Rebound by Kwame Alexander (Module 1; Book 3)

Rebound Review by Elaine Alexander

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Alexander, Kwame. Rebound. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, 2018. ISBN 9780544868137

PLOT SUMMARY
This novel-in-verse tells the story of Charlie Bell as he struggles with the sudden passing of his father. Angry and withdrawn, Charlie is ‘benched’ from life, spending his days reading comics and avoiding basketball. Exasperated and unable to connect, his mother decides to send Charlie to spend the summer with his grandparents. Slowly, his grandfather and cousin pull Charlie into the game—basketball and life—giving him an opportunity to rebound, both on and off the court.

ANALYSIS
This novel-in-verse is written by Kwame Alexander, an author and poet with numerous prestigious awards, such as the Newbery Medal, the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award and the Coretta Scott King Award. Rebound is infused with imagery that will draw in sports fans, but will also appeal to those that can empathize with a boy trying express his loss over his father. The poems strike a cord, demonstrating this loss as Charlie describes his life "trapped in...[a]...Black Hole (Alexander 14-15). He's frozen between a time where he knew how his life would play out and this new life, stuck on the sidelines. In fact, it is poems like “Black Hole” that make the strongest emotional impact. It is clear that Charlie had idealized his father and his passing is akin to a cosmic explosion. The blunt lines hit hard and truthful. Charlie is drifting, avoiding participating in life so he “won’t have to pretend ... the center of [his] universe didn’t collapse” (Alexander 26).

The rhythm of the poems mimic the sounds of basketball. The poems are short, active in measure and always draw the reader back to the sport. While the poems in this novel are primarily chronological, carving out the story of Charlie dealing with his loss, avoiding his mother, and acting out because of his grief. Yet, there are poems that slip back, slowly unfolding what happened the day his father died. The progression of the poems show us a boy who likes superheroes, hides in the comics he likes to read and fantasizes about greatness -- all universal themes that any teen could relate to. The occasional cartoon is scattered throughout the collection, moving the narrative on and inserting a bit more of Charlie's personality into the story. There are also conversations with his mother in the beginning of the novel, sparsely written, but effectively inserted to show the breach in their relationship as they both deal with their grief in different ways.

The layout changes as Charlie's story is forced to spend the summer with his grandparents, strict disciplinarians who value hard work. As Charlie's grandfather passes on life wisdom, the more conversations are inserted and the poems begin to change, including livelier words, sports imagery and hope. As Charlie begins to play ball, he learns that even though he may not always win or make every shot, he can keep trying or rely on others –his backboard—to take that shot.


Use & Highlight Poem

The spotlight poem in this book is Rebound. It is an amazing moment that fuses the language and rhythm of the sport with a life analogy that anyone could relate to. In addition, this is the moment where Charlie begins to really understand that he has a backboard -- his family -- that he doesn't need superpowers or fancy moves to deal with what life's challenges because he can rely on those around him to give him the support he needs.

One great classroom activity could be to use the example poem, Rebound to try to create original poems in a measured rhythm. Another idea might be to compare and contrast the poems in one of the other books in the series, Crossover or Booked to compare the poems.

Rebound

We lean
against the hood

of his car
watch

a few planes
land, a

few more
take off.

He puts
his arms

around
me, pulls my

sobbing head
close to him.

You know, Chuck,
he says.
You're not always gonna swish.

...

You gonna miss some.
Heck, you gonna miss a lot.


That's the way the real world works.
But you gotta grab the ball and

keep shooting. You understand?
Yessir.

I'll tell you what, though,
you'll make a lot more


than you miss if
you're not always going for

the flash
and flair.

Try using
the backboard, son.

You got me.
You got your grandmother.
You got Roxie.
You got your mother.

You got all of us,
remember that!


Okay.
Now let's get on home.

'cause your momma
and Alice

probably worried
to death.

I'm sorry, Granddaddy.
Yeah me too, son. Me too.

Jumping Off Library Shelves by Lee Bennett Hopkins, Illustrated by Jane Manning (Module 1, Book 2; School Stories)

Jumping Off Library Shelves Review by Elaine Alexander

Bibliographic Citation:
Hopkins, Lee Bennett & Manning, J. 2015.Jumping Off Library Shelves: A Book of Poems. Honesdale, PA: WordSong. ISBN: 9781590789247

Poetic Elements:
This anthology of poetry celebrates the library and the magic of reading. The language is playful, comparing the words in the library with crumbs scavenged by mice, with the suggestion that words hold value as a means to nourish the soul. A portion of the book relies on concrete poetry to make circular patterns or mimic waves at sea. There is a sense of adventure in the collection that makes readers connect emotionally to the power of books and libraries to open readers to new ideas and experiences.


Appeal:
This collection of poems has appeal to a younger audience, ages 4-9, particularly because it is paired with imaginative artwork that fuses seamlessly with the powerful words. The experiences spark memories, such as the step of getting a new library card, reading to a friend, or the anticipation of finding a new book that you cannot wait to start. Several of the poems invite the reader to share the magical qualities of the library, as well as the journey young readers experience as they enjoy a new book. The poems garner a sense of anticipation and freedom that would be appealing to children and invite children to visit their own library -- if they are brave enough to dive into the adventure of it all.

Overall Quality:
This collection of poems stirs the reader with a sense of immediacy, that there is something incredibly exciting that they must be a part of. From the beginning line in the first poem, Breakfast Between the Shelves, where "morning pours spoons of sun" (Hopkins 7), the reader gets a sense that as soon as the sun rises, there is a dawn of new day and no time to waste to get to the library and find out what there is to offer. Each poem thereafter builds on this journey, from the library as a place of refuge, where magic and adventure are in the reader's grasp if they possess a library card. The artwork supports this magical imagery, with swirls of stories and waves of letters throughout the pages. Each poem expounds on the idea of the library and reading having both a shared connection, as well as an intimate experience between the words and the reader. The book ends in a mirror image of how it begins, coming back to the first poet, Rebecca Kai Dotlich. The first poem opened the library with a new day, full of anticipation, and the last closes at midnight with tiny mice getting their chance to share in the magic of a story.


The Poets:
Lee Bennett Hopkins selected poems from several prominent, award-winning authors for Children and Teen literature, such as Jane Yolen, Nikki Grimes and J. Patrick Lewis. Hopkins is renown in the field of Children's Literature, not only winning the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children for the body of his work, but he also was distinguished with several awards named after him.

Layout:
The anthology has a table of contents to tag each poem and has beautiful illustrations to support the text. The poems begin with a new dawning day, a trek to the library, a child seizing their library card in a powerful pose, before moving on to images of exploring pages and being matched to the perfect book. There are odes to librarians who bring words to life, poems that honor specific types of books, therapy reading dogs, and cuddling with a loved one to share a story. The end comes full circle, with daylight dying and the library activity being carried out by mice who are enjoying the books.

Spotlight Poem:
I have a soft spot for this poetry collection and for the artwork in the page for Nikki Grimes poem because the artist, Jane Manning, featured the library I work in! There is a fabulous two page spread for the Deep River Public Library on this page and it is perfectly paired with Nikki Grimes' poem. In addition, the poem evokes an image of openness and anticipation that I connect with. You see a young child, racing to the library doors and the reader can easily share the feelings of possibility in the words.
Refuge by Nikki Grimes

My library comes into view.
Almost there!
I sprint the last few yards,
charge up the stone steps, breathless,
and push through the double doors,
smiling at the sweet kingdom of story
invite me in
to rest, to explore --
to dream.


Follow-up Activity:
I would invite children to think about how they feel about their own libraries and the power of a book to transport a reader anywhere. They might share their experiences of visiting the library or perhaps another place that gives them a sense of welcoming in a way captured by the words in the poem. Having access to a public library and to books is a pivotal part of a childhood experience. It is one of the first places that children are truly represented and have free choices in what they pick out to read. Participants can also discuss the significant impact a public library can have.

The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary by Laura Shovan (Module 1, Book 1; School Stories)

The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary Review by Elaine Alexander
Bibliographic Citation:
Shovan, Laura. 2016. The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary. New York: Wendy Lamb Books. ISBN: 9780553521375

Poetic Elements:
This novel-in-verse is a collection of poems by a fictional class of students, writing as a part of a proposed time capsule project to mark the school's last 5th grade class. The initial assignment is explained in early poems and it is made clear that poems are only read by their teacher, Ms. Hill, which sets up a type of diary of sorts. The diverse group of students all have unique voices, with a range of different backgrounds and experiences. This range of diversity casts a wide net, providing both universal emotions of how the children feel about their school closing, at the same time as it encapsulates intimate experiences, such as how one student is dealing with poverty, another with being an outsider, still another on a painful divorce. Although all the poems are written, by Shovan, the emotional impact of the book is keenly expressed in the way in which she uses seventeen different poetic styles to communicate the secrets and thoughts that each student is harboring, making for an intimate experience for the reader.

Appeal:
The appeal of this novel in verse is the variety in both the poetry forms and the variance in voices. The author describes her poems as "persona poems...[that]...try to make you laugh with a joke, tell you a sad story, or share a secret" (Shovan 231). The book uses language and experiences that will resonate with young readers. It challenges readers to try to step into the shoes of the characters in this fifth grade class and see themselves in the poems and become a part of the experience. The subject matter allows the students to express their feeling on the fate of their school, but along the way, students end up sharing details of their lives with universal subject matter, such as fitting in, feeling alone, dealing with frenemies, personal struggles, and sticking up for what you believe in.


Overall Quality:
The poems in this book communicate how the children see themselves and how they believe they are perceived by others. In addition to the moments of self-reflection, the students are engaged in the greater community due to the town's proposal to close the school. They also share their experiences as if they are writing poems in their own diary. Because the poems remain between the writer and the teacher, the children are candid, speaking honestly about their lives. The collection shows how individual students begin to grow as people, facing life challenges and stretching to understand those challenges by expressing them through figurative language and varied poetic structures. While Norah struggles with homesickness, living in a foreign land, and deciding whether or not she wants to wear a hajib, other students like Brianna are dealing with the realities of poverty, as she tries to jazz up an old dress for her mother. These are kids struggling to fit in -- all in their own way. Whether it is ADHD or autism, learning to speak up against bullies or to fight for their beliefs, these poems tell universal stories that are pertinent to kids today.

The collection also shows that, as a whole, students also begin to come together towards a common goal of saving their school. As the narrative comes to an end, we see that although they did not achieve the goal of saving the entire school, they were able to find a common ground to fight for what they believed in.

The Poets: The book is written from the perspectives of the eighteen students in Ms. Hill's fifth grade class, but the poems are actually all composed by Laura Shovan. The author of six books, Shovan is a a poet and novelist with a unique background that exposed her to different cultures and experiences. That diversity shows in her writing and the way in which she uses language and formats to communicate emotional intimacy with her readers. Shovan's books have received numerous award nominations and she has been been honored with a Cybil Award, as well as a Banks Street and a NCTE Notable for this book.

Layout:

The format is broken into quarters, mirroring the way a school year marks time. The poetic formats are as varied as the voices of the children, with students trying out different formats of poems as their voices grow and develop. Each new poem has a cartoon drawing of the author, along with the name, to keep the different personas straight. The book provides a detailed section in the back to discuss all the different types of poems used in the book, relating each form to a specific poet, and offering suggestions on how to experiment with each style to write your own. The prompts are written with questions designed to spark creativity and get the ideas flowing.


Spotlight Poem:

This spotlight poem shows the transformation of one student, but also exemplifies the way in which the kids may not have saved their school, but they did fight to retain a piece of it.

One Wall
by Rachel Chieko Stein

When fifth grade started,
I was sad.
A big part of my life was ending.
I couldn't believe anyone
would demolish this place.

When fifth grade started,
I was scared.
Certain people were mean.
I couldn't believe
the things they said to me.
Even though it was hard,
I learned to stand up for myself.

Now fifth grade is almost over.
I've been thinking,
what if we saved one wall?
One strong wall no bulldozers
can knock down.
One wall made of many bricks
held together, like our class.
We'll use it as a special place
to store the time capsule.
We can paint a mural
of all our faces.
One wall to say we were here. (Shovan, 205)

Follow-up Activity:
This book has a generous section in the back filled with ideas on follow up activities and ideas to inspire young poets. One of the many fabulous suggestions would make a great art challenge: Concrete Poems. The idea is to draw the outline of an object of importance, such as a lucky hat or favorite item of clothing. Fill in the shape by writing about that item, using language to describe why it is important.