Days to Celebrate

Lee Bennett Hopkins. Days to Celebrate: a full year of poetry, people, holidays, history, fascinating facts, and more. Greenwillow, 2005.

Illustrated: Stephen Alcorn.
ISBN-13: 978-0-06-000766-9


POETRY REVIEW: Days to Celebrate is a collection of poems that correlate with special events, poets, authors, and special dates in the calendar year. The book selects two to five poems per calendar month then focuses on the special importance the event or person contributed. For instance, I choose the Poem "Treasure Words" which allows the reader to understand the depth and riches of the written word, while connecting to a prominent author of words, Noah Webster.
The words chosen for this poem illustrate the images and many uses of the written word both literally and imaginary by using simple and short words choices. And while there is not a set rhythm and rhyming pattern the reader is left with the richness, creativity, close personal relationship, and far reaches that words themselves create for each reader.

POEM EXCERPT: Treasure Words, Rebecca Kai Dotlich

Words are magic -

quiet, loud.

Steady, strong,

slow, proud.

Whisper, shout -

let them out -

hold words close,

toss afar,

see them sparkle -

each a star.

Thread words on

a silver chain,

let words touch you

warm as rain.

Written, read, said, heard -

delight in, sip on,

treasure words.

POEM INTRODUCTION TO CHILDREN:

I like this book in particular because of the way it connects poems to each month event, along with a focus on a selected event or person. For instance, this poem celebrates the birth (and life) of Noah Webster (October 16, 1758-1843) the "father" of words or at least compiling words and meanings in what we know as the dictionary and would be great to use with 2nd graders learning how to use a dictionary and the importance of understanding words

But not only would I help assist students in learning the importance of words, but tying this particular poem in with another set of poems from, from Hip Hop Speaks to Children, "Books" and from Recess, Rhyme, and Reason, "Pencils" starting either from simple with the tools to write like a pencil, to the words needed on the page, to create a finished product; the books, or vice-versa by starting out with the big picture and working down to the simple tools of writing. This concept works best with 4th grade writing to help inspire and direct their focus especially with TAKS testing.