1996. A jar of tiny stars: Poems by NCTE award-winning poets. Illus. by Andi MacLeod and Marc Nadel. Pennsylvania: Wordsong, Boyds Mills Press, Inc. ISBN 1563970872.

In A Jar of Tiny Stars, Karla Kuskin points out, If there were a recipe for a poem, these would be the ingredients: word sounds, rhythm, description, feeling, memory, rhyme and imagination.  This book is a collection of poems, which have these very ingredients.  Each poet featured won the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) award, which is a high honor.  The recipient of this award has created poems that are teacher, librarian, and kid approved.  Bernice E. Cullinan thoughtfully gathered the most popular of these for her collection, a great gift to all of us.  The poets included in her collection are David McCord, Aileen Fisher, Karla Kuskin, Myra Cohn Livingston, Eve Merriam, John Ciardi, Lilian Moore, Arnold Adoff, Valerie Worth, and Barbara Esbensen.  There is a table contents, each authors work is sectioned off, then an About the Poets section at the end of the book. 

Andi MacLeod did a wonderful job of sketching for the poems.  The sketches compliment the poems, and give the reader something to gaze upon as he/she reads them.  They are delicate representations, which gave me a feeling of welcome.  Marc Nadel drew portraits of each poet, which divides each section of poems.  These portraits are black and white watercolors, and a very good representation of each poet.  The poems themselves cover a range of topics and styles, which titillate the imagination.

Florian, Douglas. 1998. Insectlopedia. New York: Harcourt, Inc. ISBN 0152013067.

Insectlopedia is an innovative way of looking at insects! There are 21 insects described physically, as well as characteristically.  Some of the poems are concrete poems, shaping out the insect or showing its movement.  One of my favorites is about mosquitoes.  Douglas Florian adds humor to these annoying creatures by saying, Mosquitoes are thin./  Mosquitoes are rude./  They feast on your skin/ for take-out food.  The illustration for this particular on shows a humans veins inside his arm, and the two mosquitoes sucking out of themvery graphic, but true all the same.  His witty illustration points out the different blood types, as well, having the word mosquito ending on the type O blood. 

The poems movement is smooth and rhythmic.  Florian uses rhyme, which helps the poem to sound itself out.  He gives each insect character, using figurative language such as metaphors instead of similes.  He sort of personifies the creatures.  The insects are portrayed as if they were in action, and his illustrations show what the poem is describing.  I think that the poems are appropriate for children, but the wit can reach out just as satisfyingly to adults.  I would definitely like to read more works from this poet to see if all of his work is as original.

Nye, Naomi Shihab. 1992. This same sky: A collection of poems from around the world. New York: Four Winds Press. ISBN 0027684407.

This Same Sky is a collection of poems from around the world, including sixty-eight countries.  It is a more sophisticated collection, very well written.  The poems do not necessarily rhyme, but they have a smooth rhythm to them, and use figurative language.  Some use simile, others metaphors, personification, etc.  The topics include: words and silences; dreams and dreamers; families; this Earth and sky in which we live; losses; and human mysteries.  The book is organized with a table of contents; each topic sectioned off; each poem with author and origin; short notes on each poet (end of book); a map of the world; and an index to poets. 

One of my favorite poems is in the Earth and Sky in Which We Live section, called Mindoro.  The poem is about a boat ride with the water lapping against the boat and the scenery that is seen from it.  The imagery shown in the poem by Ramon C. Sunico is quite vivid, e.g. The red threads/ of last-light/ dance/ on the shoulders of the oarsman.   The poet uses personification and such colorful words.  This poem also moves like (and looks like) the waves coming in and out of shore.  This is the kind of poetry that Naomi Shihab Nye found for this beautiful collection of poems.  I think that they would be best for older children, perhaps middle or high school, due to the more complex imagery.  Older children would have more experiences to draw from while reading these poems. 

Prelutsky, Jack. 1991. For laughing out loud: Poems to tickle your funnybone. Illus. by Marjorie Priceman. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 0394821440.

For Laughing Out Loud is a collection of silly and funny poems. As

Jack Prelutskys introductory poem says, if it makes you laugh out loud, that what I had in mind and if you almost split your sides, thats what this book is for.  Each poem includes its title and author.  There are indices in the back of the book, helping the reader to locate either the author or the title of a poem.  Each page is filled with illustrations of watercolor by Marjorie Priceman.  The colors add to the fun-ness of the poems in the book.  The pictures compliment the poems, and do not distract the reader too much because they are around the borders of the poems, not taking them over. 

Some of the poems are quite clever, displaying a play on words.  An example of this is in the poem, Raising Frogs for Profit by an unknown author.  It reads, Raising frogs for profit/ Is a very sorry joke./ How can you make money/ When so many of them croak? These poems would be great for children of all ages.  The simple poems are not too much for the younger ones to listen to, and the older ones would be able to understand more of the poems with subtle humor.  The poems rhyme and some use alliteration.  Figurative language, such as hyperbole, is used to create more humor. 

Prelutsky, Jack. 1983. The random house book of poetry for children. Illus. by Arnold Lobel. New York: Random House. ISBN 0394850106.

Unlike Jack Prelutskys Laughing Out Loud, The Random House Book of Poetry for Children contains a table of contents.  The poems are grouped into different topics, such as: Nature is; the four seasons; dogs and cats and bears and bats; the way of living things; city, oh, city!; and many others.  The illustrations added to the poems by Arnold Lobel are less bright and controlling, as well, creating a more calm tone.  Some of the poems are of a fun nature, others of a factual one.  I like the brevity of the poems; few are longer than half a page.  Sometimes when poems are longer, it makes me more restless than I think a poem should.  One of my favorite poems in this anthology is entitled Toot! Toot!  It reads, A peanut sat on a railroad track, His heart was all a-flutter; The five-fifteen came rushing by-- Toot! toot! peanut butter!

The poems are well chosen.  As the example above shows, many of them contain sound (e.g. rhyme, onomatopoeia); figurative language (e.g. personification); and sense imagery (e.g. hearing).  Prelutsky chose poems that have imagination and universality.  Since the anthology was made for childrens listening ears, the subject matter is appropriatenot too complex.  The indices are terrific! There are quite a few of them, including one for titles, first lines, authors, and subjects.

Freedman, Russell.  2000.  Give me liberty! The story of the Declaration of Independence.  New York: Holiday House.  ISBN 0823414485.

Give Me Liberty! describes how the settlers of America gain their independence from Great Britain.  It is the story told in many textbooks, but Russell Freedman has a more story-like way of telling the facts.  Freedman brings in personal accounts of people in that era; the struggles between freedom and what was known as treason; Britains attempt to enforce its power over the Colonies; and America becoming its own nation with its Declaration of Independence.  The illustrations in this book are those of different artists at that time.  They compliment the text very well, showing portraits of the men/women being described, maps, advertisements, and famous scenes taking place.  I like the way Freedman adds poems or songs to the text that further explain what was happening.  For example, he included a popular song written by Benjamin Franklin, called "The Mother Country" that says, "We have an old Mother that peevish is grown, She snubs us like Children that scarce walk alone; She forgets were grown up and have Sense of our own; Which nobody can deny, deny, which nobody can deny."

Russell Freedman includes a Table of Contents; a Chronology of Events; a Bibliography; Illustration Credits; and an Index to organize his material.  He has a clear and lively style of writing that encourages curiosity and wonder of the reader.  His explanations are thorough and include all of the main events that occurred during the American Revolution. 

Gibbons, Gail.  1999.  Exploring the deep, dark sea.  Boston, New York, London: Little, Brown and Company.  ISBN 0316309451.

Exploring the Deep, Dark Sea is a fascinating informational book about what scientists, oceanographers, and other experts aboard find out about ocean life.  Gail Gibbons describes not only the life underwater, but also the tools oceanographers use to explore it.  She takes us in a submersible, defined and described, first.  Then, through words and beautiful, watercolor illustrations, shows us what we would find if we were to go underwater ourselves.  Gibbons defines terms in the pictures, such as oceanographer and mammal.  She also labels ocean life creatures and plants, sometimes describing them in more detail, such as, "The ANGLERFISH uses a luminous lure to catch food, written right beside the picture of the fish underwater."  Gibbons also sections off the ocean into the five zones: The Sunlight Zone, The Twilight Zone, The Dark Zone, The Abyss, and The Trenches.  Each zone describes how much light is in the certain area and the creatures that thrive in them. 

At the back of the book, Gibbons has the past, present and future of diving.  She has it set up in chronological order, with her watercolor illustrations and text under each picture.  I think she does an excellent job of illustrating her book, and describing the ocean life that can be found.  She does highlight the names of fish and words that she defines, but I think it would have been helpful if she would have included a little glossary in the back of her book.  Overall, though, I am very impressed with this book.  Of all the nonfiction books I am reviewing, this one catches my eye and is most appealing to me.

Lepthien, Emilie U.  1993.  Tropical rain forests.  Chicago: Childrens Press.  ISBN 0516011987.

Tropical Rain Forests is a concept book that describes what a rain forest is.  Emilie Lepthien first defines a tropical rain forest, and then it breaks it down into the other subheadings: The Five Layers of a Tropical Rain Forest; Rain Forest Habitats; Rain Forest Soil; Who Lives in Rain Forests?; The Disappearing Rain Forest; Slash and Burn; Rain Forest Treasures; Rain Forest and World Climates; Protecting the Rain Forests; Debt-for-Nature Swaps; and We Can Help.  I thought Lepthien did a nice job explaining all the parts of a rain forest.  The photographs complimented what the text was describing, and further explained rain forests.  This book contains a Table of Contents, a glossary, and an index.

The reason why I chose this book to review was mainly due to the publisher.  My school's librarian has been impressed with what Childrens Press publishes, so I wanted to read one for myself.  Though I was satisfied with the way Lepthien described the tropical rain forests, I was disappointed that it was not a true informational book.  It had opinions added at the end of the book.  If I would have been prepared for this, it would not have bothered me.  However, I did not realize that it had a political agenda, and I was pretty annoyed by it.

Simon, Seymour.  1999.  Tornadoes.  New York: Morrow Junior Books.  ISBN 0688146465.

Tornadoes is an informational book that not only describes what a tornado is, but also how one is formed and the damage one can do.  Simon explains this phenomenon in a very clear, concise manner.  The majority of his illustrations are full page photographs that bring you right into the heart of what he is describing.  Once Simon explains about a tornado in general, he goes on to give accounts of real-life tornado occurrences.  These accounts support the explanation he has already given about tornadoes.  He also explains how meteorologists classify and track tornadoes.  Simon even tells the reader what one can do to protect oneself should a tornado come.  The object of this book is clearly to inform the reader in a non-worrisome way. 

Simon's handle on the subject is evident.  He keeps his explanations simple, yet covers every aspect of what tornadoes are.  The photographs bring the text to life.  The book is very attractive, and would make for an excellent read-aloud.  Tornadoes occur in this part of Texas, so it would be that much more important to bring this book into the classroom. 

Paterson, Katherine.  1996.  Jip: His story.  New York: Lodestar Books.  ISBN 0525675434.

Jip: His Story is about a young boy who does not know any of his ancestry.  He was found on the road, and was thought to have fallen off a gypsy wagon.  Jip is short for gypsy.  Jip is taken to live at the "Poor Farm" in 1855-1856 Vermont, and it is here that the story begins.  Jip is a truly good person.  He is always caring for the farm and its animals.  He has a special gift of knowing people and animals alike.  He is indispensable on the farm because of all these things.  All throughout the story, he is hoping to find from where he really came.  When a stranger begins asking questions about Jip in a nearby town, Jip is automatically fearful.  The stranger seems to Jip a cruel character; and though the stranger may have an idea of Jips ancestry, Jip wants nothing to do with him.  With the help of his teacher and her friend, Jip finds out where he comes from, and the dangers associated with it. 

Katherine Paterson deals with the injustice of slavery and poverty the setting chosen for this novel.  She has a good understanding of the social status of different characters and the dialects to match them.  Jip's character is very likable, the epitome of goodness.  The reader cheers him on the entire way, as his goodness is revealed more and more.  I have read Jacob Have I Loved, also by Katherine Paterson.  In both stories, she is able to make all of the characters come alive, and draws the reader into sympathizing with them.