Kazumi Reads

Plot Summary:
In this anthology of poetry, teens are given a wide variety of poems that are not only timeless, but relevant to the very issues they face. With poems from Emily Dickinson, William Shakespeare, Maya Angelou, and Poet Laureates such as Paul Muldoon and Sandra Cisneros, teens will dive into a sea of emotions that deal with everything from falling in love, being left out, experiencing joy and prejudice. There is so much that can be learned and reflected upon in this collection that teens, and even adults, can analyze and grapple with. In this edition of Poetry Speaks Who I am, a CD with the poets reading their works is included so teens can not only real along, but feel the power from the speaker's voice. Although poetry can be difficult to understand, this collection introduces, and eases, readers into this amazing world of words, rhymes, music, and sheer art.

Critical Evaluation:
I absolutely loved reading this anthology! In fact, I read about eight poems, aloud, to teens during our first annual Teen Poetry Cafe. As an adult, and looking back on my adolescence, it's amazing to reflect on the messages that are being conveyed in each poem. What's eve more surprising is that I still suffer from the same issues and it goes to show that poetry can encapsulate emotions where age and stages of life are irrelevant. The poem that touched my heart the most is "Every Day it is Always There" by Rainy Ortiz. The speaker of this poem is talking about his, or her, relationship with their mother. I will admit, right here and now, that not matter how much my mother and argued, or fought, the lessons she tried to instill in me have shaped and formed me into the person I am today. What we all must realize, in this particular poem, is that if there is a constant in every family, it's usually mom. Granted, not everyone may have the perfect mother, or a mother at all, but, at some point in our lives, our mothers have made significant sacrifices to get us to where we are and, whether we choose to acknowledge that sacrifice, we need to base it on love and not anger or hate. Another poem that struck a chord with me is "I Will Rise" by Maya Angelou. If we want to talk about powerful, this poem is just one of the few examples of how we must face our problems and overcome them. There are actually quite a few poems in this story that deal with racism. Readers can interpret this poem as a pledge to overcome several issues such as: race, gender, religion, and even age. I had to read this poem to the teens because they need to know that this world has no place for this kind of intolerance and that no matter what people say, we all  have the courage, the ability, and the drive to never lose hope and persevere.  I cannot express how much I loved reading this book because it not only carries words of wisdom, but but give teens the hope they can accomplish anything they set their minds to. 

Information about the Editors:

 Elise Paschen, a poet of Osage descent, is the author of Bestiary (Red Hen Press, 2009); Infidelities (Story Line Press), winner of the Nicholas Roerich Poetry Prize, and Houses: Coasts (Oxford: Sycamore Press). Her poems have been published in The New Republic, Ploughshares and Shenandoah, among other magazines, and in numerous anthologies, including Reinventing the Enemy’s Language: Contemporary Native Women’s Writings of North America; A Formal Feeling Comes: Poems in Form by Contemporary Women; Poetry 180: A Turning Back to Poetry and The POETRY Anthology, 1912—2002. She is editor of The New York Times best-selling anthology Poetry Speaks to Children and Poetry Speaks Who I Am (Sourcebooks) as well as co-editor of Poetry Speaks, Poetry Speaks Expanded (Sourcebooks), Poetry in Motion, and Poetry in Motion from Coast to Coast (Norton).

The daughter of prima ballerina Maria Tallchief and Henry Paschen, Elise Paschen was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, where she attended the Francis W. Parker School. While an undergraduate at Harvard, Paschen was awarded the Lloyd McKim Garrison Medal and the Joan Grey Untermyer Poetry Prize. At Oxford University, where she received her M.Phil. and D.Phil. degrees in 20th Century British and American Literature, she co-founded Oxford Poetry.

Executive Director of the Poetry Society of America from 1988 until 2001, she is the co-founder of Poetry in Motion, a nation-wide program which places poetry posters in subways and buses. Paschen was the featured Illinois poet at the National Book Festival sponsored by the Library of Congress in September 2006. She currently serves as Poet Laureate of Three Oaks, Michigan. A former Frances Allen Fellow of the Newberry Library, Dr. Paschen teaches in the MFA Writing Program at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She lives in Chicago with her husband and their two children.

Dominique Raccah is founder, president, and publisher of Sourcebooks, a leading independent publisher outside of Chicago. Today Sourcebooks is the world’s leading publisher of poetry in book-and-audio form, and also publishes nonfiction and fiction. Raccah was the initial visionary of the books Poetry Speaks, Poetry Speaks to Children and Hip Hop Speaks to Children, seeing them as interactive, engaging ways to experience spoken and written poetry.

Series Editor Dominique Raccah is founder, president, and publisher of Sourcebooks, a leading independent publisher outside of Chicago. Today Sourcebooks is the world’s leading publisher of poetry in book-and-audio form, and also publishes nonfiction and fiction. Raccah was the initial visionary of the books Poetry Speaks, Poetry Speaks to Children and Hip Hop Speaks to Children, seeing them as interactive, engaging ways to experience spoken and written poetry. - See more at: http://www.sourcebooks.com/index.php?option=com_egdauthors&view=author&aid=A343#sthash.f0V0vN1c.dpuf

Series Editor Dominique Raccah is founder, president, and publisher of Sourcebooks, a leading independent publisher outside of Chicago. Today Sourcebooks is the world’s leading publisher of poetry in book-and-audio form, and also publishes nonfiction and fiction. Raccah was the initial visionary of the books Poetry Speaks, Poetry Speaks to Children and Hip Hop Speaks to Children, seeing them as interactive, engaging ways to experience spoken and written poetry. - See more at: http://www.sourcebooks.com/index.php?option=com_egdauthors&view=author&aid=A343#sthash.f0V0vN1c.dpuf

Genre:
Teen Poetry, Teen Contemporary Fiction


Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 9 & up 

Books Similar to Poetry Speaks Who I Am:

• I Just Hope It's Lethal: Poems about Sadness, Madness, and Joy edited by Liz Rosenberg and Deena November

Awards & Recognition:
From Amazon.com:

"Teen readers will find much to enjoy in "Poetry Speaks: Who I am...a highly eclectic collection of 100 poems about everything from valentines to being black to mowing the lawn."

"The power of spoken poetry is at the heart of Poetry Speaks. Poetry is a vocal art, an art meant to be read aloud. Listening to a poem read aloud can be a transforming experience. Poetry Speaks not only introduces the finest work from some of the greatest poets who ever lived, it reintroduces the oral tradition of poetry, of poetry performed."

"Poet Elise Paschen is turning her attention to yet another most universal of human experiences: awkward adolescence...[Paschen] can turn this subject into something that we can laugh about now."

"Poetry Speaks Who I Am is the perfect book to introduce tweens & teens to Poetry... [Poetry Speaks Who I Am] also features blank pages in the back, where teens can write their own poetry. The book's design also speaks to younger readers -- with the pages created to look like they belong in a teenager's notebook, with scribbles and doodles around the edges...This adds yet another dimension to the experience of poetry, which is sometimes considered a performance art more than anything else."

"Elise Paschen: poetry for teens caters to the rebel in each of us... So what if that poetry happens to be written by some fancy-sounding name such as Percy Shelley or Paul Muldoon? So much the better."

"This volume of verse is aimed at teenagers and is, not surprisingly, full of strong emotion... It's a standout collection, packaged with a CD of the poems read aloud, many by the poets themselves."

"Humorous, biting, tender, angry, confused--the range of moods and voices reflect those of young people themselves as they make and lose friends, fall in love, worry about school, hug (and hurt) parents and try to figure out their place in the world."

"The greatest contemporary poets speak to our youth and to us all. This marvelous anthology contains over 100 poems that matter, by such luminaries as Langston Hughes, Robert Frost and Edgar Allan Poe, to the greatest of our own lifetime: Nikki Grimes, Joy Harjo, Richard Wilbur, Jason Shinder, Nancy Willard, N. Scott Momaday and scores more. A rich experiential collection is featured on the included CD with 47 new, recent and archived recordings of the poets and editors reading their work! The look, feel and design of this volume is cool and relevant – just like the poetry. This gem is a gift of a lifetime." - National Parenting Publications Awards

Plot Summary:
In this brilliant collection of poems, Rosenberg and November have provided teen readers with a collection of poetry to navigate the storm known as adolescence. Most of these poems deal with the stark reality of depression, anger, and even the sheer power of joy and healing. With that said, the poems are grouped into categories that are assigned by emotion ranging from living in this crazy world, to feeling alone, and to celebrating the beauty within us. All of these poems are succinct in their message and provide readers with stories they can relate to or learn from. The best part of this collection is that the editors include both classic and contemporary poetry, which conveys to readers that poetry is timeless; no matter what year it is, these feelings and words are very relevant to not only our state of mind, but help us with the harshness of life. Although some of the poems are rather complex, readers will get the idea just by the tone and a re-reading. In fact, these poems can be used in the classroom where students can work in groups and breakdown the message that is being conveyed. Lastly, this book is also great for the adult who is looking for reflection because sometimes we forget what's it's like to be young and somewhat out of control of our feelings and lives. 

Critical Evaluation:
As an adult, I have never appreciated poetry more than after reading this book. I actually remember hating poetry because I spent my entire senior year of high school analyzing poetry for my AP English class. However, despite the drilling, I learned a lot about poetry besides the mechanics and that is why I like this collection of poetry. Although this collection might not appeal to everyone, I highly encourage everyone to pick it up, especially if they are having a bad day. Granted, most of the poems are about the darker side of life (loss, sadness, and craziness), there is a great amount of comfort to be found simply because we know we are not alone. The poem that I feel in love with (immediately) is the poem by Lewis Carrol called "You are Old. Father William." This poem is hysterical because here is a young person judging an elder on their appearance and mannerisms. However, contrary to what the speaker says, this old man isn't nuts because not only is he nimble, but he is alert and his whit is on target. In the end, readers learn that age is just a number and that our characters reflect what's really inside (i.e., the young person acts like an an old fuddy duddy while Father William is spry and exciting). There is a lot to be read here and I hope readers will enjoy it the way I did.   

Information about the Editors:
Liz Rosenberg (from Amazon.com):

Liz Rosenberg is the author of 4 novels, 5 books of poems and more than 20 award winning books for children. She has edited five prize winning poetry anthologies (including THE INVISIBLE LADDER and LIGHT GATHERING POEMS) and her picture book, THE CAROUSEL was featured on PBS' Reading Rainbow. Her newest picture book, TYRANNOSAURUS DAD, illustrated by brilliant newcomer Matthew Myers, is a Children's Book of the Month Club bestseller, has garnered praise from Publisher's Weekly, Kirkus, School Library Journal and elsewhere, and was an Amazon top 10 children's book.

Deena November (from Hyacinth Girl Press):

Deena November graduated SUNY Binghamton in 2005 with a BA in Creative Writing, Poetry and received her MFA in Creative Writing, Poetry from Carlow University. In 2005, she co-edited the anthology I JUST HOPE IT'S LETHAL: Poems of Sadness, Madness, and Joy for Houghton Mifflin. Her poems have also appeared in Pittsburgh City Paper, Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Shaking Like a Mountain, Nerve Cowboy, Chiron Review, Voices in the Attic, and Keyhole Magazine. She has taught Poetry and Creative Writing Workshops at Seton Hill University. Currently, she teaches at Carlow University and Robert Morris University in the English, Creative Writing, and Women’s Studies departments. She co-created Girls with Glasses Reading Series, Workshops, and Literary Journal. Deena lives in Pittsburgh with her daughter, dog, and husband. - See more at: http://hyacinthgirlpress.com/yeartwo/dickwad.html#sthash.XPiouWuw.dpuf

Deena November graduated SUNY Binghamton in 2005 with a BA in Creative Writing, Poetry and received her MFA in Creative Writing, Poetry from Carlow University. In 2005, she co-edited the anthology I JUST HOPE IT'S LETHAL: Poems of Sadness, Madness, and Joy for Houghton Mifflin. Her poems have also appeared in Pittsburgh City Paper, Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Shaking Like a Mountain, Nerve Cowboy, Chiron Review, Voices in the Attic, and Keyhole Magazine. She has taught Poetry and Creative Writing Workshops at Seton Hill University. Currently, she teaches at Carlow University and Robert Morris University in the English, Creative Writing, and Women’s Studies departments. She co-created Girls with Glasses Reading Series, Workshops, and Literary Journal. Deena lives in Pittsburgh with her daughter, dog, and husband.

Deena November graduated SUNY Binghamton in 2005 with a BA in Creative Writing, Poetry and received her MFA in Creative Writing, Poetry from Carlow University. In 2005, she co-edited the anthology I JUST HOPE IT'S LETHAL: Poems of Sadness, Madness, and Joy for Houghton Mifflin. Her poems have also appeared in Pittsburgh City Paper, Pittsburgh Post Gazette, Shaking Like a Mountain, Nerve Cowboy, Chiron Review, Voices in the Attic, and Keyhole Magazine. She has taught Poetry and Creative Writing Workshops at Seton Hill University. Currently, she teaches at Carlow University and Robert Morris University in the English, Creative Writing, and Women’s Studies departments. She co-created Girls with Glasses Reading Series, Workshops, and Literary Journal. Deena lives in Pittsburgh with her daughter, dog, and husband. - See more at: http://hyacinthgirlpress.com/yeartwo/dickwad.html#sthash.XPiouWuw.dpuf

Genre:
Teen Poetry, Teen Contemporary Fiction

Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 9 & up

Books Similar to I Just Hope It's Lethal:

• Poetry Speaks Who I Am by Ellen Paschen & Dominique Raccah
• Because I am Furniture by Thalia Chaltas
  

Awards & Recognition:
From Amazon.com:

"Includes poems of great intensity . . . alongside verses with humor-tinged darkness." —Publishers Weekly Publishers Weekly

"The wide range of styles, from poets both famous and lesser known, from various time periods, also adds interest. . . . Good biographical notes and indices of authors, titles, and first lines conclude the volume." —Horn Book Horn Book

"[A] deeply affecting, and sophisticated collection, which will resonate with young people in all states of mental equilibrium." —Booklist Booklist, ALA

"Powerfully written and easy to understand. . . . This efficiently organized, concise, and interesting collection is an excellent choice for libraries serving teens." --School Library Journal School Library Journal

Plot Summary:
LaVaughn is a dreamer. After graduating from high school, she will go to college where she will meet a handsome man and have children of her own.. Not only has she known hardship, she does her best to survive inner city life by staying away from drugs, sex, and violence. Her mother is her rock and foundation who not only works all day to keep food on the table, but pushes LaVaughn to succeed and become someone important. In this story, LaVaughn is dealing with the typical teenage issues where she and her best friends are becoming different people; her mother has found a new man and she feels like her mother is betraying her father's memory; Jody, her old best friend, moves back into the apartment building things changed because he is a lot more good looking than before. Told in free-verse, Virginia Euwer Wolff provides readers with an inspirational story about an inner-city girl who strives to the best she can be.

Critical Evaluation:
True Believer is not only beautifully written, it is incredibly moving where readers will not only fall in love with LaVaughn, but cheer her on as she deals with her problems. Given her situation, and environment, expectations for are be low; however, LaVaughn's mother is absolutely amazing. Although she works all day to support her daughter, LaVaughn's mother talks to her and reminds her that she will do amazing things by avoiding certain behaviors and working hard. The relationships between LaVaughn and her friends are very real, which, teens can relate to in many ways; as we grow older, we change and this is what our main character is learning. Furthermore, the situation between her and Jody is just as complicated, which many of us will experience or have experienced. Teens will enjoy this story because it conveys that no matter how many bad things happen to us we still have our dreams to keep us going. 

Information about the Author:
According to an interview, with Don Gallo, Virginia Euwer Wolff was born in Portland, Oregon, and  lived there until college. Actually, Wolff  lived three miles from a town of about two hundred people so, needless to say, she is a country girl. As the daughter of a lawyer, who eventually became a farmer, she grew up in a beautiful log house with no electricity, surrounded by apple and pear trees. Unfortunately, her father died of a heart attack when she was just five and she did not cope with it well. After struggling with an eating disorder and rickets, Virginia's family did everything they could to get her well and, surprisingly, the one that saved her was classical music. Furthermore, she eventually started taking violin lessons, which helped her to heal emotionally and physically.

During her adolescence, things started to become more and more complicated for Virginia. According to Wolf: "I was quite a mess in my teenage years, and it occurs to me that if I'd taken a creative writing class I might still have been a mess but could possibly have been a more articulate mess. I would have been forced to examine some of the thoughts and biases that came so glibly into my mind and left just as swiftly when a cooler or more hip thought or bias came floating by and replaced them" (para. 12).After graduating from college, Wolff got married, had children, and became a teacher. In 1998, Wolff became a full-time writer and has written six young adult novels.

Genre:
Teen Poetry

Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 9 & up

Challenge Issues:
Books Similar to True Believer:

• Godless by Pete Hautman
• American Born Chinese by Gene Leun Yang

Awards & Recognition:

• American Library Association Notable Children's Book, 2002
• Book Sense 76 Top Ten Teen List, American Bookseller's Association, 2002
• Booklist starred review, 2001
• Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Blue Ribbon Book, 2001
• Carnegie Medal finalist, 2002
• Evergreen Young Adult Book Award Nominee, 2004
• Garden State Teen Book Award Nominee, 2004
• Golden Kite Award, 2002
• Horn Book Magazine starred review, 2001
• IBBY Honour Award, 2003
• IRA/CBC Young Adults' Choice, 2003
• Jane Addams Book Award Honor Book, 2002
• Kirkus Reviews Pointer Review, 2001
• Michigan Library Association Thumbs Up! Award for YA Fiction nominee, 2002
• Missouri Gateway Readers' Choice Award for Teens Nominee, 2003-2004
• National Book Award Winner, 2001
• Nevada Young Readers' Award Nominee, 2004
• New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age, 2002
• New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age, 2003
• Pacific Northwest Bookseller's Award, 2002
• Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award Program Master List, 2003-2004
• Printz Award Honor Book, 2002
• Publishers Weekly starred review, 2001
• Rhode Island Teen Book Award Nominee, 2002

Plot Summary:
Anne, or Anke, is the youngest of three children. Not only does she feel ignored by her father, she has to bear witness to his anger and abuse. In this story, Anke just started high school and has decided to escape her family by trying out for the volleyball. Not only is she one of the tallest Freshman at her school, Anke does not believe she is special or beautiful. However, the taller she gets, the stronger she becomes, especially when she starts to notice that her father's temper is only part of the real evil that is her father. Although Anke's dad does not hurt her, he takes out his anger on her older siblings and her sister bears the worst of their father's abuse--she is sexually assaulted on a daily basis. As she starts to develop, physically and emotionally, Anke decides that it's time to stop feeling like a piece of furniture and make her father notice her.


Critical Evaluation:
Written in prose, Thalia Chaltas presents a story where a fifteen-year-old is forced to grow up by taking charge of a horrible situation. This story is incredibly powerful, especially if the reader has experienced abuse or has witnessed their parent or any adult abuse their siblings or friends. Chaltas does not overtly state what type of abuse is taking place, but the readers will figure it out with subtle clues where she overhears her sister talking about her birth control. Not only is this story a quick-read, readers are enveloped with Anke's story of survival and courage to face the man who not only hurt everyone in her family, but made her unlovable and invisible.

Information about the Author:
Thalia Chaltas has done a little bit of everything prior to becoming an author. She has received training in Kineseology, firefighting, helicopter flying, athlete, and singing. She enjoys a variety of activities such as playing Volleyball, pottery, and camping. According to her website, she actually does not do a lot of writing at home, but at local coffee shops, the Library, and the beach (para.4-7). Moreover, she has kept every single piece of poetry she has ever written; hence, why she is a young adult author. Because I am Furniture is Thalia Chaltas first YA novel and she has a new one coming out on June 9, 2011 entitled Displacement.

Genre:
Teen Poetry

Reading Level/Interest:
Grades 9 & up

Books Similar to I Am Furniture:

• Burned by Ellen Hopkins 
• Hope in Patience by Beth Fehlbaum
• You Remind Me of You by Eirerann Corrigan 

 

Awards & Recognition:

•     Top 10 Summer 2009 Kid's Indie Next List selection
•     ALA Best Book for Young Adults
•     IRA Young Adult's Book Award Notable
•     2010 Texas Tayshas High School Reading List selection
•     2010 ALA Amelia BLoomer Project selection
•     2010 Kansas State Reading Circle Catalog selection
•     2010 Penn. School Library Association's Young Adult Top 40 selection
•     2010-2011 Kentucky Bluegrass Award nominee
•     2011 Nevada Young Readers' Award nominee