Imperfect II by Tabatha Yeats, editor

Genre: Middle Grade, Poetry
Source: I own a copy

Once again we have a book of poetry geared toward kids. In this book we look at poetry from different perspectives. The perspective is what alter's the meaning. If you are interviewing someone about a fire that has just happened you will get different version of it based on the perspective of the person who was involved in the fire.  So it is with poetry. I can give my students the same topic, yet I will have a variety of poems, each different from the other, because they view the topic through their own unique perspective.

Through this book there are a variety of poetry forms. You have your simplest the acrostic on up to a golden shovel poem. There is something for everyone here.This is another great book I have on my shelves at school.

Spinning Through the Universe by Helen Frost

Genre: Middle Grade, Poetry, Novel in Verse
Source: I own a copy

Once again another favorite author. Helen Frost writes novels in verse. This is a book of poems from "room 214". This is a book that kids will be able to identify with. Although the teacher and students in this book are fiction, they could be any teacher or any student anywhere. She touches on topics such as; bikes. Jon's bike has gone missing in one poem. He talks about how special it is, noise and all. Then on the next page we read a poem by Andrew who took the bike because he had seen it lying in the rain. He didn't steal it because he wanted it. He took it to fix it up and return to Jon in better condition. There are poems about abuse, families and babies.  These are all topics kids deal with today. Helen's books are a must for all school and classroom libraries. I think the thing I enjoy the most about her books is at the back of each one. She has a section on the forms of poems she used and how to write them. Since reading her books I write more poetry and I have my students write more poetry. This is a must read.

One Last Word by Nikki Grimes

Genre: Middle Grade, Poetry
Source: I own this book

I was first introduced to this book through another author. Helen Frost writes books in verse. One of my students asked how in her book "Hidden" she had written an extra message at the end of each line. I asked her and she told me it was through Nikki Grimes and her Golden Shovel Poems that she had copied this method.  She told me I needed to purchase this book, so I did. This is perfect since my students must create a book of their own original poems each year.  One of my requirements is that they must write at least one Golden Shovel Poem. Through her book and the wonderful illustrations we learn about a time in history most students of any color know little about, "The Harlem Renaissance". When she talks about that time int he front of her book we learn that this was a time where art was used to tell what life was like for black through their own perspective.  This isn't a book just for the blacks. This is a book for all races as we all face some of the same obstacles. Through her poetry we learn so much. We also see how some of what we hoped we would leave behind is still with us today.  This is such a wonderful book for so many reason and should be in every classroom.