BLL Book Reviews -June 2016
Brewster Ladies Library 1822 Main Street Brewster, MA 02631
In this issue… Daniel Finds a Poem Picture Book (for 5-8 year-olds) by Micha Archer (Nori Morganstein) Latest Readings by Clive James (Kathryn Taylor) The Fight to Vote by Michael Waldman (Doug Wilcock) The Life and Times of Mickey Rooney by Richard A. Lertzman and William J. Birnes (Jim Mills) Pacific by Simon Winchester (Don Boink) Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari (Jim Mills) Dealing with China: An Insider Unmasks the New Economic Superpower by Henry M Paulson, Junior by Don Boink The Road to Little Dribbling: Adventures of an American in Britain by Bill Bryson (Jim Mills) The Ghost Army of World War I by Rick Byer and Elizabeth Sayles (Don Boink) Prisoners of Geography by Tim Marshall (Jim Mills) Exit Right by David Oppenheimer (Don Boink)
Daniel Finds a Poem (Penguin Random House, 2016) Picture Book (for 5-8 year-olds) by Micha Archer reviewed by: Nori Morganstein, Youth Services Librarian/Assistant Director Daniel Finds a Poem is one of the best introductions to poetry I have ever read, for children or adults. It’s about a little boy who comes across a sign for something called “Poetry in the Park.” He then of course asks the very important question, “What is poetry?” This question becomes the focal point for the whole story. A spider overhears Daniel’s question and tells Daniel that she thinks poetry “is when morning dew glistens.” Then Daniel climbs a tree and asks a squirrel what poetry is. The squirrel says, “poetry is when crisp leaves crunch.” Daniel proceeds to ask other animals in the park. He talks to a chipmunk, a frog, a turtle, a cricket, and even an owl. Finally, it’s time for Poetry in the Park, and Daniel has a poem to bring. He pieces together what all the animals told him poetry was and turns it into his own poem. The last page of the book shows Daniel stopping to watch a sunset over the pond and he says, “That looks like poetry to me.” The book addresses the idea that there isn’t always one right answer. Words like “poetry” can mean many different things to many different people. And of course more literally, the book explains that poetry is more than words. It’s what we find beautiful, compelling, and comfortable. The setup of the book is very familiar. It reads like a lot of other classic children’s books. Instead of the main character going up to different animals and asking, “Are you my mother?” or “Have you seen my hat?” he instead asks a rather deep, almost philosophical question: what is poetry? What a great book to introduce the idea of poetry, art, and creativity in general. I can see this book leading to families writing their own poems together. The real selling point to children will be the artwork. Everything is bright, colorful, and full of sunlight. The colors make me think of the illustrations in a Lois Ehlert book. The urban setting gives the story a very Ezra Jack Keats feel as well. The animals, even the cricket and the spider are drawn to look kind, soft, and friendly. I found the nighttime pictures (with the owl) to be breathtaking. The combination of bright artwork mixed with the ambiguous poetry question make for one remarkably compelling picture book. This book was impressive. It follows a familiar plot-line, yet addresses a new and thought-provoking concept. It teaches children that there isn’t always one right answer. It teaches children what poetry is or at least what poetry can be. The bright illustrations will be a major draw for kids of various ages. This is my favorite picture book of the year, so far. I highly recommend it.