Fire and Ice (Monday Poem)

by Robert Frost


Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if I had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.




from A Swinger of Birches: Poems of Robert Frost for Young People
Edited by Barbara Holdridge
1982, Stemmer House Publishers

Incident (Monday Poem)

by Countee Cullen


Once riding in old Baltimore,
Heart-filled, head-filled with glee,
I saw a Baltimorean
Keep looking straight at me.

Now I was eight and very small,
And he was no whit bigger,
And so I smiled, but he poked out
His tongue, and called me, "Nigger."

I saw the whole of Baltimore
From May until December:
Of all the things that happened there
That's all that I remember.



from http://famouspoetsandpoems.com/poets/countee_cullen/poems/2431

The Purple Cow (Monday Poem)

by Gelett Burgess


I never saw a purple cow,
I never hope to see one,
But I can tell you, anyhow,
I'd rather see than be one!



from  https://www.poets.org/poetsorg/poet/gelett-burgess

The Duck (Monday Poem)

by Ogden Nash


Behold the duck.
It does not cluck.
A cluck it lacks.
It quacks.
It is specially fond
Of a puddle or pond.
When it dines or sups,
It bottoms up.



from Zoo
by Ogden Nash
1987, Stewart, Tabori & Chang

Honoring Mothers (FAMILY magazine reviews)

            During this month, you may want to consider the books reviewed here. They honor our mothers and honor our families and the cultures that help to define us. So close are the associations that, as we reflect, we realize the ancestors who tread the land before us, breathed the air, and drank the water are near to us, are like our immediate families; sisters, brothers, fathers, and especially mothers whom we celebrate as part of May’s spring festivities. Enjoy these wonderful books as you remember!

Welcome to Country: 

A Traditional Aboriginal Ceremony 

by Aunty Joy Murphy 

illustrated by Lisa Kennedy

            Beginning with the Aboriginal language of the welcoming ceremony, the author, Aunty Joy Murphy, a senior Aboriginal elder of the Wurundjeri people shares her passion for storytelling, to bring people together and increase understanding of Aboriginal culture. Her formal tone is the distinctive voice of her people, using a mesmerizing depth of feeling for the ancestors, whose “indelible footprints” remain on the land; “for their courage, strength, integrity, and values;” and for the land itself, with its natural creations including “the birds, the animals, the mountains, the rivers.”

            The rhythm, and respect, the call to welcome, and the reminder that “you must take from this land only what you can give back” nurture the spirits of those who have gone before as well as the current inhabitants who “feel the roots of this land beneath the soles of our bare feet.” It’s a poetic recognition of who they are and “where we come from.” It is also an invitation to visitors to be welcomed to the traditional lands.

            The multilayered acrylic illustrations are image rich and deeply colored, rooted in the history and culture of the Wurundjeri people. Together text and paintings communicate the wonder and traditions of an ancient Australian people whose descendants honor the past by claiming and reclaiming the present. This is a unique and beautifully crafted picture book.

Candlewick Press, $16.99

Interest Level: Kindergarten – Grade 4

 

The Most Wonderful Thing in the World 

by Vivian French 

illustrated by Angela Barrett

            Told as a fairy tale and set in a kingdom with a large lagoon at its center, in a city among the islands connected by golden bridges, the king and queen discuss a husband for their daughter, Lucia. They write a letter to Old Angelo, the kingdom’s wise sage, asking for advice. He writes back that they must choose a young man who can show them what the title describes. “He will be the right husband for Princess Lucia.”

            Meanwhile, Lucia, with her parents’ permission, wants to see the city, discovers Salvatore, Angelo’s grandson, and asks him to be her guide. He quickly agrees.

While their majesties are interviewing potential sons-in-law, with their variety of wonders from “acrobats and airships” to magical beasts, mammoth tusks, mermaids and wind machines, to name just a few, Lucia and Salvatore explore together. After the better-known sights, he takes her “to the hidden heart of the city.”

            The subdued watercolor illustrations are intricate and detailed, showing many marvels, and a king and queen dressed as if they lived in Edwardian England. Both the wonders and the city locations suggest European delights and sites. The double page night scene of a saddened Salvatore, rowing his boat across the water, and the forest scene with all the major characters, are lovely and deeply emotional. And, while dark, not overpowering.

            Perhaps unsurprisingly the king & queen despair, as does Salvatore, who has fallen in love. When Old Angelo brings everyone together, Salvatore demonstrates that the “most wonderful thing in the world” is Lucia. Their majesties are delighted. Lucia takes his hand, thanks him, and kisses him.

            With the potential for heavy handed romanticism from both illustration and text, this charming tale is remarkably lighthearted and whimsically appealing.  

Candlewick Press, $18.99

Interest Level: Grades 2-4

Mommy’s Khimar 

by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow 

illustrations by Ebony Glenn

            A young African American girl plays with her mother’s bright yellow head scarf, becoming, in her imagination, a queen, a shooting star, a golden mama bird, a superhero. At the heart of this story is the loving family and community – the adults in her life enjoy her pleasure in wearing the sunny yellow khimar, which smells of coconut oil and cocoa butter. And which the mosque’s Arabic teacher calls a “hijab.”

Even the grandmother, visiting after Sunday service, and who doesn’t wear a khimar, scoops her up for a hug, calling her “Sunshine.” Apparently, a Christian, Mom-Mom doesn’t go to mosque, but “We are a family and we love each other just the same.”

Brilliant light-filled illustrations also showcase both pastels and brighter colors, strong lines suggesting movement, and patterned backgrounds which also feature details that lend cultural interest. The cheerful, sometimes lyrical language of the text, the additional children and adults with a variety of skin tones, and the familiarity of a loving family and supportive community will please readers who already know this culture and acquaint those for whom this cultural experience is new.  

Simon & Schuster, $17.99

Interest Level: Junior Kindergarten – Grade 3