Iveliz Explains It All by Andrea Beatriz Arango
Bibliography:
Arango, Andrea Beatriz. 2022. IVELIZ EXPLAINS IT ALL. Ill. By Alyssa Bermudez. New York: Random House. ISBN 0593564006
Plot Summary:
In this Newberry Honor Award winning verse novel by Andrea Beatriz Arango, Iveliz is a 7th grade girl who writes in a journal to share her deepest feelings. As Iveliz is beginning her new school year, she makes herself a set of goals for a fresh start after a troubled previous year. Between her abuela leaving Puerto Rico to move in with the family and flashbacks from a traumatic accident, Iveliz struggles to maintain her mental health as the new school year starts. Iveliz suffers from panic attacks and anger outbursts resulting in PTSD episodes. With the support of family, mental-health care providers, and loyal friends, Iveliz battles to overcome her ghosts.
Critical Analysis:
This 2022 Newbery Honor Award winning novel, Iveliz Explains It All, is an unforgettable example of a contemporary verse novel that dares to share complex issues. Through Iveliz’s experiences, Arango addresses social issues such as racial discrimination, trauma, and mental health. Arango skillfully balances humor with touching moments between Iveliz and other important characters in the book, creating a narrative that resonates with junior high and high school aged readers. While some readers may not be able to share similar experiences, Arango explores family dynamics and mental health crisis in a way that sparks meaningful conversations about diversity, equity, and inclusion.
The handwritten style typed poems on lined printed journal pages transport the reader into Iveliz’s heart. Sketches illustrated by Alyssa Bermudez are sprinkled throughout the journal to help the audience understand Iveliz when her words can’t adequately express her feelings.
Review Excerpts:
Booklist (September 1, 2022) Even though the story is mostly about Ive’s spiraling, it beautifully illustrates the power of compassion and truth telling, how meaningful friendships are supposed to look, and the ways that loved ones might try to help. Most important, it shows what happens when someone is ready to be brave and speak up for themselves.
Kirkus Reviews starred, (July 7, 2022) Full of heartbreak and compassion, Arango’s debut crackles with refreshing frankness and wit. The author excels at building Iveliz’s voice through each poem, leading to a tale that’s quick to read yet hard to put down.
Connections:
Analyze verse novel format and style characteristics.
How does the plot support character development?
Discuss the author’s approach to mental health topics.
Discuss the author’s style of crafting diverse characters.
Discuss the importance of providing literature to children with topics of grief/loss and diverse perspectives and backgrounds.
Dinothesaurus: Prehistoric poems and paintings by Douglas Florian
Bibliography:
Florian, Douglas. 2009. DINOTHESAURUS: PREHISTORIC POEMS AND PAINTINGS. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN 1665957956
Synopsis:
This children’s poetry book, Dinothesaurus, is a playful and educational poetry collection that combines dinosaurs with vocabulary in a unique and engaging way. The author and illustrator, Douglas Florian, explores the characteristics and behaviors of various dinosaurs through whimsical verses.
Critical Analysis:
With vibrant illustrations complementing Florian’s witty and imaginative verses, Dinothesaurus is a delightful blend of paleontology, poetry, and art that captures the imagination and curiosity of dino enthusiasts of all ages. Florians artwork done with gouache, collage, colored pencils, stencils, dinosaur dust, and rubber stamps on primed brown paper bags cleverly integrates dinosaur forms and vibrant illustrations.
Children and adults alike will appreciate Florian's knack for transforming complex dinosaur names into memorable poems that are both informative and entertaining. This book is a testament to Florian’s creativity and wit, as he pairs dinosaur names with lively wordplay.
Review Excerpts:
Horn Book Magazine (March/April 2009) The twenty resultant verses are characterized by wordplay, mixed-media illustrations, and a scientific fact or two, emphasizing Florian's genius for fusing sophisticated language, image, and science in ways both accessible and appealing.
Kirkus Reviews (January 15, 2009) Spectacularly depicted (as is his frequent custom) on paper bags in crayon and collage, the poet's dinos are easily recognizable despite being freely rendered and, often, semitransparent.
Connections:
Explore the craft and style of Douglas Florian’s other works. https://www.douglasflorian.com/
Discuss how the author uses syllabication, stress, punctuation, line breaks, and other techniques to explain unfamiliar vocabulary.
Discuss the ways each poem connects to the artwork on the page.
Make connections across science content.
Inside Out & Back Again by Thanhha Lai
Bibliography:
Lai, Thanhha. 2011. INSIDE OUT AND BACK AGAIN. New York, New York: Harper, an imprint of Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN 0062574027
Plot Summary:
This Newbery Honor Award winner, Inside Out and Back Again, by Thanhaa Lai is a verse novel that chronicles the life of Ha, a ten-year-old girl living in Saigon during the Vietnam War. As the war escalates, Ha and her family are forced to flee their home and embark on a harrowing journey aboard a crowded refugee ship. Once in America, Ha grapples with homesickness, prejudice, and the longing for her father, who went missing before they left. Despite these obstacles, Ha is supported by her family’s love and her growing friendships.
Critical Analysis:
Thanhaa Lai crafts a strong verse novel to explore the complexities of immigrants and refugees and the struggles with identity and belonging. This historical depiction written in verse offers a snapshot of Ha’s experiences and emotions, allowing readers to delve deeply into her inner thoughts and feelings. Lai’s use of poetic language enriches the narrative, evoking a sense of both beauty and sorrow amid the hardships faced by Ha and her family.
Inside Out and Back Again stands out as a personal and vivid exploration of the refugee experience and the universal quest for belonging. Lai skillfully blends sensory details, historical context, and emotional depth to make this novel a significant contribution to children’s literature.
Review Excerpts:
Booklist starred (January 1, 2011) Written in accessible, short free-verse poems, Hà’s immediate narrative describes her mistakes—both humorous and heartbreaking—with grammar, customs, and dress (she wears a flannel nightgown to school, for example); and readers will be moved by Hà’s sorrow as they recognize the anguish of being the outcast who spends lunchtime hiding in the bathroom.
Kirkus Reviews starred (January 15, 2011) An enlightening, poignant and unexpectedly funny novel in verse is rooted in the author's childhood experiences.
School Library Journal (July 1, 2012) This National Book Award winner and Newbery Honor Book offers a heart-breaking look at the costs of the Vietnam war, what it means to be an immigrant in a new country, and the strength of family.
Connections:
Analyze verse novel format and style characteristics.
Explore other works by the author. https://www.thanhhalai.com/
How does the plot and verse novel format support character development?
Discuss the author’s approach to immigrant and refugee topics.
Discuss the author’s style of crafting diverse characters.
Discuss the importance of providing literature to children with topics of grief/loss and diverse perspectives and backgrounds.
Discuss culturally significant details to connect across content curriculum.
Red sings from treetops: a year in colors by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski
Bibliography:
Sidman, Joyce. 2009. RED SINGS FROM TREETOPS: A YEAR IN COLORS. Ill. by Pamela Zagarenski. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. ISBN 0547014945
Synopsis:
This Caldecott Honor children’s picture poetry book, Red Sings from Treetops: a year in colors by Joyce Sidman, is a vibrant and imaginative exploration of the changing seasons through colors found in nature. Sidman’s lyrical verses not only paint vivid pictures of seasonal landscapes but also evoke the sensory experiences associated with each color. Through Siman’s vivid imagery and Pamela Zagarenski’s creative artwork, readers are transported to meadows, forests, and gardens teeming with life and bursting with color.
Critical Analysis:
Joyce Sidman has crafted a celebration of colors as a tribute to the beauty and cyclical nature of the seasons. Each poem celebrates the unique hues that define each season, from the fiery red of autumn leaves to the crisp white of winter snow, and the lush green of spring buds to the golden yellows of summer sunsets.
Accompanying Joyce Sidman’s poetic narrative are Pamela Zagarenski’s breathtaking scenes of mixed media paintings on wood and computer illustration that capture the essence of each season and color palette, enhancing the sensory richness of the poems. The artwork, beautifully rendered with a blend of realism and whimsy, complements Sidman’s words and brings the natural world to life on the pages. Red Sings from Treetops: a year in colors emphasizes poetic exploration of nature, seasons, and colors, along with its visually captivating illustrations.
Review Excerpts:
Horn Book Guide starred (July 2009) Sidman rejoices in the way colors, and how we perceive them, change with seasons. In spring, shy "Green peeks from buds" while "Yellow shouts with light!" In winter, "Green waits / in the hearts of trees." Zagarenski's richly patterned mixed-media spreads add texture and extend the imagery, sustaining the playfulness of the text and its senses of awe, mystery, and beauty.
School Library Journal (April 1, 2009) The words and pictures depend upon one another and blend well to conjure up quirky, magical imagery. Children will find many small stories waiting to be told within the detailed paintings and enjoy looking at them over and over. This poetic tribute to the seasons will brighten dull days
Connections:
Explore the craft and style of the author, Joyce Sidman. https://www.joycesidman.com/
Explore other works by the illustrator, Pamela Zagarenski. https://www.sacredbee.com/
Discuss how the author uses syllabication, stress, punctuation, line breaks, and other techniques to explain the seasons.
Connect poetic elements like metaphor, personification, and word choice to each poem's message.
Discuss the ways each poem connects to the artwork on the page.
Make connections across other poems about colors or seasons.
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