Sunday, January 22, 2012

Hopkins Collection - Amazing Faces

1. Bibliographic Citation
Hopkins, Lee Bennett. 2010. Amazing Faces. New York: Lee & Low Books. ISBN 9781600603341

 
2. Summary and Book Review
This collection of poems represents all the different ethnicities that make up the faces of American people. Each poem represents a man, woman, or child across America and the emotions that each experiences. The poems display that while we may all look different, or speak different languages, our feelings are universal. Each poem is presented on a two page spread with bright watercolor paintings by Chris Soentpiet illustrating all the many Amazing Faces portrayed in the poems. Poets included in this collection are Nikki Grimes, Jude Mandell, Jane Yolen, Janet Wong, Pat Mora, and Langston Hughes. One of my favorite poems in the collection is "Me X 2/Yo X 2" by Jane Medina. It is a celebration of being bilingual and is written in both English and Spanish. I read this collection aloud to my Bluebonnet Club, and my students really loved it. The repetition and rhythm make it feel familiar and the fact that the speaker of the poem is so happy to be bilingual can help to make bilingual students feel more confident.

Me X 2

I read times two,
I write times two,
I think, I dream,
            I cry times two.

I laugh times two,
I’m right times two,
I sing, I ask,
            I try times two.

I do twice as much
            As most people do.
‘Cause most speak one,
            But I speak two!

Yo X 2

Leo por dos.
Escribo por dos.
Pienso y sueño
            Y lloro por dos.

Yo río por dos.
Grito por dos.
Canto, pregunto,
            Intento por dos.

Hago mucho más
            Que hacen todos ellos,
Porque yo hablo dos:
            Lo doble que aquellos.

3. Awards/Reviews

*Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominee 2011-2012
*Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars
*Positive Reviews in School Library Journal, Library Media Connection, and Booklist.

4. Activities

As a follow up activity, students could read the poet's stories behind the poems included in this collection found on Lee & Low's blog. Students can then begin to brainstorm ideas for a poem that they would like to write about themselves that illustrates something that represents them.

5. Related Books

*Days to Celebrate: A Full Year of Poetry, People, Holidays, History, Fascinating Facts, and More by Lee Bennett Hopkins ISBN 9780060007652
* Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match/Marisol McDonald no combina by Monica Brown ISBN 9780892392353
*I Am America by Charles Smith Jr. ISBN 9780439431798
*I Like Myself! by Karen Beaumont ISBN 9780152020132

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