Janeczko, Paul B. 2001. A Poke in the
I: A Collection of Concrete Poems;
Illus. by Chris Raschka.
I: A Collection of Concrete Poems;
Illus. by Chris Raschka.
Cambridge: MA. Candlewick Press
Paul Janeczko in his compilation of 30 concrete poems (poems that form shapes and pictures) has demonstrated that although words are important, their layout on the pages leaves plenty of space for the verse to move. Even though the visual pattern (shape) can really catch our eye, it is the language itself that makes the poems poetic. The table of contents which is artistically done gets you into the mood, appearing, understandably enough, as a table. As you read Monica Kulling's poem “Tennis Anyone?” you bounce from one side to another along with the ball. The illustrations by Chris Raschka offer a collage of ink, watercolor, and torn paper. Raschka’s artwork is creative, at times funny, the scarlet dancer with billowing crimson hair, or, for a change of pace, the round-headed yellow guy who peers up into one poem or recoils from another.
This book of concrete poems offers a fresh and enticing approach to reading a different kind of poetry.
Reviews
Book Magazine
Who can resist a concrete poem, a poem that visually reflects its subject? This elegant collection brings together thirty clever examples of them. Some form images, like a giraffe or a popsicle, while others vary the size of typeface to make a point. The table of contents, for instance, is shaped like a table. Brightly colored collage illustrations, which enhance some of the poems but almost overwhelm others, have the same playful spirit as the poetry itself.
Who can resist a concrete poem, a poem that visually reflects its subject? This elegant collection brings together thirty clever examples of them. Some form images, like a giraffe or a popsicle, while others vary the size of typeface to make a point. The table of contents, for instance, is shaped like a table. Brightly colored collage illustrations, which enhance some of the poems but almost overwhelm others, have the same playful spirit as the poetry itself.
School Library Journal
Gr 3-6-Starting with a contents page shaped like a table, clever design and illustration bring out the best in Janeczko's selections. Thirty concrete poems of all shapes and sizes are carefully laid on large white spreads, extended by Raschka's quirky watercolor and paper-collage illustrations. Some of the poems bend or turn or fall down the page, some are shaped like an object. Some evoke a sound or an emotion or a landscape. Kids with a taste for the unusual and tricky will have no end of fun with these puzzlers. The effectiveness of the poems is clear when you consider that the one in German needs no translation. Reinhard D hl's "Pattern Poem with an Elusive Intruder" is a rounded block of text consisting of the word "Apfel" repeated over and over, except in one place, where there's a "Wurm." Janeczko's brief "Notes from the Editor" (laid out in radiating lines like music blasting from a saxophone) serves as a quick introduction to concrete poems, but kids will have little trouble figuring out what they are all about, or trying out their own. Beautiful and playful, this title should find use in storytimes, in the classroom, and just for pleasure anywhere.
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