Children’s Books – A Found Poem

First Snow

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When will it snow?

Snow on snow on snow –

oh, first snow!

❦

The books:

WHEN WILL IT SNOW? Text and illustrations by Bruce Hiscock. A classic tale of a young boy waiting for snow to arrive, while the wild animals near his home wait as well.

SNOW ON SNOW ON SNOW. Text by Cheryl Chapman; illustrations by Synthia Saint James. A boy and his dog enjoy a fun winter day together. Repetitive text inspired by Christina Rossetti’s lyrics for “In the Bleak Midwinter.” Bold, brightly-colored illustrations.

OH! Text by Kevin Henkes; illustrations by Laura Dronzek. A simple concept book about the variety of creatures that love to play in the snow. Gentle, luminous artwork.

FIRST SNOW. Text and illustrations by Emily Arnold McCully. A family of mice go sledding in the first snow of the season. The littlest mouse is afraid of the big hill, but soon finds her courage.

Out Standing in the Rain

Out standing in the rain,

a long way away,

I saw the sea come in.

❦

The books:

OUTSTANDING IN THE RAIN by Frank Viva – A rollicking, rhyming tale of a day at the amusement park. The bold illustrations include cut-outs for interactive fun.

A LONG WAY AWAY by Frank Viva – Take an imaginative trip from outer space down to the bottom of the sea. Or, start at the back of the book and reverse course.

Thanks to author Frank Viva. I think this is the first time I’ve used two books by the same author in one poem.

I SAW THE SEA COME IN by Alvin Tresselt and Roger Duvoisin – “Early in the morning, while the soft gray fog still hung in the sky, the little boy went down to the sea.” A timeless classic about the wonder of exploring.

Poetry Friday: By Water’s Edge

Hello, Poetry Friday. This week’s links are at Sylvia Vardell’s blog, Poetry for Children. Sylvia’s also putting out a call for celebration-themed poems for the next installment of the Poetry Friday Anthology, and shares an example with a fun poem called “Hooray for Dogs” by Janet Wong.

Now I’d like to share a wonderful picture book by author Kay Barone.

My local library is connected with a small art museum, home to many works of American art. Because of this, the library’s collection includes more art-related books than most public libraries. That’s why I was lucky to find a copy of “By Water’s Edge” by Kay Barone on one of the picture book shelves.

This quintessential summer picture book, published by the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, pairs thirteen of Winslow Homer’s artworks with Barone’s gentle rhyming text. It’s a perfect fit.

“Who will have fun with a tied up boat?

“Who will tilt it gently, who will watch it float?”

Author/poet/teacher Kay Barone died in 2010, and “By Water’s Edge” was her only picture book. It might be difficult to find a copy, but it would make a timeless addition to any children’s book collection.

Text Excerpt from: “By Water’s Edge” by Kay Barone, Boston Museum of Fine Arts, 1996