Bibliography Sidman, Joyce. 2010. Dark Emperor & Other Poems of the Night. Ill. by Rick Allen. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. ISBN 9780547152288 Review & Critical Analysis This 2011 Newbery Honor book introduces the reader to the forest at night through an enchanting and mesmerizing collection of poems. Joyce Sidman is known for her outstanding poetry and this title does not disappoint! Each poem, accompanied by the illustrations of Rick Allen and a brief informational paragraph, engages the reader in a learning experience, deep in the woods at night. Each poem introduces a different element of nature and its behavior/characteristics at night. The subjects range from animals to plants to fungi, and are as descriptive as they are entertaining. Sidman literally takes the reader into the forest and brings the subject to life through words. You can smell the damp air, feel the ground beneath your feet, and see each subject in its natural habitat. Each poem has a different rhythm and feeling. Some rhyme, some use shape to convey meaning, and others play on lines and white space to create a different rhythm. Even though the poems range in their form, they all create a vivid picture that engages the reader and brings the subject to life. The poems in this title are mesmerizing! Sidman truly engages the reader in discovering each subject and brings its habitat to life. Even if readers have not visited the forest at night (or in day) or have never seen the subject of the poem, the language, accompanied by the beautiful illustrations paints an engaging picture that will keep the reader reading. The poems are easy to understand, and provide a great background for the habits and characteristics of nocturnal animals and forest plants. The poems maintain a consistent quality and present information in engaging ways. Each poem is accompanied by a beautiful illustration done through relief printing and hand colored with a water color called gouache. The illustrations bring each subject to life and can each stand alone as a true piece of art. The paragraph included with each poem describes the subject of that particular poem, providing further scientific and background information. For example, the spotlight poem below “Welcome to the Night,” is accompanied by a paragraph describing the characteristics of the raccoon that make it a successful hunter at night, as well as what food it may find hidden in the forest. The information accompanying each poem is specific to its subject and provides interesting and insightful information that may help the reader make important connections. The book also has a table of contents and a glossary to help readers better understand the specialized vocabulary in the book. The poems in this book are outstanding! They are reflective, interesting, and thought-provoking. From the various forms of poetry, to the engaging subjects, this is a book that lends itself well to sharing and use in the classroom for enjoyment and cross-curricular connections. Spotlight Poem Welcome to the Night To all of you who crawl and creep, who buzz and chirp and hoot and peep, who wake at dusk and throw off sleep: Welcome to the night. To you who make the forest sing, who dip and dodge on silent wing, who flutter, hover, clasp, and cling: Welcome to the night! Come feel the cool and shadowed breeze, come smell your way among the trees, come touch rough bark and leathered leaves: Welcome to the night. The night’s a sea of dappled dark, the night’s a feast of sound and spark, the night’s a wild, enchanted park. Welcome to the night! This poem, found on page 6, is the first poem in this book. Sidman does an incredible job of using language to paint a picture! You can feel, smell, and hear all that is happening around you in the forest through the words she uses and the elements she describes. I would introduce this poem by reading it to my students in the dark. After reading, I would ask the students to draw a picture or write down what the felt, heard, smelled, or saw. I would have students pair-share, then discuss as a class what words Sidman used to create those feelings, sounds, smells, and sights. As a follow-up activity, I would use this poem in conjunction with a science unit researching nocturnal animals. After reading the poem, and providing students with access to multiple copies of this book, I would encourage them to create their own poem describing a nocturnal animal, its habitat, and/or its characteristics. Students could then compile their poems into a classroom anthology to revisit throughout the year.
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AuthoRMy name is Mrs. Scott and I'm a secondary Media Resource Specialist (librarian) in Texas. This blog was created as part of my graduate coursework at Texas Woman's University. All reviews and opinions are my own. Archives
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