Book Review #8: A Poetry Book by a Specified Author

1. For our eighth assignment, I chose to review the following book, which was by one of the specified poetry authors:

(Book Cover Source: http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/44732224&referer=brief_results, accessed October 12, 2008)

BIBLIOGRAPHY:
George, Kristine O'Connell. 2001. Toasting marshmallows: camping poems. Ill. by Kate Kiesler. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 061804597

2. SUMMARY:
In Toasting Marshmallows, Kristine O'Connell George has conveyed the story of an annual family camping trip, as seen through the eyes of a young girl, in 30 brief, but insightful poems. Beginning with the tent-shaped poem, "Tent," and moving on to celebrate animals, nature scenes, and the rituals of camping like hiking, fishing, campfires, and toasting marshmallows, George has deftly captured the enchantment of the camping experience. Along with the more obvious topics, the focus often drifts toward introspection. "By Myself" highlights the joy of quietly observing nature. "The Best Path" ends with the notion that "The best paths lead you to where you didn't know you wanted to go." Several of the poems are imaginative, including such thoughts as the moon listening to their secrets, the children pretending to drive an abandoned truck home, and the lazy family dog reverting to its more primitive nature and becoming "Timber Wolf." Each poem is brought to life by Kate Kiesler's rich, acrylic illustrations.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS:
Although the poems are brief, George captures the essence of each topic with wit and keen observations of nature and humans. Stylistically, the poems vary. Some are enhanced by being written in a shape, like "Tent," "Eavesdropping" (written in the shape of a crescent moon) and "Storm" (written in the shape of oncoming rain). Rhyme is used sporadically throughout. Several close with the last two phrases rhyming. A few, like the title poem "Toasting Marshmallows," have several sections that rhyme. "Abandoned Cabin" is the only poem that consistently rhymes throughout. Many poems do not rhyme at all. However, the sound of the poems is enriched by other effects. Assonance is often used to good effect, as in the title poem in which she closes with phrases containing a series of short i sounds: "stick, crisp, quick, and six." Consonance is used as well, as in "Sweeps of wild mustard swinging up the hillsides." All of these effects make the poems a pleasure to read aloud.

George's word choices are also evocative. A doe "poised mid-quiver," a sleeping bag "cocoon," and a description of a moose as "an awkward scaffold halfway between a camel and a horse, with a bit too much of everything" all paint such vivid mental images, one can picture these scenes without the benefit of Kiesler's illustrations. Metaphors like "heavy black clouds rumble toward us, an oncoming train hauling a thunderous load of storm" and a "confetti of birds" also add much to enrich the imagery. Delightful examples of personification are found throughout, such as "the cave breaths icy and ancient," an "elegant crowd of Queen Anne's lace," "her chrome grille is a shy, wistful grin" and regarding a flashlight - "one wide-open eye staring back at me" - all adding to the reader's appreciation of the poems.

Finally, of particular note are the poems that close with a clever twist. From "Mosquito Song" ("Is that you, Dinner? Greeeeeeeeeetings!"), to "Rowing to the Island" ("Such hard work, pulling an island across a lake), to "Gone Fishing" ("All I caught was one little brother - hauled up out of the cattails, sputtering, soggy, and still stubborn"), each brings a smile at George's adroit observations.

For the most part, Kiesler's illustrations add to the enjoyment of the poetry. She uses a rich array of colors to paint these scenes from nature. Overall, the colors tend to be on the dark side. Thus, when a bright image appears, as in the poem "Wild Mustard," it heightens the experience. While adept at painting natural settings and animals, Kiesler is less skilled at portraying humans. Faces often take on a primitive cast that detracts from the overall effect. However, her close-up of a moose, her fog-shrouded island, and nighttime skies more than make up for that weakness. The alternating use of white space and illustrations serve to highlight each in a pleasing way. Particularly clever is the poem titled "Flashlight," in which the phrases appear in separate, circular beams of light.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS:
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books: "Though more plainspoken than lyrical, this is nonetheless an effectively atmospheric verse series that could serve as both camping introduction and memento."
Horn Book Guide: "The pleasure and surprise of going camping are conveyed in thirty brief poems . . . Richly colored paintings enhance the verses."
School Library Journal: "George has captured 30 sublimely simple poems that capture the sights, sounds, smells, and sensations of a family's camping trip . . . The poems are varied and inventive, replete with marvelous images and universal truths."

5. CONNECTIONS:
*The school setting includes children who have grown up camping, along with those who have never had this experience. This book would be a delightful way to introduce the experience to those who have never gone, and to prompt reminiscing from those who have. One of the strengths of this book is the way George blends simple language with evocative, descriptive words. It would definitely serve to enhance children's vocabularies, along with their understanding of the nuances of many of these events and scenes.
*One could also expand the poetry experience by pairing this book with other nature poetry titles by George, or with other books about camping.
Other nature titles by George could include:
George, Kristine O'Connell. Hummingbird nest: a journal of poems. ISBN 0152023259
George, Kristine O'Connell. Old elm speaks: tree poems. ISBN 0395876117
George, Kristine O'Connell. The great frog race and other poems. ISBN 0618604782

Possible camping titles could include:
Henkes, Kevin. Bailey goes camping. ISBN 0688152880
James, Helen Foster. S is for s'mores: a camping alphabet. ISBN 1585363022
Mayer, Mercer. Camping out. ISBN 1577688066
Ruurs, Margriet. When we go camping. ISBN 0887766854