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pacifickle's review against another edition
4.0
This book totally inspired me. There's so much I could do with it and my students. Great introduction before an author visit, or a great actual "Poem in your Pocket" day where students share the poems they've been working on and wear clothes with pockets to store them. Also has good information about getting ideas to write, what to do when you're stuck, and can spark discussion about the writing process itself. Great book!
missprint_'s review against another edition
3.0
Really liked this. A great introduction to poetry forms (haiku, concrete, acrostic) and devices (simile, metaphor) as well as a reminder that anyone can be a poet if they look at things the right way. I also like the pointers at the end reminding us that poems can take any shape and guidelines for celebrating Poem in Your Pocket day. Definitely geared more to a school setting than a library one but still delightful overall.
readingthroughtheages's review against another edition
4.0
Good central message and a fun book to use in April for Poem in Your Pocket Day.
heisereads's review against another edition
4.0
Definitely an April specific read aloud, but I really appreciated the message about writing poems and how they come about and to have confidence in your own thoughts. A good story.
muddypuddle's review against another edition
5.0
This is a terrific book, telling both the story of a teacher and his class and the cool way he teaches them about poetry - including similes, metaphor, concrete poetry, acrostic poetry, and haiku. And, so importantly, that poetry doesn't have to rhyme! There's a bit of a theme about not trying to be perfect, as one of the clever kids in the class never writes a poem because she doesn't think it's good enough. (Funny that no one's ever written a book about kids writing really bad poems...)
graventy's review against another edition
4.0
A nice story about a little girl's struggle to write a poem, that features a lot of poetry learnin' along the way.
backonthealex's review against another edition
4.0
April is National Poetry Month and what better way to start the month than with a picture book about poetry. And Margaret McNamara's third book about Mr. Tiffin and his students is definitely up to the task.
All through April, Mr. Tiffin's class is going to learn all about poems in preparation for poem in you pocket day and a author visit from a well known poet, Emmy Crane. But Elinor has spent all of March at the library studying poetry. so now she has all the answers when it comes things like similes, metaphors concrete poems, haiku, acoustic poems.
But when Mr. Tiffin takes the class out for a walk to practice using their poet's eyes, the kids in Elinor's class all seem to be able to see the poetry around them except Elinor. And when brings brown bags with surprises in them for everyone and asks each student to write a poem about what's in their bag, Elinor just can't seem to get one written. Her poetry journal is blank.
Over the weekend, Elinor writes poem after poem, but none are good enough as far as she is concerned. Finally, on Poem in Your Pocket Day, Elinor goes to school with an empty pocket. In assembly, Emmy Crane reads some to her own poetry to the children, and each child reads their poem to her. But when its Elinor's turn, she courageously goes up on the stage and confesses to Emmy that she has no poem, none were perfect enough for a poet like her. No poem is perfect, Emmy tells her, but can she help Elinor find her poet's eye?
A Poem in Your Pocket is an ideal book for introducing young readers and writers about poetry, a subject that is so often overlooked in schools these days. It is a wonderful read aloud as well as a great teaching tool. McNamars's definitions of the different poetic terms used are simply defined making that aptly suited for young children just starting their poetic life. I loved the walk Mr. Tiffin took the kids on to discover the poetry in the things that they see everyday but probably don't think much about.
Added to this wonderful book are Karas's gouache, acrylic and pencil sometimes full page, sometimes spot illustrations, adding to and enhancing the story. He really captures Elinor's frustration and despair, along with the eagerness with which the other kids in the class embraced poetry. I really liked that Mr. Tiffin's class was portrayed as very diverse.
I thought this was going to be a story about a girl who just wasn't terribly poetic. Instead it was about how we all have a poet's eye and that there is no such thing as a perfect poem. Of course, the underlying message is about how the need to be or do something perfectly results in being completely unproductive because nothing measures up. And bravo for the portrayal of a caring teacher and poet who both gently showed Elinor what's important.
A Poem in Your Pocket is a book not to be missed.
This book is recommended for readers age 5+
This book was borrowed from a friend
Remember - Poem in Your Pocket Day is Thursday, April 30, 2015
This review was originally posted on Randomly Reading
All through April, Mr. Tiffin's class is going to learn all about poems in preparation for poem in you pocket day and a author visit from a well known poet, Emmy Crane. But Elinor has spent all of March at the library studying poetry. so now she has all the answers when it comes things like similes, metaphors concrete poems, haiku, acoustic poems.
But when Mr. Tiffin takes the class out for a walk to practice using their poet's eyes, the kids in Elinor's class all seem to be able to see the poetry around them except Elinor. And when brings brown bags with surprises in them for everyone and asks each student to write a poem about what's in their bag, Elinor just can't seem to get one written. Her poetry journal is blank.
Over the weekend, Elinor writes poem after poem, but none are good enough as far as she is concerned. Finally, on Poem in Your Pocket Day, Elinor goes to school with an empty pocket. In assembly, Emmy Crane reads some to her own poetry to the children, and each child reads their poem to her. But when its Elinor's turn, she courageously goes up on the stage and confesses to Emmy that she has no poem, none were perfect enough for a poet like her. No poem is perfect, Emmy tells her, but can she help Elinor find her poet's eye?
A Poem in Your Pocket is an ideal book for introducing young readers and writers about poetry, a subject that is so often overlooked in schools these days. It is a wonderful read aloud as well as a great teaching tool. McNamars's definitions of the different poetic terms used are simply defined making that aptly suited for young children just starting their poetic life. I loved the walk Mr. Tiffin took the kids on to discover the poetry in the things that they see everyday but probably don't think much about.
Added to this wonderful book are Karas's gouache, acrylic and pencil sometimes full page, sometimes spot illustrations, adding to and enhancing the story. He really captures Elinor's frustration and despair, along with the eagerness with which the other kids in the class embraced poetry. I really liked that Mr. Tiffin's class was portrayed as very diverse.
I thought this was going to be a story about a girl who just wasn't terribly poetic. Instead it was about how we all have a poet's eye and that there is no such thing as a perfect poem. Of course, the underlying message is about how the need to be or do something perfectly results in being completely unproductive because nothing measures up. And bravo for the portrayal of a caring teacher and poet who both gently showed Elinor what's important.
A Poem in Your Pocket is a book not to be missed.
This book is recommended for readers age 5+
This book was borrowed from a friend
Remember - Poem in Your Pocket Day is Thursday, April 30, 2015
This review was originally posted on Randomly Reading
wordnerd153's review against another edition
4.0
The author introduces the joy and beauty found in poetry in a very accessible way and goes over literary devices and types of poems without slowing down the story. A wonderful addition to a library or classroom.
maidmarianlib's review
3.0
A solid introduction to poetry, with a discussion of some forms and a story mixed in with the information that touches on the creative process.