This Librarian's Quick Picks: Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold

Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold
by Joyce Sidman; illustrations by Rick Allen
Houghton Mifflin (November 4, 2014)
Nonfiction poetry

Summary:

A collection of poems that explores how animals survive the cold during the winter season. Provides additional facts about the animals and the season. 

Why You'll Love It:

• While most poems address familiar topics (snowflakes, moose, trees, chickadees), springtails (snow fleas) and skunk cabbage (an early flowering spring plant) will be new to many.
• Each poem is accompanied by facts as well as a glossary in the back of the book.
• This book perfectly marries poetry, science, and art! Check out the hand-colored linoleum blocks used in the illustrations:

Who Should Read It:

Great for grades 1-5...and here's the educator's guide.

What Else You Should Read:

• Pug: And Other Animal Poems by Valerie Worth
• Dark Emperor & Other Poems of the Night by Joyce Sidman
• Ubiquitous: Celebrating Nature's Survivors by Joyce Sidman

This Librarian's Quick Picks: Santa Clauses

**I know, I know...it's not even Halloween yet, but I've been chomping at the bit to blog about this book since seeing a galley of it at ALA this summer. Also, if you work in an elementary library you know that kids NEVER stop checking out Christmas books ;)

Santa Clauses: Short Poems From the North Pole
by Bob Raczka
Carolrhoda Books (Sep.1, 2014)
Poetry

Summary:

Santa can fly a sleigh, squeeze down chimneys, and circle the globe in a night. But did you know he also writes haiku? These twenty-five short poems--composed by Santa himself--give you a peek into life at the North Pole. 




 Why You'll Love It:

• An engaging picture book that offers a fresh take on classic Christmas themes.
• The haiku form proves an effective and evocative vehicle for capturing both the snowy environs of the North Pole (“December 13th: Mother Nature trims / her trees with icicles, snow, / pinecones, and moonlight.”), and the wonder and magic of the holiday season (“December 4th: Sprinkling sand on my / snow-covered steps, thinking of / nutmeg on eggnog.”).
• Chuck Groenink’s artwork hits all the right notes. His warm, bright illustrations of life inside Santa’s house are intimate and lively, while his striking night scenes trade the homestead’s reds and browns for crisp, wintry whites and blues.
• A gentle sense of humor permeates a number of the poems: “December 20th: Workshop warning / in effect, heavy sawdust / accumulation.”
• Readers may be inspired to create their own winter- and holiday-themed haikus.

Who Should Read It:

Great for PreK-4th grade.

What Else You Should Read:

• The Night Before Christmas by Clement Clarke Moore (the Robert Sabuda pop-up edition!)
•  Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems by Paul Janeczko
• Little Santa by John Agee