Janeczko, Paul B. A Kick
in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms. Somerville, MA: Candlewick
Press, 2009. ISBN: 978-0-7636-4132-0.
A Kick in the Head: An
Everyday Guide to Poetic Forms by Paul Janeczko and illustrated by Chris Raschka
shares 29 styles of poetry ranging from limericks to haiku and offers concise
and “kid-friendly” explanations of each form of poetry. This
book is the second in a trilogy highlighting different aspects of poetry. Janeczko includes pieces from a variety of
accomplished poets. The pieces convey a
range of emotion from silly to quite stoic.
The author brilliantly connects
the young readers by offering a sports analogy in the explanation of
rules. This familiar comparison will encourage
their interest in the underlying rules, which, Janeczko says, "make
poetry--like sports--more fun." After demonstrating the value of rules, the
book then flips the concept and conveys the “rule-breaking” nature of
poetry. The Mule reminds the reader to make poetry his/her own.
The Mule
by Ogden Nash
In the word of mules
There are no rules.
One
of the great things about this book is that the collection offers enough
variety in text and complexity to use this book at a variety of levels,
including secondary students. The
complex forms of poetry are engaging and well defined to help the reader
understand the complex and the simple.
As
if the poetry of this piece wasn’t enough, the illustrations prove to be just
as much of a draw as the words. From
cover to cover, this book is delightfully illustrated using mixed media to add
visual interest to each page and connect with the pieces.
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