Poetry Review: BookSpeak!

1. Bibliographic-

Salas, Laura Purdie. Book Speak! Ill. by Josee Bisaillon. New York: Clarion Books,

2011. ISBN 978-0-547-22300-1

2. Summary-
A fun collection of short poems all about books! Each poem personifies an aspect of
books: characters, the index, the middle of a story, and so on. You’ll finish with a
deeper appreciation for books themselves.

3. Critical analysis-

Salas uses short lines and verses in each of her 21 poems to make poetry accessible and
easy to read to a child with a short attention span. There are alternate line rhymes which
make the poems flow nicely when read aloud. The personification of books and their
elements is what makes this collection so special. In “On the Shelf and Under the Bed”,
forgotten books beg to be remembered and read, and in one poem the index makes its
case as the best part of any book.

Each poem conjures distinct images and emotions that are further enhanced by
Bisaillon’s mixed media artwork. A favorite for me is “Vacation Time” in which books
checked out from a library get to travel with their readers before returning home to the
library where they await their next adventure. It made me feel even more connected to the
books I use from my library and take with me on trips and to the park.

The theme of books will appeal to anyone who likes to read, and the font changes,
collages, and colors will keep readers coming back again and again to read about the books
themselves!

4. Awards and Review Excerpts-

NCTE/CLA Notable Children’s Book in English Language Arts

Cybil Award Nominee, 2011

The White Ravens Award

“This is an appealing offering that will be especially popular with librarians.”
-School Library Journal, December 2011

“Bright, mixed-media collage scenes illustrate this picture-book poetry collection that plays
with literary allusions.”-Booklist Online, December 2011

5. Connections-

-Another work by Laura Purdie Salas: Water Can Be…

Comments

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