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gymnerdreader's review
5.0
Annotated Bibliography Entry: What is Goodbye? By: Nikki Grimes
Summary:
When their brother Jaron dies unexpectedly, his mom, dad and siblings, Jerilyn and Jesse are left to pick up the pieces of what he left behind. Both Jerilyn and Jesse have a hard time picking up the pieces that Jaron left behind in his passing. Both write poems to express their heartache and anger over their brother’s death. Poems are written from the perspectives of Jeri and Jesse who both handle their grief in different ways. Jeri is older than Jesse so she kinda has to pick herself up to care for her parents who are beyond devastated. She tries to keep a straight face and not show much emotion, but the death of her brother has hurt her. Jesse, on the other hand is the youngest of the siblings and often expresses his grief with anger and lashing out at other people. Basically these poems detail the grieving process and how such a process can differ amongst different people.
Personal Response:
I definitely enjoyed reading these poems and I think even adults could take something away from them. The poems are mature in a way so I would not share this with younger students as the ideas and metaphors used may go over their heads, but for older students who have lost someone they love I feel that they will connect more to these poems. I personally think these poems can help those students along in the healing process. What I love the most about this book is that it features poems from both Jeri and Jesse’s perspectives so the reader gets an idea as to how both of the siblings deal with their brother’s passing. In their case they handle it extremely different. I think this portrayal is both great and realistic. Some people think that everyone grieves the same way and that there should be a set period of grief and once that period is over they should just “get over it”. I think this attitude is both wrong and insensitive and I’m glad this book steered away from that. I also like the progression through the grieving process. I like how it ended with everyone in the family beginning to heal again.
Descriptions of Illustrations:
There are not a whole lot of illustrations. This is mostly just a book of poetry, but there are small illustrations that are rather abstract. When I looked at them closely they seemed to represent the metaphors mentioned in the poem. For example, one poem talked about what I mentioned above: people thinking there is a set time for the grieving process. To illustrate this there was a picture of a girl (Jeri) trapped in an hourglass to illustrate that time for her grief is running out, but she is not quite ready to let go. I think the illustrations that are there are great. They are simple, yet abstract and illustrate metaphors mentioned in the poems, which I think will help students.
Classroom Connections:
This poetry book is more for older students, but it is one that I would include in my classroom library because there is probably one student that will be able to relate to it. Everyone has lost somebody they love so I’m pretty sure they will be able to relate and connect to it. It can also help these students ease their grief. In terms of incorporating it into the classroom, teachers can use the poems to illustrate metaphor as metaphors are a staple in all the poems and most of the metaphors are pretty deep. Teachers could also talk and introduce all types of figurative language, such as similes and such. Teachers could also read a poem aloud to students and have students write a visual of what they are hearing or feeling. This is similar to what we did in class for Each Kindness and the chart board. I think teachers could easily have students do the same for these poems. Students could also draw pictures as to what they think the metaphors in the poems mean to them, which I think will extend their thinking. Definitely a useful and powerful book of poetry to include in the classroom!
Summary:
When their brother Jaron dies unexpectedly, his mom, dad and siblings, Jerilyn and Jesse are left to pick up the pieces of what he left behind. Both Jerilyn and Jesse have a hard time picking up the pieces that Jaron left behind in his passing. Both write poems to express their heartache and anger over their brother’s death. Poems are written from the perspectives of Jeri and Jesse who both handle their grief in different ways. Jeri is older than Jesse so she kinda has to pick herself up to care for her parents who are beyond devastated. She tries to keep a straight face and not show much emotion, but the death of her brother has hurt her. Jesse, on the other hand is the youngest of the siblings and often expresses his grief with anger and lashing out at other people. Basically these poems detail the grieving process and how such a process can differ amongst different people.
Personal Response:
I definitely enjoyed reading these poems and I think even adults could take something away from them. The poems are mature in a way so I would not share this with younger students as the ideas and metaphors used may go over their heads, but for older students who have lost someone they love I feel that they will connect more to these poems. I personally think these poems can help those students along in the healing process. What I love the most about this book is that it features poems from both Jeri and Jesse’s perspectives so the reader gets an idea as to how both of the siblings deal with their brother’s passing. In their case they handle it extremely different. I think this portrayal is both great and realistic. Some people think that everyone grieves the same way and that there should be a set period of grief and once that period is over they should just “get over it”. I think this attitude is both wrong and insensitive and I’m glad this book steered away from that. I also like the progression through the grieving process. I like how it ended with everyone in the family beginning to heal again.
Descriptions of Illustrations:
There are not a whole lot of illustrations. This is mostly just a book of poetry, but there are small illustrations that are rather abstract. When I looked at them closely they seemed to represent the metaphors mentioned in the poem. For example, one poem talked about what I mentioned above: people thinking there is a set time for the grieving process. To illustrate this there was a picture of a girl (Jeri) trapped in an hourglass to illustrate that time for her grief is running out, but she is not quite ready to let go. I think the illustrations that are there are great. They are simple, yet abstract and illustrate metaphors mentioned in the poems, which I think will help students.
Classroom Connections:
This poetry book is more for older students, but it is one that I would include in my classroom library because there is probably one student that will be able to relate to it. Everyone has lost somebody they love so I’m pretty sure they will be able to relate and connect to it. It can also help these students ease their grief. In terms of incorporating it into the classroom, teachers can use the poems to illustrate metaphor as metaphors are a staple in all the poems and most of the metaphors are pretty deep. Teachers could also talk and introduce all types of figurative language, such as similes and such. Teachers could also read a poem aloud to students and have students write a visual of what they are hearing or feeling. This is similar to what we did in class for Each Kindness and the chart board. I think teachers could easily have students do the same for these poems. Students could also draw pictures as to what they think the metaphors in the poems mean to them, which I think will extend their thinking. Definitely a useful and powerful book of poetry to include in the classroom!
mariaellabetos's review
4.0
Author's Note: There is no right or wrong way to feel when someone close to you dies. Some people cry away, others don't. Some get angry, others don't.
POIGNANT. HEARTFELT. and though my sister and brothers are alive and well, I CRIED AND FELT THEIR FEAR, MADNESS, and THEIR TIRED HEARTS learning to finally LET GO OF SADNESS and move along with their lives.
POIGNANT. HEARTFELT. and though my sister and brothers are alive and well, I CRIED AND FELT THEIR FEAR, MADNESS, and THEIR TIRED HEARTS learning to finally LET GO OF SADNESS and move along with their lives.
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