Blog Partner Discussion #7: Poetry
http://jamaicablogpartners.blogspot.com/
Your personal response to the book
What genre you think it might be and why
( Read Check out descriptions of genres at:
http://www.edu.uleth.ca/currlab/handouts/genres.html
Evaluate its literary quality
Evaluate its illustrations
Evaluate in terms of multicultural considerations including the credibility of the author and illustrator
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Mary, what a beautiful poetry text we chose to read and discuss. It was beautiful. Danitra Brown Leaves Town by Nikki Grimes and illustrated by Floyd Cooper (2002) is an excellent book in my estimation. The writer/illustrator both received acclaim with Coretta Scott King awards for their individual works. It is no wonder that they did such an excellent job on this text. It is a poetry book that covers narrative poems written from the perspective of children thus its appeal to children of all ages as well as adults. I am impressed by its multicultural appeal and how simply told the poems were and that they are easily identified with. there was variety evident to me as it relates to the different poetic structures utilised, free verse dominated but i saw blank verses and verse poems. I liked them. The classical illustrations added to the appeal. What say you, my friend?
ReplyDeleteIntriguing form of poetic style to tell story.I too believe that there is a realistic beauty in the child voice which creatively pulls you in to view the depth of the human emotions exhibited in Danitra and Zuri parting. Zuri was upset that Danitra was leaving expressed in this line( She has the nerve to call...) She was upset that her best friend was leaving without her. The following poems propell the reader to think about the underlining issues beyond the pages of the book. What a wonderful use of free verse to capture a story?
ReplyDeleteAnd Mary, as is typical of poetry, these poems were filled with rhymes and rhythms. The summer theme ran throughout the book expressing the freedom of summer for children and the frolicking. Each poem is drastically aided by the illustrations that accurately depict the content in the poems and further demonstrtates the setting and the appeal.
ReplyDeleteThe poetic speakers were the two friends and in terms of tone, you could feel their love and attachment as they bade goodbye to each other and wrote each other. In the interim as they both waited for the first letter to arrive, the anticipation and the eagerness were apparent. The poetic letter that depicted Denitra's hurt was delivered in a stoccato way and had that effect like in music. The imagery used accurately displayed the contrast in their reactions and feelings. The use of language was really rich for me and I had fun identifying and analysing the figurative language, the personification, the alliteration, the similes and the metaphors. They were skillfully and creatively used.
I must also add that the the inferencing that was required while reading, (the critical thinking), propelled the reader to go beyond what is actually on the page to see deeper. The cover is a perfect example of this.
I see a philosophical view expressed in Danitra’s proclamation of what summer means to her. This reflects the view of all children whose primary aim is to have fun and leisure without the slightest thought of school work.
ReplyDeleteI see metaphors in one entitled’ First Night’- ‘and the skies like a thick overcoat all buttoned up’. Can’t you picture the scene? Great use of words. The poems are conversational. There are rhymes and constant themes of friendship, family and carefree childhood running through to the end.
There is also the big picture of life in the country during the summer versus the country. I believe it is intended for children with a beautiful appeal to adults also.
The illustrator is an acclaimed awardee of the Coretta Scott King Honor and his work represents the culture quite accurately. Before I opened the covers of the book I was captivated by the warmth of the embrace of the two girls. There is a sense of innocence in their look. Great water paint and use of browns and copper color. The pictures extend the poem enabling the reader to see beyond the words in the interesting asides. For example_ Block Party – brings together the diversity of the neighbours. It is not mentioned in the poem but depicted in the illustrations.
Our students do not get the kind of exposure they need in reading poetry of varying genre and I believe this collection would provide good reading material for students. They could write their own. They can identify examples of figures of speech and make personal responses. Discussions about how they spend their summers could follow and a comparison of their experiences to the two children. I see where students could be encouraged to find out more information about the poet and illustrator. Poetry can take student to so many experiences.