LS 5663 Spring 2012 Mod 3 Verse Novel

Module 3

Kinds of Poetry-Verse Novel

Bibliographic information:

Havill, Juanita, and Stanislawa Kodman. Grow: a novel in verse. Atlanta: Peachtree, 2008. ISBN: 9781561454419

Review:

Juanita Havill published her first children’s book in 1986. The following year she was awarded the Ezra Jack Keats New Writer award. In Grow: A Novel in Verse, she uses metaphors, similes and other figurative language to expertly evoke emotions and images in her readers. Descriptive phrases such as, “can almost hear his brain thinking”, “my stomach hollow with pain” and “his scream has the power of pain times three” help readers to understand the depth of each character’s thoughts or reactions. Her short, expressive style draws readers in and helps to further connect them to the main characters and plot of the novel. Most readers will relate to the troubles of Havill’s characters but all will empathize with their plights. Every poem expresses the growing and changing that occurs in the neighborhood garden and in the lives of the characters. The novel is a series of single titled poems arranged to tell the beginning, middle and end of the story of Berneetha, Darleen and Harlan as they grow and tend to a small urban garden. It is sparsely illustrated with sketches and drawings by Stanislawa Kodman. Although there is pagination and the titles for each poem are in bold type, there is no index or table of contents to help readers find a specific poem.

Highlighted Poem:

page 157 only

The Last Poem is Really the First

I stare at the notebook paper,

thin blue lines

that I’m supposed

to be writing on,

pink up-and-down stripes

to keep me

from scribbling

across the margin.

But we’re supposed

to write poems

today-

long lines all the way to and even

across the pink line if we want,

or short lines

if

we

want.

Introduction/Activity:

4th grade: descriptive writing

Share a few poems from the novel such as Going Shopping on page 51 and Secrets on page 99, and ask students to respond to the descriptions of the clothing or Berneetha’s appearance. Give each student a blank piece of lined notebook paper. As students study the piece of paper, read the first part of The Last Poem is Really the Last on page 157. Have students choose one item from a group of familiar items you have on display to study and write six statements that describe the object.