This Is Just To Say: Poems Of Apology And Forgiveness by Joyce Sidman

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1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sidman, Joyce. This Is Just To Say: Poems Of Apology And Forgiveness. Ill. by Pamela Zagarenski. New York, Houghton Mifflin Company: 2007. ISBN: 0618616802

2. PLOT SUMMARY

Mrs. Merz, a fictional teacher, has been doing a poetry unit with her sixth grade class. After reading the poem “This Is Just to Say” by William Carlos Williams, students are inspired (and assigned) to write their own poems of apology to anyone they feel inclined to apologize to. They like the poems they wrote so much that they make a book out of them. Then they make a second part of the book “where the people we wrote poems to get to write poems in response.” The “sorry” poems and the “response” poems are in corresponding order in each section.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This is a unique book of poetry that includes haiku, pantoums, two-part poems, snippets, and rhymes. The poems each have a natural rhythm to them, although rhyme is not included in most of the poems. It seems the writers of these poems have learned that to write a poem, sometimes you “just write down a list of how you feel and break it into shorter lines,” like Jose’s dad said in his response. Poems don’t have to be filled with rhyme or with any certain structure at all, but with how you feel. That is what makes these poems so unique. They dive deep into the thoughts and feelings of sixth graders - something you don’t get to do everyday - without focusing on structure.

The language of these poems is that of sixth graders. It’s fresh and honest. In a poem about dodgeball, Reuben says to Kyle, “I just really get carried away in situations like that. Kids screaming and ducking, Coach bellowing …” In the very next poem, Kyle says, “Sorry, Reubs, for belting you as hard as I could in dodgeball” and gives his sincere apologies to Reuben. Where else will you hear the heartfelt apologies of two sixth grade boys who hit each other too hard in a game of dodgeball?

The honesty of these poems, and the stage of life they portray, transport the reader right back to sixth grade. They evoke all the emotions - laughter and tears - of those days.  From Bobby’s apology to Maria that he’s “sorry you keep saying you won’t go out with me” to Carrie’s response to her sister, Alyssa, “Roses are red, violets are blue. I’m still really pissed off at you.” The emotions of these 11 and 12 year olds are ones that every reader knows. We’ve all lashed out at a sibling out of anger or held onto a crush a little too long. These poems bring those feelings to life.

The poems in this book are thoughtfully organized. They begin with apologies for more humorous offenses. Of course there was the dodgeball incident apologies, but there was also an apology from Thomas for sneaking into the teacher’s lounge to steal a doughnut, and from Carmen for making “that comment” about Mrs. Merz’s dress. They move on to apologies for broken items, injuries, love, and loss. The poems are well balanced and include a wide range of topics. The second part of the book is a compilation of responses to the apologies. They complete the book and give the reader a sense of satisfaction that the apology has not fallen on deaf ears.

Pamela Zagarenski’s illustrations creatively portray the apologies of these sixth graders. Pictures are either drawn on or somehow include items found in a classroom. Many of the pictures look as though they have been drawn on notebook paper or graphing paper. Students’ clothing is made from the definition for “apology” taken directly from a page in a dictionary. White hole reinforcements are used as doughnuts and as tape to hang pictures. These creative uses of classroom items in her illustrations contribute to this book’s biggest strength - inviting the reader to enter into the life of a sixth grader.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL’S Best Books of the Year Award Winner 2007

From SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - “This is an important book both for its creativity and for its wisdom.”

From KIRKUS REVIEWS - “Packed with the intensity of everyday pain and sorrow, kids and adults exchange the words that convey grief, delight, love and acceptance of themselves and others.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Gather other books written by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski such as:

• Red Sings From Treetops: A Year In Colors. ISBN 0547014945

• What The Heart Knows: Chants, Charms, and Blessings. ISBN 0544106164
• Meow Ruff: A Story In Concrete Poetry. ISBN 0618448942

Gather other books written by Joyce Sidman such as:

• Meow Ruff: A Story In Concrete Poetry. ISBN 0618448942
• Swirl By Swirl: Spirals In Nature. ISBN 054731583X

Read and analyze the poem “This Is Just to Say” by William Carlos Williams with your class.

Read the poem “Sparkling Deer” that was written by Mrs. Merz in Sidman’s book, This Is Just To Say. Choose an incident from your own (the teacher’s) past that you could write an apology for. Write a poem of apology for this incident as a class. Then have students write their own poem of apology and illustrate it.

Trailer for The Dreamer by Pam Munoz Ryan & Peter Sis

I used Animoto to create the following trailer.

The Three Princes: A Tale From The Middle East by Eric A. Kimmel

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1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Kimmel, Eric A. The Three Princes: A Tale From The Middle East. Ill. by Leonard Everett Fisher. New York, Holiday House: 1994. ISBN: 082341115X

2. PLOT SUMMARY

This folktale from the Middle East tells the story of a beautiful princess who is sought after by princes from all over the world. Only three have won her favor - Prince Muhammed, Prince Fahad, and Prince Mohsen. Prince Muhammed and Prince Fahad are wealthy and well known, but Prince Mohsen is the one she loves. The problem is that he “possessed little more than his handsome face, his cloak, and his camel.” In order to give Prince Mohsen a chance to prove his worth, the princess sends all three princes away for a year to find a rare treasure. She promises to marry the one who brings back the greatest of these treasures.

The princes set out across the desert, and after a year they meet to see what wonder each has found on his journey. Prince Muhammad has found a crystal ball in which he can see what is happening anywhere in the world. Prince Fahad has found a flying carpet that can take him wherever he wants to go. Prince Mohsen has found a healing orange that can cure any illness. When the princes use Prince Muhammad’s crystal ball to discover that their beloved princess is sick and dying, they decide to use Prince Fahad’s flying carpet to carry them to her in an instant. When they reach her, they use Prince Mohsen’s orange to heal her. She chooses to marry Prince Mohsen, the prince she loved from the beginning, because he sacrificed the most by giving his only possession - his orange - to save her life.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The Three Princes takes place in the Middle East. The exact setting is not given, but in Eric Kimmell’s “Notes About the Book,” he says that he first heard it from his Saudi Arabian students. In the book, Prince Fahad also mentions that he traveled across Egypt’s desert, so the setting seems to be somewhere around Saudi Arabia and Egypt. 

Themes that prevail in this tale include mystery, love, and wisdom. From the very beginning of this story, the reader is intrigued by the princess “who was as wise as she was beautiful.” The princess is not given a name. She covers her hair and face - everything but her eyes - which portrays traditional women’s dress in Middle Eastern culture, but also adds to the mystery of her character. Because she loves Prince Mohsen, the reader is left wondering what criteria this mysterious princess will use to judge which object is greatest. Will she choose his treasure over the others because of her love for him? This leads to the theme of love - more specifically love prevailing in spite of adversity. How will the princess’s love for Prince Mohsen prevail if his treasure is not the greatest of the three? In the end, love prevails. The princess chooses Prince Mohsen to be her husband because he is the only one who has given all he owns so that she can live. Her wise choice shows that she truly is as wise as she is beautiful.

The illustrations in this book recreate “the essence of the Arab world,” as Fisher intends. Characters wear brightly colored traditional clothing and they sit on brightly colored traditional floor pillows. Although their mode of travel is not mentioned in the story, the illustrations show that they travel by camel, a traditional form of travel in the Middle East. When the three princes are in the desert at night, the sky features the crescent moon and stars. The crescent and the star is a common symbol throughout the Middle East. Fisher’s drawings of the characters in this story are mostly close up. By bringing us so close to these characters, it’s as if he’s inviting us into their lives - into their stories. He takes us on a journey to a faraway land and lets us have an up-close visit with the people of that land.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

From SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - “A welcome addition that deserves to become a read-aloud standard.”

From PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - “Kimmel's sprightly retelling of a Middle Eastern folktale and Fisher's ambient artwork shimmer with wisdom and magic.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Gather other folktales written by Eric A. Kimmel such as:

• Baba Yaga: A Russian Folktale. ISBN 082340854X

• Anansi And The Moss-Covered Rock. ISBN 082340689X
• Joha Makes A Wish: A Middle Eastern Tale. ISBN 1477816879

Gather other books written by Eric A. Kimmel such as:

• Little Red Hot. ISBN 1477816380
• I Took My Frog To The Library. ISBN 0833580876

Read another folktale from the Middle East. Compare and contrast the morals, characters, and cultural values from each. What do these things tell us about the Middle Eastern culture?

Have students write their own folktale based on a moral and culture they wish to portray.

The Three Little Pigs And The Somewhat Bad Wolf by Mark Teague

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1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Teague, Mark. The Three Little Pigs And The Somewhat Bad Wolf. New York, NY, Orchard Books: 2013. ISBN: 9780439915014

2. PLOT SUMMARY

The three little pigs come to life in this picture book variant of “The Three Little Pigs.” They are no longer needed at their jobs on the farm, so they take their wages and each of them buys building supplies for a new house. As usual, the third pig is the wisest and builds his house from bricks. Into town walks the somewhat bad, but really hungry wolf, who can’t seem to find anything to eat. The story takes an unusual turn after the first two pigs’ houses are blown down, and the wolf arrives at the third house. He is treated to potato chips, sody-pop, and dinner, and the four of them live happily ever after together in the brick house.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

From the very beginning of this book, Teague uses his illustrations to point out the responsible nature and wise decisions of the third pig. On the first page, she is the one sitting in a chair reading a book and snacking on an apple, while the other two roll around in the mud, obviously full of potato chips and sody-pop. He continues this theme throughout the book. While the other two pigs ride away from the farm on a scooter and bicicycle, she chooses to walk - the healthier choice. She chooses to build a brick house (and is rewarded with a free sandwich) while the other two use straw and sticks so they can save their money for potato chips and sody-pop. She plants a vegetable garden near her brick house and fills her basket full of fresh vegetables. In the end, her wise decisions reward her with a home that is still standing. Everyone moves in with her and feasts on broccoli … and a little sody-pop.

Teague’s illustrations could tell this story on their own. They are creative and imaginative, and they draw the reader into the details of the story. His eye-catching pictures feature bright, mood-boosting colors. They enhance the story and entertain readers at the same time, providing them with an extra laugh here and there.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

PARENTS’ CHOICE SILVER HONOR Spring 2013

From PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - “Teague (the How Do Dinosaurs books) throws his hat into the fractured fairy tale ring with a funny twist on this tale that’s fit for the era of Michael Pollan.”

From BOOKLIST - “Animated with drama and deadpan wit, Teague’s large-scale oil paintings show up very well from a distance, making this a good story-hour choice.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Gather other books written by Mark Teague such as:

• How I Spent My Summer Vacation. ISBN 0517885565

• Funny Farm. ISBN 043991499X
• Firehouse! ISBN 0439915007

Gather other books in the Dinosaur series by Mark Teague and Jane Yolen such as:

• How Do Dinosaurs Clean Their Room? ISBN 0439649501
• How Do Dinosaurs Laugh Out Loud? ISBN 0545236525
• How Do Dinosaurs Say I Love You? ISBN 0545143144

Click here to visit the Scholastic website for downloadable acitivties and coloring sheets to go along with this book.

Discuss the differences in the choices made by the three pigs, including choices concerning food, activities, building materials, etc.

Joseph Had A Little Overcoat by Simms Taback

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1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Taback, Simms. Joseph Had A Little Overcoat. New York, Viking by The Penguin Group: 1977. ISBN: 9780670878550

2. PLOT SUMMARY

The pages of this book are filled with holes, just like Joseph’s old overcoat. He decided to make something new out of his old coat, and when that something new wore out, he made something else new. Each new piece of clothing he made eventually became old and worn, until he was finally left with nothing. What should you do when you’re left with nothing? Make something out of it.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

What stands out most about this book are the pictures. Not only are the pages of this book filled with holes, but they’re also filled with beautiful and lively die-cut illustrations. Every other page has a hole in it that is shaped like something new - a new piece of clothing for Joseph’s coat to be made into. When the final piece of clothing (a button used to fasten Joseph’s suspenders) is lost, the moral of the story is revealed: you can always make something out of nothing. Joseph proves this by making a book about his little old overcoat. This is a good lesson for children who often have nothing to do, nothing to wear, nothing to eat, etc. It teaches them that they can always make something out of nothing.

The story in this book is wonderful for young children and early readers. The lines and words are repetitive, making it easy to read and easy to understand. Children can begin to guess what will happen next and what Joseph will make out of each piece of clothing.

Mixed into the story and colorful pages are pieces of music, wall hangings, letters, and newspapers that are unique and sometimes comical. They point readers to the fact that Joseph is a Jewish man living in Poland. They also help give this book depth and enjoyment for adults and children alike.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

2000 Caldecott Medal Recipient

From SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - “A book bursting at the seams with ingenuity and creative spirit.”

From PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - “With its effective repetition and an abundance of visual humor, this is tailor-made for reading aloud.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Gather other books written and illustrated by Simms Taback such as:

• There Was An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly. ISBN 0670869392

• This Is The House That Jack Built. ISBN 0142402001
• I Miss You Every Day. ISBN 0670061921

Creative Writing - Ask students to write about making something out of nothing. They could create a new story or write about a time when they made something out of nothing.

Art - Have students create a piece of artwork using the same style as Simms Taback.

Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems

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1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Willems, Mo. Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale. New York, Hyperion Books for Children: 2004. ISBN: 0786818700

2. PLOT SUMMARY

In this story, Trixie, a girl so young that she can’t speak words yet, goes on an errand with her dad to the laundromat. They start their laundry, and on their journey back home Trixie tries to tell her dad something. Since she can’t speak in words yet, he doesn’t understand. She becomes more and more upset, until she is bawling and inconsolable. As soon as they arrive home, Trixie’s mom sees that Knuffle Bunny is missing. The whole family takes off running to the laundromat. When they get there, they find that Knuffle Bunny is just fine - and a bit cleaner than before.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Mo Willems grabs the attention and love of children when he shows Trixie’s inability to communicate what is wrong. She tries using words, and when that doesn’t work, she uses body language, tears, and everything else she possibly can to communicate that Knuffle Bunny is missing. This shows how vital language and communication is for relationships and daily living. It points out the frustration that both adults and children feel when communication is inhibited. It also helps adults see this challenge from the child’s point of view. It provokes more empathy towards a child’s temper tantrums since frustration and inability to communicate is sometimes the cause.

This story also points to the different ways people communicate. In this story, Trixie used words (or jibber jabber), tears, and body language to tell her dad Knuffle Bunny was missing. People who are able to speak in words use the same forms of communication. Sometimes they use words, but often those words are accompanied by laughter, tears, or some other form of body language to get the point across.

The illustrations in this book are black and white photographs with cartoon-like people drawn on them. Having photographs of real places and things as the scene for the story makes the story more believable. They make the story more life-like. They take the reader to a real place and time, and then mix that with a bit of imagination. They allow the reader to more vividly imagine walking on a real sidewalk, through a real park, and to a real laundromat right along with Trixie and her dad.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

2005 Caldecott Honor Book

From SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - “Personalities are artfully created so that both parents and children will recognize themselves within these pages. A seamless and supremely satisfying presentation of art and text.”

From BOOKLIST - “Even children who can already talk a blue streak will come away satisfied that their own strong emotions have been mirrored and legitimized, and readers of all ages will recognize the agonizing frustration of a little girl who knows far more than she can articulate.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Gather other books written by Mo Willems to read such as:

• Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case Of Mistaken Identity. ISBN 1423102991

• That Is Not A Good Idea. ISBN 1406355585
• Don’t Let The Pigeon Drive The Bus. ISBN 078681988X

Gather books in the “Elephant and Piggie” early reader series by Mo Willems such as:

• We Are In A Book. ISBN 1423133080
• Should I Share My Ice Cream? ISBN 1423143434
• A Big Guy Took My Ball. ISBN 1423174917

Class Discussion - Ask students to list all the different ways that people communicate. What are the differences between them? What happens when people are unable to communicate?

Print black and white photographs and have students use them to illustrate their own story.

This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen

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1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Klassen, Jon. This Is Not My Hat. Massachusetts, Candlewick Press: 2012. ISBN: 0763655996

2. PLOT SUMMARY

This is the story of a small fish and a big fish. The small fish steals a hat from a big fish who is sleeping. He’s sure the big fish won’t notice it’s gone, that he won’t know who took it if he does notice it’s gone, and won’t be able to find him even if he knows he’s the one who took it. The small fish swims to where the plants grow big and tall and close together, and he is confident no one will ever find him there. He does admit that someone saw him - a small crab - but he is confident the crab won’t tell anyone. However, as soon as he arrives and swims away into the plants, the big fish follows behind him while the crab points him in the right direction. The big fish enters the tall plants and exits with his hat back on his head. The small fish is nowhere to be seen.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

On the very first page of this book, the reader is taken deep inside the ocean and introduced to a small fish who has a hat on his head and one eye looking behind him. As if the guilty look of his eye was not enough, he tells us on the page beside that the hat is not his. He stole it. In fact, he stole it from a big fish. No wonder he is watching so closely behind him. The reader has a sense of doom for this small fish from the very beginning.

The small fish spends the next few pages convincing the reader why it was okay for him to steal the hat. The small fish knows the hat doesn’t belong to him and that it’s wrong to steal, but it was too small for the big fish. It fits him just right. It’s okay to steal it. Anyway, he’s swimming to where the plants are big and tall enough to hide him and no one will ever know - except for the small crab who is quick to betray him and tell exactly where he went. This makes a good attempt at teaching a simple lesson to children (or anyone) who are tempted to steal because no one will ever know. It sends a message that someone will know, and friends will betray you, but to make the right decision even if you think no one will.

The illustrations in this book take the reader into the vast darkness of the ocean. The black background of each illustration serves a few purposes. They allow the foreground images to “pop” off the page and cause the reader to focus in on the characters in the story, they transport the reader into the vast darkness and depth of the ocean, and they point towards the darkness of the small fish’s bad decision. The illustrations in this book tell the story clearly on their own. Jon Klassen even uses each of the fish’s eyes to tell the story of guilt and revenge. A child who is not able to read could grasp the entire message of the story without hearing a word of it.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

2014 Winner of the Kate Greenaway Medal

From SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - “This not-to-be-missed title will delight children again and again.”

From PUBLISHERS’ WEEKLY - “Klassen excels at using pictures to tell the parts of the story his unreliable narrators omit or evade.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Gather other books written by Jon Klassen to read such as:

• I Want My Hat Back. ISBN 0763655988

Gather other books illustrated by Jon Klassen such as:

• Extra Yarn. ISBN 9780061953385
• The Dark. ISBN 0316187488
• House Held Up By Trees. ISBN 0763651079

I read this book over and over with two of my children, ages 7 and 5, and they never got tired of it.

Creative Writing Activity - Jon Klassen doesn’t tell the reader exactly what happens at the end of this book. What do you think happens? Write and illustrate your own ending to the book.

Draw and design a new hat for the small fish so he isn’t tempted to steal the hat from the big fish.

Make Way For Ducklings by Robert McCloskey

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1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

McCloskey, Robert. Make Way For Ducklings. New York: The Viking Press, 1941. ISBN 0670451495

2. PLOT SUMMARY

In this story, Mr. and Mrs. Mallard are looking for a place for Mrs. Mallard to lay her eggs. Together, they try several different locations in Boston, but none of them are suitable for babies. They finally settle in on the Charles River and build a nest there. Mrs. Mallard lays eight eggs, and when the ducklings are born they are named Jack, Kack, Lack, Mack, Nack, Ouack, Pack, and Quack. Shortly after they are born, Mr. Mallard decides to take a trip and they all plan to meet in one week at the public garden. After a week of teaching her children, Mrs. Mallard and her ducklings walk through the streets of Boston to the public garden and make quite a scene doing so. When they reach the pond in the garden, Mr. Mallard is waiting for them and they make a home there.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Mr. and Mrs. Mallard are an unlikely couple for 1941, when Make Way for Ducklings was published. Mrs. Mallard takes the lead in their decision of where to build their home, and Mr. Mallard follows her lead. Every time he saw a nice place to live, she said it was no good, and so they moved on. Mrs. Mallard is a strong-willed, confident character. She shows her confidence as a mother when she assures Mr. Mallard that she knows all about bringing up children.

This story livens up when Mrs. Mallard walks her children through the streets of Boston to meet Mr. Mallard in the public park. The reader may become anxious that Mrs. Mallard or one of her ducklings will be hurt by one of the cars or bikes, but Mrs. Mallard’s confidence calms any anxiety quickly. She is in control and marches her ducklings right through town while everyone else looks on in admiration and makes way for them. When they arrive at the public park, Mr. Mallard is waiting for them. They end up making a home in the very same park that Mrs. Mallard found unsuitable earlier in the story when she was almost hit by a bicycle there.

Robert McCloskey illustrates this book using brown-toned drawings. He uses different shades of brown to create simple drawings. It is as if he is taking us back to the far simpler days and slower times of Boston in the 1940s. The drawings are soft and calm and transport the reader to a different time.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

Caldecott Medal 1942

Top 100 Picture Books #6 by SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

From SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - “McCloskey’s attention to detail and marvelous storytelling are a magical combination.” - Heather Christensen

From The New York Times - “One of the merriest picture books ever.”

5. CONNECTIONS

Gather other Caldecott Medal books to read such as:

·       Klassen, John. This Is Not My Hat. ISBN 0763655996

·       Floca, Bryan. Locomotive. ISBN 1416994157

Gather other Robert McCloskey books to read such as:

·       Blueberries for Sal. ISBN 0670175919

·       Lentil. ISBN 0140502874

·       Homer Price. ISBN 0142404152

Have students discuss what it would be like to walk through the streets of Boston in a single file line, with their teacher as the leader, while all the traffic stops for them and people stop and stare. Write a story about this together in groups or as a class.

Robert McCloskey used shades of brown for his drawings in this book. Have students create artwork using only brown crayons or colored pencils to mimic his style.