Mel's Book Corner

Title:  In The Middle of the Night: Poems from a Wide-Awake House Genre: Poetry Author: Laura Purdie Salas Major Awards: None Age Group: Kindergarten-2nd grade The poems in this book are about items in the house coming out to play after the house has gone to sleep! From lunch boxes, to spaghetti, to spoons, to stuffed animals, to kleenex, there is a poem about it all! The poems are written from each object's point of view, which makes it interesting! There is a poem titled "Animals on the Go." This poem is about stuffed animals and toys having a talent show in a child's room while he sleeps. There is also a poem titled "Pencil Plunge", which is about a group of pencils sharpening themselves and having a party while the home is quiet. There is also a poem titled "Oh, My Aching Basketball!", which is about a basketball taking an ice bath in the kitchen sink after being bounced around all day. Finally, there is a poem titled "Vroom-Zoom-...

Title: Did You Hear What I Heard? Poems About School Genre: Poetry Author: Kay Winters Major Awards: None Age Group: Kindergarten-2nd grade The poems in this book are exactly what the reader would think that they are about: school! The book covers so many different aspects of school in a poetic form. There is one titled "The School Speaks." This poem is about a school building longing for the day that the students return to it. When the students arrive after a long summer, the school is ecstatic! Another poem is titled "The Teachers' Room." Here, a student is wondering what goes on in the room that no students are allowed in. Is there a sofa? Do the teachers sit in their on their cell phones? Do they eat yummy treats? The students may never know! There is also a poem titled "My Field Trip Permission Slip." This poem is relatable because it is about a student misplacing their permission slip and not realizing that it is missing until the day th...

Title: I Must Go Down to the Beach Again and Other Poems Genre: Poetry Author: Karen Jo Shapiro Major Awards: None Age Group: Kindergarten-3rd grade The poems in this book are classic poems that have been revised to make them appropriate for children. There are poems that relate to children and some problems they might encounter. There are some that are meant to be humorous and some that are more serious. There is one titled "About My Baby Sister." This poem is about a child complaining about their new baby sister. The child is obviously experiencing some jealousy and does not understand why everyone thinks that babies are so great. There is another one titled "The Sick Tummy." Here, a child is complaining about having a stomachache after eating an array of sweet treats. Another poem is titled "July Joy." This poem is about the Fourth of July and all of the fun activities that there is to do on this day. There is another poem titled "The Rott...

Title: The Popcorn Astronauts and Other Biteable Rhymes Genre: Poetry Author: Deborah Ruddell Major Awards: Notable Children's Books, 1995-2019 Age Group: Kindergarten-2nd grade This story features 5-6 poems that correspond to each of the four seasons. These poems are silly and the illustrations really make the poems come to life. For spring, one of the poems is titled "Lickety-Split Picnic." This poem is stating the ingredients needed to have a perfect picnic. There is figurative language used which makes it fun! For summer, there is a poem titled "Welcome to Watermelon Lake!" This poem is about a lake that looks like a watermelon and has pink water. For fall, there is a poem titled "21 Things to Do with an Apple." This poem is the exact way it sounds; it lists 21 different silly things to do with an apple! For winter, there is a poem titled "Gingerbread House Makeover." This poem is about a gingerbread house that is removed of cand...

Title: Fireflies at Midnight Genre: Poetry Author: Marilyn Singer Major Awards: School Library Journal's Best Books 0f 2003 Age Group: 5th-8th grade Fireflies at Midnight  is a compilation of poems about different animals and insects. There is a section of poems for Dawn, Early Morning, Noon, Early, Mid, and Late Afternoon, Dusk, Dark, Evening, Midnight, and Nighttime. For each section, there is a poem about an animal who is awake during that time period. The poems start at Dawn, and there is a poem called "Robin." Here, a robin is waking up for the day and assessing what she needs to do for the day. When Noon rolls around, there is a poem titled "Horse." Here, a horse is struggling to make it through the June and July heat and wants to stop wearing a saddle. When it gets to the Dark section, there is a poem titled "Bat." Here, a bat is flying above a house and a tree and describing what he encounters when flying. When it gets to be Nighttime,...