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3.59 AVERAGE
3.59 AVERAGE
Shakespeare Makes the Playoffs was another book I picked up for my LIS class this semester. I didn't realize it at the time, but it is a sequel to one of Ron Koertge's earlier books, Shakespeare Bats Cleanup. But, luckily, it isn't necessary to read one before the other as Shakespeare Makes the Playoffs reads very fluidly as a stand-alone book.
The first thing you need to know is that the story is written in verse, meaning it's all in poetry. While that's not a problem for me, some people might be turned away. However, to that I say nay! Koertge writes beautifully realistic poetry, allowing both pros and newbies to poetry be able to understand and follow the plot. What's even better is the different styles of poetry he uses! There is free verse and sonnet and a bunch of others. This is great for kids who may be struggling with poetry in school as the poetry forms are explained very clearly.
The fact that Kevin, or better known as Shakespeare (he is dubbed that in the first book by his team mates), plays baseball and writes poetry. This is such a great thing, as it shows boys that it's okay to like writing and poetry, but still play sports. The juxtaposition of ball play and word play is perfect within the book, and helps bring emotions across.
The predicament Kevin finds himself in is one I'm sure many teens, boys and girls alike, find themselves in: liking two people at the same time. Who do you choose: the girl who is in love with you, or the girl who is in love with your poetry? Kevin has to figure that out, and the journey is definitely difficult. On top of that, he has to deal with his Dad starting to date again after the passing of Kevin's Mom. All of this is funneled into Kevin's poetry.
Overall, Shakespeare Makes the Playoffs is a fun, quick, coming-of-age story which would appeal to middle school students and younger teenagers, both male and female alike.
The first thing you need to know is that the story is written in verse, meaning it's all in poetry. While that's not a problem for me, some people might be turned away. However, to that I say nay! Koertge writes beautifully realistic poetry, allowing both pros and newbies to poetry be able to understand and follow the plot. What's even better is the different styles of poetry he uses! There is free verse and sonnet and a bunch of others. This is great for kids who may be struggling with poetry in school as the poetry forms are explained very clearly.
The fact that Kevin, or better known as Shakespeare (he is dubbed that in the first book by his team mates), plays baseball and writes poetry. This is such a great thing, as it shows boys that it's okay to like writing and poetry, but still play sports. The juxtaposition of ball play and word play is perfect within the book, and helps bring emotions across.
The predicament Kevin finds himself in is one I'm sure many teens, boys and girls alike, find themselves in: liking two people at the same time. Who do you choose: the girl who is in love with you, or the girl who is in love with your poetry? Kevin has to figure that out, and the journey is definitely difficult. On top of that, he has to deal with his Dad starting to date again after the passing of Kevin's Mom. All of this is funneled into Kevin's poetry.
Overall, Shakespeare Makes the Playoffs is a fun, quick, coming-of-age story which would appeal to middle school students and younger teenagers, both male and female alike.
I only picked this up from the library because reviews said it was better than the first! I disagree! It was okay, but I could have done without reading this one. I want to get the first for my classroom,as I think some of my students would enjoy it, but I will pass on buying this one.
The thing that I like most about this book (and the one before) is that, unlike all the other novels in verse that are popping up all over the place these days, this one actually teaches readers about the different forms of poetry. They can see that you don't have to like all kinds of poetry to enjoy (because Kevin doesn't like all the different forms he tries out). The plot of this one was slightly less interesting than the first, which seems a bit ridiculous to say since I think more happened in this book. But I like Kevin's story when it focuses on the more mundane and less on the dramatic. Still, very enjoyable. And I love the variety of poetic form represented.
"I'm basically a good kid. But imperfect enough to be interesting.
Like a good poem."
3.5 Stars
Before I begin, I have something that I need to announce:
I HAVE A BOOKSTORE IN MY OFFICE.
Yes. You heard me right...or read me right.
An actual bookstore. In my office campus. And as if that wasn't enough, there's heavy discounting.
Excuse me as I squeal like a pig in quicksand
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
So with that out of my system :D
Shakespeare makes the Playoffs is this random book that I picked up one day from the store because it was around 70% off.Yes I'm cheap like that yo.But I'm glad I did.
"Five a.m. It won't
be long now and day will
lay out its merchandise"
This is a charming little book and I have such love for it. This is the second book in the [b:Shakespeare Bats Cleanup|108175|Shakespeare Bats Cleanup (Shakespeare Bats Cleanup, #1)|Ron Koertge|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1320475106s/108175.jpg|104247] series by Ron Koertge. I haven't read the first one yet but this still makes a good standalone. Shakespeare makes the Playoff is basically the story of fourteen year old Kevin Boland: Baseball Player and Closet Poet. The book represents a diary that his father gifts Kevin and goes on to become a chronicle of his life in the form of poems, couplets, pantoums and more so.
"We listen to each other listen to each other breathe"
Now, I have always been daunted by the task of reading someone else's poems in the fear that I would never be able to grasp the hidden meaning out of them and appreciate it. I also have no clue regarding the different types or forms of Poetry and nada on the technical aspects of it. This is where Ron Koertge comes in. He eases you into it by slowly describing different terms and gives you examples by way of Kevin's adolescent thoughts and yearnings.
Kevin's in a relationship with a girl Mira who doesn't 'get him', he has growing feelings for another he met at a poetry reading of all places, he had lost his mother to sickness and her absence becomes a major presence in his life, his father slowly tries to pick up the debris of their old life.Like that, Kevin's life has numerous layers to it and his way of dealing with is by either trying to hit a home run ( I hope I'm saying that right) or trying to get his sestina working.
What I like about Kevin as a character is that he is honest to himself. Or at least tries to be. He's living a life of carefully masked white lies and to save himself from drowning in them, his haikus and sonnets reek of truth. He looks into himself, introspects, questions and pokes and prods his thoughts until he squeezes the raw truthful core out of them.
"Sadness is a big dark bus
with a schedule of its own.
But when it pulls up and the door
opens with a hiss, you pretty much
have to get on. "
Koertge manages to make the poems sincere without being difficult and while this is a middle school read, it's got so much heart that the slight childishness, that's a given, is easily overlooked. My only qualms with it is that it ended quite abruptly and he could have worked on the last few poems and emotions a little more
All in all, I was charmed. Kevin would chide me for not learning synonyms but Charmed is still the word I would use.
"The sky is all eyes-down like it's just been yelled at unfairly"