Professional Book

Vardell, Sylvia M. POETRY ALOUD HERE!: SHARING POETRY WITH CHILREN IN THE LIBRARY. Chicago: American Library Association, 2006.

Vardell is a librarian’s librarian. Her poetry textbook is a thorough and detailed treatise for the library professional working with children aged 5-12. But hold on, from your first glance at the cover you can tell you are going to have FUN! It’s open mike night at the library and our young lady on stage is about to start a slam.

Inspecting the table of contents Vardell’s mission can be summed up in four words: Why? Which ones? How? Even though the question of why is answered philosophically and succinctly in Chapter one we realize Vardell could write an entire tome on “Why Poetry?” Can you think of a teacher, musician, actor, singer, writer, principal, lead teacher, radio dj, media specialist, mime, commercial artist, lyricist, or Hallmark employee who would disagree with her about the importance of poetry? Even more important it would be a rare child or parent that would disagree had they had just one enthusiastic experience with poetry in their youth. Poetry is literally everywhere in the written and especially in the spoken word. Vardell believes it is a natural link to developing language skills, hearts, and minds. She also makes a very strong case that poetry, more than any other literary genre, has no strict age level constraints and is usually absent of bias. Increasing cognition and comprehension are positive “side effects” of a library, a school, a classroom full of poetry.

We are given criteria for selecting poems and volumes of poetry to use with students. Choosing poems that have a definite beat, rhythm, or cadence will appeal to many according to Vardell. She also suggests we look for verses that interpret everyday childhood and life experiences in fresh and imaginative ways. Does the poem evoke emotions, is it descriptive and does it sound pleasing to the ears? For volumes and anthologies of poetry one needs to evaluate the way the poems are grouped or organized, note whether an index of first lines and a table of contents is included and if the work is by poets who are current and familiar or no. Is the artwork appealing and does it help carry off the theme of the book or poem? In poetry picture books as in other types of picture books the marriage of text and illustration is critical and defines this subgroup of poetry volumes.

Above all POETRY ALOUD is a pragmatic guide. For librarians and media specialists Vardell suggests they examine their poetry shelves to be certain they are physically attractive and visually inviting. Can young ones reach the books and the displays? Are they eye catching? She pleads for poetry volumes to be marketed and displayed as carefully as bestsellers are put on end caps. For professionals with little experience and those with much she reminds us that award winners are a good place to start and that just as you would have multiple copies of Harry Potter, Junie B. Jones, Curious George, and The Wizard of Oz, so too must you have multiple copies of many volumes of poetry.

Vardell manages to concoct a first rate guide that would benefit all and intimidate none. Her biggest rule is there are no real rules for doing it right. She writes that familiar authors and poems are good and unknown ones are great as well. Librarians as well as teachers always want to help us discover new friends and remind us of old ones. She encourages professionals who are treading on unfamiliar terrain to simply add one little item to their normal routine. Teachers and librarians have such sway over children and sometimes we forget it; the power to do good. Sylvia Vardell reminds and encourages us constantly with this approach. She suggests simply reading one short poem during each class visit to the library and to watch your circulation statistics of poetry increase by leaps and bounds. Begin with a poem or poet of the month and you will probably end up with a poem or poet of the week and then make it a daily routine. Again and again Vardell goes back to the basic concept that poetry is made to be heard. It becomes alive when it is read aloud.

Fun and practical ideas for activities and lesson plans abound in this volume. How about making a POET-TREE. Create a tree on a bulletin board and distribute green construction paper leaves and have students write their favorite poem on a leaf and then attach to the tree. This is emblematic of Vardell’s hands on approach. She pleads the case for investing in a small sound system and microphone. Students can read their own poetic creations aloud, they can read their favorite published poem, and they can speak the words of poetry with music in the background. The ease of adding poetry to a school or library’s culture may be surprising to many, but again and again Vardell mentions creative and painless ways to involve staff members, students, teachers, and parents. She asks us not to forget to include a poem on a school bulletin board, on a library website, to include poetry volumes in our summer reading lists and other booklists. For the adventurous there are excellent suggestions too such as a poetry scavenger hunt, and detailed directions on setting up a beatnik poetry coffeehouse complete with wearing black, having pillows on the floor and serving young ones hot cocoa rather than coffee.

Lending extra clout to her practical ideas are the “Practitioner Perspectives.” Media Specialists, teachers, and reading specialists all highlight their successes and strategies for encouraging poetry. The “Practitioner Perspectives” are a very important addition to the book as is the inclusion of a list of famous poet birthdays and an exhaustive but approachable bibliography of poetry volumes and a list of recommended and noteworthy poets for children to discover. Including poetry authorities Carole Bauer and Charlotte Huck lend credence to her research. What will surprise some is her insight about using poetry across the curriculum. Vardell mentions many tie-ins for math, science, history, and geography and gives detailed ideas about incorporating them as an essential way of teaching a subject other than English.

Is there a bad place to post a poem? Vardell says in essence, “absolutely not.” Don’t forget the water cooler, the pencil sharpener, the hallways of corporate America and the bulletin boards in Senior Centers. Poetry Aloud Here is an exquisite book that will NOT sit on the shelf collecting dust but will have dog eared pages and scribbles in the margins very soon after adding it to the classroom collection of any elementary or middle school teacher. Librarians and Media Specialists will have a hard time keeping a copy for themselves because it will constantly circulate.