BLUE LIPSTICK
Concrete Poems
by John Grandits
1.
Grandits, John. 2007. Blue Lipstick Concrete Poems. New York:
Clarion Books.
ISBN 0618851321
ISBN 0618851321
2.
Summary
A collection of
concrete poems written from the perspective of an awkward yet imaginative
teenage girl named Jessie. The reader
follows Jessie through a span of time in High School as she gives her thoughts and
views on the trials and tribulations of high school, friendship, adults, hair
and her younger brother, making discoveries along the way.
3.
Critical analysis
John Grandits imaginative and skillfully created
concrete poems bring the readers, ages 10 and above, inside the mind of a
teenage girl. He skillfully brings the poems alive with the
relationship between the text and the graphics.
Each poem is shaped like the object Jessie is describing, as in the poem
“Allergic Time” that is shaped like an hour glass. 54 different typefaces are used in to create
the poems adding to their imaginative and creative design. The front cover
grabs reader’s attention with metallic colors, a catchy title, lip marks and a poem
written around the perimeter of the book.
The poems capture a young girl’s emotions and ideas about life as
adolescent. Jessie grapples with issues, as her annoying younger brother,
playing volleyball, adults, attending pep rallies, makeup, playing volleyball,
jocks, and friendship. The free verse poems are funny, unique and
thought provoking reminding adults of what it was like to be a kid again and
letting young girls know they are not alone in their thoughts. In the 34 non- rhyming poems Grandit uses an
honest voice with a sarcastic flare. Some
of the titles of the poems are “Talking To My Stupid Younger Brother Is Like
Swimming Upstream In A River To Nowhere,” “Zombie Jocks,” “A Chart Of My Emotional Day” and “Bad Hair
Day”. The cheeky language makes it a fun and entertaining read that you won’t
want to put down until you are done.
4.
Reviews/Awards
·
School Library Journal, Starred 2007 – “This irreverent, witty collection
should resonate with a wide audience."
·
Kirkus Reviews 2007 - "After suffering indignities at the pen
of ... Robert (TECHNICALLY, IT'S NOT MY FAULT, 2004), big sister Jessie gets
her chance."
·
Horn Book starred 2007 - "A cover that'll grab adolescent girls'
attention--and the poetry inside is equally appealing."
·
ALA Notable Children's Books 2008
5.
Connections
·
Students can write their own concrete
poem about something in their personal life.
·
Using the book Technically, It's Not My Fault, 2004 by John Grandit ( which is
written from the perspective of Jessie’s
younger brother) and Blue Lip Stick . A Boy and girl can pair up and choose two of
the poems from the books and recite them and discuss the different perspectives.
·
Lead
a discussion after reading several of the poems using open ended questions…
What do you think?
How did this poem make you feel?
What did you like about this poem?
Does this remind you of anything you know about?
Are there any words or lines that you think are Interesting?
Why (Vardell, 2008)
Related
Books
Swimming Upstream: Middle School Poems By Kristine O’Connell
A Poke In The I: A Collection Of
Concrete Poems by Paul B Janeczko
Other
books by John Grandit
Technically,
It's Not My Fault
Ten Rules You Must Absolutely Not
Break If You Want To Survive the School Bus
What
my Mother Doesn’t Know
by
Sonya Sones
1
Sones,
Sonya. 2001. What My Mother Doesn’t
Know. New York: Simon Pulse. ISBN 0689841140
2
Summary:
The story follows Sophie, a fifteen year old Jewish girl
living in Boston Massachusetts, on a journey of love and friendship that is
ultimately faced with a big decision.
Does she follow her heart or fall to the peer pressure of society? Sophie
is like most teenage girls: passionate, emotional, distracted and totally
in love with Lou…Dylan…Murphy..cyber guy ….Robin . She says, “It’s not that I’m boy crazy. It’s
just that even though I’m almost
fifteen it’s like my mind and my body and my heart just don’t seem to be able
to agree on anything”
Told from the voice of Sophie, she tells about her relationships with boyfriends,
friends and her parents and then
ultimately finding her true love. It is
not an easy road for Sophie,
making her way through the trials and tribulation of being a teenager,
as she has many hard decisions to make. In the end, Sophie ultimately does what she feels
is right.
3
Critical Analysis:
The true
accounts of crazed adolescent behavior will have parents spinning and young adult’s
ages 12-16 laughing and asking for more.
This captivating novel written in poetry verse by Sonya Sones captures
the essence of what it is like to be a teenage girl faced with choices and feelings
of uncertainty about boys, friendship, religion, and life. The language Sones uses
is real, honest, and humorous and speaks directly to the reader capturing what it
feels like to be an angry, embarrassed, and nervous teenager. The reader can easily
loose themselves in Sophie’s life, only
to think about their own life through Sophie. The story also delves into moral
issues of right and wrong and being true to one’s self, which Sophie is faced
with. The non -rhyming narrative poem
does not have many words on each page, is an easy read and could inspire even
the most reluctant readers. The end
leaves readers feeling satisfied.
4. Reviews/Awards
·
From Publishers Weekly 2003 Starred - “Drawing
on the recognizable cadences of teenage speech, Sones (Stop Pretending)
poignantly captures the tingle and heartache of being young and boy-crazy.”
·
ALA Notable Children's Books 2002
·
Booklist starred 11/15/01
6.
Connection
·
Lead
a discussion after reading the book using open ended questions…
What do you think?
How did this poem make you feel?
Are there any words or lines that you think are Interesting?
Why (Vardell, 2008)
·
Have
the students write in verse about their first love.
·
Have
students Read Love and Other Four-Letter Words
by Carolyn Mackle and
have them compare and contrast the main characters in the book and their experiences.
·
Use the lyrics
to the song Head Over Feet by Alanis Morissette From the album Jagged
Little Pill. 1995. Listen to the song and have students compare Sophie’s
feeling to the lyrics in the song. (http://www.edb.utexas.edu/resources/booksR4teens/book_reviews/book_reviews.php?book_id=124)
Related
books
Story of a girl by Sara Zarr
Love and Other Four-Letter Words
by Carolyn Mackle
Other
books by Sonya Sones
What
My Girlfriend Doesn't Know (Sequel to What my Mother Doesn’t Know)
One
of Those Hideous Books Where the Mother DiesStop Pretending: What Happened When My Big Sister Went Crazy
A Curious Collection of Cats
Concrete Poems
By Betsy Franco
1.
Franco, Betsy. 2009. A Curious Collection of Cats. III Michael
Wertz. Berkley, California: Tricycle Press. ISBN 1582462488
2.
Summary
This poetic picture book of concrete poems celebrates cats and all their eccentric personality traits. Each
concrete poem is skillfully shaped into a cat and its surroundings. It is a true to life account of these furry felines and their
behaviors. The thirty-two poems describe such things as
their encounters with squirrels, drinking from toilet bowls and birthday partys.
3.
Critical analysis
This whimsical
topical anthology of concrete cat poems includes rhymes, limericks, haikus and
free verse poems. Each
page celebrates a different cat and their eccentric personality, from “That Cat Peed on My Hat” To “Veronica
Goes Wide”. Cat lovers and anyone who has ever been around a cat can
relate to theses short yet satisfying poems that can’t
help but make you laugh. Children ages 4 – 8 will take pleasure in
having these poems read aloud to them, and they will enjoy repeating the lyrics.
Michael Wertz vivid color illustrations of
monoprints finished with Adobe Photoshop bring the poems to life. The pictures
interpret the poems for better understanding of the behaviors of cats. The illustrations build movement on the page
that enhances the meaning of each poem. The illustrations
and text work together to capture the manners, attitude, and personality of
each cat portrayed in the book.
This brilliant
collaboration between Franco and Wertz reminds us all of that special
cat we have had in our lives, and we can’t help but smile.
4.
Reviews /Awards
Booklist 2009
- "Cat lovers will recognize the standoffs with arching backs, the cozy
touch of the 'purrfect' scarf on their shoulders, and the tech-savvy cat who
walks across the keyboard to add her own note to an e-mail to a friend.”
Horn Book starred 2009 - “In each of thirty-two concrete poems, Franco distills the
essence of felines in all their grace and ridiculousness”
CLAU Beehive Book Award Nominees 2012: Poetry
5. Connections
For younger students
age 4-8.
·
Write
the poem on a chart paper and read the poem aloud with children using various reading
techniques, as call and response, choral, unison, line around and singing the
poem.
·
The
poems can be recited on to a CD for a listening center extension.
·
Students
can create their own concrete poems about their own pet.
·
Describe
cats using different adjectives from the book.
·
Students
can pick a poem from the book and either illustrate it on paper, act it out or
create a puppet for a whole class Poetry Café reading event (Vardell, 2008).
Related Picture Books
Pete
the Cat. I Love My White Shoes by Eric
Litwin
Have
You Seen My Cat by Eric Carle
Millions
Of Cats by Wanda Gag
Other books by Betsy
Franco
Birdsongs
A
dazzling display of dogs: concrete poems
Messing
around on the Monkey Bars: and other
school poems for two voices
References
The University of Texas. Education Resources. Retrieved March 1, 2012 From http://www.edb.utexas.edu/resources/booksR4teens/book_reviews/book_reviews.php?book_id=
Vardell,
Sylvia M. . Children's Literature in Action: A Librarian's Guide.
Westport: Libraries Unlimited, 2008
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