Blue Lipstick: Concrete Poems

An ALA Notable Book

"Style? Yeah I'd love to have my own signature style. Not something preppy or conventional. Something interesting that just says me."

Yup, that's me. Jessie. I'm just your average teen. Well, almost average. My thoughts certainly aren't. They're just a big jumbled up mess! Or they would be if I didn't write them down. I like to arrange the words into pictures. It's the only way they make sense.

Concrete poetry. That's what it's called and it's the only way I can express myself. And boy do I need to express myself! I've been through everything. Bad hair days...having my secrets blabbed...surviving my younger twerp of a brother...even getting a tongue ring (well sort of).

You should seriously think about showing my book to your students.. Not to sound arrogant, but they could probably use a challenge. Plus they won't have study something from some 300 year old dead guy. Besides, if there's anything I've learned, it's that poetry is a form of art. And art is something everyone can have fun with! Especially if you've got my sense of style. See if your students "get the picture."

Grandits, J. (2007). Blue Lipstick and Other Concrete Poems. New York, NY: Clarion Books.

I See The Rhythm

A Coretta Scott King Award Winning Book!
Jazz! Rhythm and Blues! Hip Hop! Bebop! Spirituals! Funk!
Can you see the rhythm? Check out the vibrant pictures
that ooze the rhythm in bold colors and brash lines.

I See The Rhythm is an extensive timeline of the
history of african american music. It gives small
factual tidbits while using lyrical poetry to
capture the essence of each musical
style. Everything on the page,
right down to the font size and
scattered placement of the
text accentuates each
masterpiece.

So,
Whether it's stirring
up interest for a report or exposing
your students to a variety of different time
periods in a short amount of time, it's a great way
to get kids to personally connect with a history lesson.
Maybe they could write their own poems about how their
experiences with music connect them to their cultural heritage.
They could even use the same poetry methods to create their work!

Igus, Toyomi. (1998). I See The Rhythm. San Francisco, CA: Children's Book Press

All Aboard The Bebop Express!

For an interactive audio reading, please visit the following website: http://www.nytimes.com/packages/khtml/2005/05/15/books/20050515_BEBOP_AUDIOSS.html
Chugga Chugga Chugga Chugga Choo! Choo!

Welcome aboard the Bebop Express! This is your travel ticket for a journey through the American Jazz scene. Dance to the tune of drummers, singers, bassists, and the infamous Sax Man. Don't forget to stop in at New Orleans for the street jam show!

Be prepared for the ride of your life as you introduce your students to the sounds of Scat. See if they can guess who the famous musicians are! Why not research the 1940s and discover how these different musicians influenced their generation? Then, for the grand finale and presentation, invite your school's jazz band to perform, or have some of your band students put together a jazz ensemble.

Rat a tat! Rat a tat! Blam! Bop Blam! This book really teaches you how to get down with our jazz side! It connects you to the rhythm in a way that no other book can. It just makes you want to get up and dance! dance! dance!

Panahi, H.L. (2005). Bebop Express. New York, New York: Laura Geringer Books

Hi!

Welcome to my book review blogger for Children's Literature!