Cybils Awards Blog This week’s featured poetry books tap into “childish things” that are timely, timeless, and as engaging for adult readers as they are for the intended audience.
There is that sense of wonder that comes with the lights, decorations, and all things abstract or unseen during the dawn of the winter season. Then there is the magic of it all … life through the eyes of children who unwittingly want to keep things as they are and “stave off the shadow of adulthood.”
Read on. Discover the magic for yourself …
POETRY COLLECTION
The allegorical Wonder House is a place to explore the cornerstone of every great thinker—a sense of wonder. This Wonder House has many rooms—one for nature, one for quiet, and one for mystery, among others. Each room is filled with poems and objects covering a wide variety of STEAM topics, including geology, paleontology, physics, astronomy, creative writing, and drawing, that will inspire curiosity in young readers.
Linda @ Goodreads – Page after page [is filled] with topics perhaps you’ve “wondered” before or perhaps you’ll think, “How special to imagine that!” They end with a final poem invitation for various actions, ways to choose one’s own kind of wondering, like “Begin a poem” or “Take a wonder walk.” I can’t imagine NOT having this and sharing it with a class or only one child. I am inspired to “wonder”, too!
Sylvia @ The Horn Book Magazine – The topics are abstract (time, imagination, quiet), but the poems guide readers through specific moments and questions, including wondering about a pebble’s history and speculating about dinosaurs’ last day on Earth. Freedman’s intriguing mixed-media illustrations use wide washes of color in shades of blue, green, gold, or purple with subtle hints to the objects referenced in the poems. In the final “Note About Wonder,” the poets encourage questioning and creativity and
challenge young readers to express themselves through writing, painting, building, and more.
NOVEL IN VERSE
Listen! Hear a tale of mallow-munchers and warriors who answer candy’s clarion call! A modern middle-grade graphic novel retelling of Beowulf, featuring a gang of troublemaking kids who must defend their tree house from a fun-hating adult who can instantly turn children into grown-ups.
Natalie @ Goodreads – Look no further for a delightful introduction to the [original] tale. You’ll get a feel for the Old English writing style, complete with alliterative verse, kennings, and battle action. This tale is also perfectly child-worthy. The kid-kings of the kingdom rule with kindness, candy, and toys. And the evil Grendel massacres the king’s warriors by turning them into boring adults with the touch of a finger! *gasp* Great for reading aloud (but only if everyone can gather around to admire the accompanying pictures). A clever graphic novel adaptation that’s truly fun for everyone.
Kristen @ Goodreads – Such a fun kid friendly and somewhat zany retelling of Beowulf. The illustrations are amazing, I absolutely loved the way it was told and the villain of the story was so fitting and how it all worked, turning kids to teens or adults and ruining their childhood ahead of time.
Rachael @ Goodreads – This middle-grade graphic novel is a fun remix of Beowulf. In this version, the hall is full of fun loving kids and the monster is presented in the form of a plain, boring, grumpy adult who can turn kids into dreaded teens and adults with the touch of his finger. I think this was such a fun idea. I think middle grade students will enjoy the story, but might struggle some with the text, even though that won’t stop them for checking it! I think this would be so neat to include in English class when they read Beowolf in HS, too.
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