How Poems Grow and (even) take flight

 April is National Poetry Month, so I’m sharing two books that are filled with the movement and flow of poetry. They also highlight nature, sometimes the flowers and insects right outside your door.

theme: poetry, nature

Moving Words About a Flower 

by K. C. Hayes; illus by Barbara Chotiner 

40 pages; ages 3-7

‎Charlesbridge, 2022   

One summer day rain clouds rolled high above a gray city sidewalk.

From rainstorm to dandelion sprouting in a sidewalk crack, to a seed traveling and sprouting somewhere else, this book is all about how a flower grows and moves. Even more fun: it’s written as one long concrete (shape) poem. Words shape the stem, leaves, flower of the dandelion. Words shape the parachute seeds and, when the seeds sprout, the roots reaching into the soil.

Illustration copyright © 2022 by Barbara Chotiner

What I like love about this book: I love the idea of presenting the life story of a plant in poetry – and using the words to create the shapes is such a creative way to do it. For example: yellow lettering provides stripes of poetry on the abdomen of a bee! And I really did like the words forming roots… the shape poems will have kids taking second, third, and fourth looks at each spread.

And there is back matter (which you know I love)! That’s where kids can learn more about the life if a dandelion – including the very important fact that what looks like a flowerhead is really a cluster of many small flowers called florets. There’s info on how dandelions fly, when they bloom, and how tasty they are. 

If This Bird Had Pockets: A Poem in Your Pocket Day Celebration 

by Amy Ludwig Vanderwater; illus. by Emma J. Virján 

32 pages; ages 4-8

‎Wordsong, 2022  

If animals could write poems, what would they write about? What are their concerns, and observations about the world and their daily lives? 

There are no “first lines” to share, as such, but Amy Ludwig Vanderwater shares the first poem in this delightful video.

What I like about this book: I love the idea of animals writing their very own poems, from caribou sharing their thoughts on antlers to horseshoe crabs telling an ancient story. I especially like the monarch butterfly’s letter to a milkweed and “We Farm Fungus” by leafcutter ants. Each poem shares a secret about the animal, something we may not have known or thought about before. Just plain fun, mixed well with science.

Beyond the Books:

Count the dandelions growing in your yard or nearby. Notice the stage of their life: young plant, blooming, producing seeds. For those in flower, what insects are visiting them? You might find bees, beetles, butterflies, and more. You can find a downloadable activity packet at Charlesbridge.

Taste a dandelion – but make sure it hasn’t been sprayed with chemicals. Wash off the flower and taste a yellow floret. Sweet, right? You can sprinkle dandelion florets on top of a salad, or mix them in when you make tortillas, or sprinkle them on top of soup. Very young leaves are great in quiche – or, if you want to go crustless – a frittata. Even the seeds are edible, but take the fluffy parachute off first! And some people roast the roots and grind them up to brew like coffee. If you want a dandelion quiche recipe, check out Diet For a Changing Climate by Chris Mihaly and me.

Write a poem from the point of view of a bird, insect, or other animal that lives in your neighborhood. Then carry your poem in your pocket and go outside and read it to them. 

Today we're joining Perfect Picture Book Friday, an event where bloggers share great picture books at Susanna Leonard Hill's website. Review copies provided by the publishers.