Review by Booklist Review
In this charmingly illustrated collection, poets classic (Christina Rossetti, Robert Louis Stevenson) and modern (Kwame Alexander, Margarita Engle) offer a variety of how-to poems, providing young readers with instructions both jocular and sincere. The poems vary widely in tone: Elaine Magliaro is thoughtful and austere in How to Be a Mole, as she advises readers to Listen for the soft music / of seeds sprouting, / worms wiggling / rain pattering on your grassy roof. By contrast, Douglas Florian is playful in Tired Hair, as he says, If you're tired of your hair, / Rope it to a rocking chair . . . / Tie it into fifty knots; / Dye it green with purple spots. Poetry content ranges from daily joys (playing on a swing, watching birds) to the fantastical (seeing goblins, scaring monsters). On one gloriously orange double-page spread, Irene Latham joyfully takes a visit to Mars ( be ready: / the first person to walk on Mars / might be you ). Nikki Grimes addresses sign language in A Lesson from the Deaf, while Steven Withrow offers a poetic glimpse into How to Read Braille. Jones' illustrations are truly scene-stealing: at times impish and adorable, at others restrained and lovely, they capture the essence of each poem. A useful poetry compendium that can be shared in sections or in its entirety.--Maggie Reagan Copyright 2019 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Who can resist a good how-to? Janeczko, an astute editor of children's poetry, capitalizes on his readers' natural curiosity and yearning for autonomy while opening up the possibilities for what a how-to-both the question and the answer-can be. The selections are giddily eclectic: J. Patrick Lewis offers pointers on distinguishing the Dromedary from the Bactrian camel; Irene Latham tells readers how to walk on Mars ("Don't take off your helmet,/ whatever you do"). Kwame Alexander's "Basketball Rule #2" uses abrupt, imperative rhythms ("Hustle dig/Grind push/Run fast"). And Douglas Florian goes for full-on silliness, advising readers who are tired of their hair to "Mail it in first class in a letter;/ Weave it in your cashmere sweater." Digitized paintings by Jones (The Squirrels' Busy Year) have silk-screened textures and create visual cohesion even as they range as widely as the verse. One spread offers an everyday, ordinary scene: a boy rides his bike through a sunlit park; in another, a tiny, solitary astronaut gazes into a vast, yellow-orange Martian landscape. The entire book becomes a how-to , instructing readers not only in various activities but also in all the ways poetry can resonate. Ages 6-9. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
PreS-Gr 3-Janeczko's latest anthology is a cozy collection of humorous and thought-provoking "how-to" poems from contemporary writers, including Kwame Alexander, Margarita Engle, J. Patrick Lewis, and Nikki Grimes, as well as poems from Christina Rossetti, Robert Louis Stevenson, and more. This collection thoughtfully compiles poems that range in focus from the fantastical, to the natural, to the domestic. The book opens with "How to Build a Poem" by Charles Ghigna and sets the tone with the closing lines "...words that leave us/wanting more." Throughout the book, poems are often grouped thematically. For instance, the poems "On the Fourth of July" by Marilyn Singer and "Fireworks" by Anna E. Jordan occupy adjacent pages of the same spread. Jones's illustrations tenderly bring each poem to life. Children are invited to see themselves in many of the earth-toned, textured scenes. The final scene depicts an empty chair with an abandoned book on it-The Proper Way to Meet a Hedgehog-and, through the doorway, a girl and her dog stepping out into the world. Overall, Jones's illustrations achieve a strong balance of white space and image, and the full-bleed spreads connect the poems into a single, unified work. A great pick for read-alouds or for sustained, one-on-one reading. VERDICT This anthology is a solid pick for public and school collections large and small.-Erica Ruscio, Madison Public Library, WI © Copyright 2019. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
The thirty-three poems in this how-to collection range from the whimsical, such as Monica Shannons How to Tell Goblins from Elves, to the very practical, such as Martin Gardners Barbershop: Dont squirm / Like a worm / While hes cutting your hair. Written by many of todays preeminent poets for children, including Nikki Grimes, Margarita Engle, and Douglas Florian, this collection also includes a few older pieces by poets such as Christina Rossetti and Robert Louis Stevenson. Some offer advice that is more funny than useful, as in Karla Kuskins hilarious Rules: Do not wear a broom to breakfast. / Do not ask a snakes advice. Others are useful, such as How to Ride a New Bike, by April Halprin Wayland, which advises, Feather brakes slow / bike doesnt throw me. Each, though, is genuine poetry and not a didactic lesson, written with rhythm, expression, and evocative phrases that often beg to be read aloud. Joness digitally edited paintings capture the tone and feeling of each piece while still being unified overall with color choices, soft edges, and keen observations of nature. Though some of the selections are silly, the accompanying pictures are lush, gentle, and tender, filling each large page. A varied and approachable poetry collection that children can enjoy on their own, and that adults can enjoy sharing with them. susan dove lempke March/April 2019 p 94(c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
This anthology provides instruction on an eclectic sprawl of topics: walking on Mars, toasting marshmallows, telling the difference between goblins and elves, and more.A table of contents readies readers and makes this zany collection feel orderly. "How to Build a Poem" comes first, celebrating the craft that underpins poetry and "words that hammer, / words that nail, / words that saw, / words that sail, / words that whisper, / words that wail." Children immediately feel the pull of all the verse ahead. Contemporary poems make up the bulk of this collection, but a few poems reach across swaths of time. Robert Louis Stevenson's brilliantly evocative "The Swing" proves how a great poem endures. Children will soar hearing, "Up in the air I go flying again, / Up in the air and down!" All of the poems offer exhilarating construction while speaking directly to children about topics young people hold close to their hearts (haircuts, riding a new bike, rules). Depicting a diverse gathering of children, these mellow painted illustrations feel at once soft and gravely, with crosshatching, textures, and lines. The engaging artwork nudges the poems into the foreground, giving them ample room to breathe. The collection closes with "How to Pay Attention," just two lines that are almost a sacred offering. "Close this book. / Look."Young people lucky enough to find this miraculous collection in their hands will indeed look. (Picture book/poetry. 6-11) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
