I Am the Book by Lee Bennett Hopkins

Hopkins, Lee Bennett. I Am the Book. Ill. by Yayo. New York: Holiday House. 2011. 

ISBN 978-0823421190.

            I AM THE BOOK is an anthology of thirteen poems, written for young readers, most likely enjoyed by the elementary age but also a valuable teaching resource for older students. Lee Bennett Hopkins has compiled poems dealing with reading and books themselves from many well known poets such as Naomi Shihab Nye, Jane Yolen and Hopkins himself.

Along with a Table of Contents for easy selection, Hopkins also included two-sentence descriptions of each poet at the end.

Hopkins has gathered a lovely collection of reading themed poems, rich in figurative language and poetic devices. Several poems in the anthology use poetic and literary devices such as metaphor and personification. Many of the descriptions used in the reading analogy have words/books taking on human characteristics. In Jane Yolen’s contribution A Poem Is Yolen describes words “running down the page in black script sneakers”. The reader develop an illustration in their minds with the use of descriptive personification language. Metaphor is often used when words or books take on a different characteristic than their intended purpose.  Paperback Plunder by Michele Kruegar has an abandoned book taking on the characteristics of a conch shell as it begs to be lifted to the ear and tell its story.

The poems in the collection vary in stanza length with each poem given a two page spread with an accompanying illustration.

The colorful acrylic illustrations add depth and dimension to the lines of each poet. The fun and attractive acrylic paintings feature exaggerated shapes and perspectives that go nicely with the poems' depictions.

When teaching a library lesson to Kindergarten/First grade about library procedures and taking care of books, I would begin by sharing this poem.

Paperback Plunder by Michele Krueger

Like a sunken treasure

long forgotten,

I lie half buried under sand.

She remembered

her sunscreen,

her towel and hat.

She folded her blanket,

and that was that.

No last look back

for what she left behind.

Now I am here

for you to find.

Sun-drenched and salty,

like a giant conch shell.

Lift me to your ear,

hear the story I shall tell.

Before the lesson I would prepare a beach area for visualization.  A beach towel spread out, beach bag, sunscreen, umbrella and beach hat. I would also have a sand pail filled with sand with a discarded book poking out the top.

After the poem was read I would lift the book out of its sandy demise and place it to my ear as described in the poem.  I would ask the students to share with me what the book would say about its care if it could talk. Discussion would continue about the proper care and handling of library books.