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Earth Verse: Haiku from the Ground Up
Rocks, fossils, earthquakes.
Seventeen short syllables?
Earth Science haiku!
In a stunning combination of haiku and impressionistic (but accurate) art, this one-of-a-kind book encourages readers to think playfully about our planet and its wondrous processes. Sibert Medal-winning author Sally M. Walker covers Earth's many marvels -- fossilized skeletons of plants and animals, terrific volcanic eruptions, the never-ending hydrologic cycle -- in sometimes straightforward, sometimes metaphoric three-line haikus. Expertly drawn art by William Grill, author-illustrator of Shackleton's Journey, provides a visual reference for each poem. In clear and creative back matter, Walker and Grill further use their skills to provide additional detailed explanations for the science behind each concept. A unique, artistic intersection of poetry and science, Earth Verse is sure to enthrall any and all readers interested in the world around them.
Seventeen short syllables?
Earth Science haiku!
In a stunning combination of haiku and impressionistic (but accurate) art, this one-of-a-kind book encourages readers to think playfully about our planet and its wondrous processes. Sibert Medal-winning author Sally M. Walker covers Earth's many marvels -- fossilized skeletons of plants and animals, terrific volcanic eruptions, the never-ending hydrologic cycle -- in sometimes straightforward, sometimes metaphoric three-line haikus. Expertly drawn art by William Grill, author-illustrator of Shackleton's Journey, provides a visual reference for each poem. In clear and creative back matter, Walker and Grill further use their skills to provide additional detailed explanations for the science behind each concept. A unique, artistic intersection of poetry and science, Earth Verse is sure to enthrall any and all readers interested in the world around them.
48 pages, Hardcover
Published February 13, 2018
About the author
Sally M. Walker
105 books75 followersSally M. Walker has written science books for children, including Earthquakes, an NSTA/CBC Best Science Trade Book of 1997. She lives in DeKalb, IL.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
November 7, 2023
Funny, got this out of the library again remembering I really enjoyed it. Rated 5 stars last time but this experience was more of a 3 star one. Changed my rating to 4 stars as a compromise. Shows how you can experience the same book very differently! Original review below.
A really unique book! Earth science processes and events such as thunderstorms, volcanoes, glaciers, and fossilization are described in haiku and illustrated by William Grill with the most wonderful, soft, dream like pencil drawings in mainly red and blue. The poetic simplicity of the haiku coupled with gentle impressionist style artwork is such a refreshing way to tackle a science subject and ideal for those who otherwise find earth science a bit dry and uninspiring!
We really enjoyed the Haiku, for example
hot-headed mountain
loses its cool, spews ash cloud-
igneous tantrum
I will definitely think 'igneous tantrum' next time I see a volcano! At the back there is a page of explanation on each process with some nice pencil drawn diagrams.
I loved this, very inspiring.
A really unique book! Earth science processes and events such as thunderstorms, volcanoes, glaciers, and fossilization are described in haiku and illustrated by William Grill with the most wonderful, soft, dream like pencil drawings in mainly red and blue. The poetic simplicity of the haiku coupled with gentle impressionist style artwork is such a refreshing way to tackle a science subject and ideal for those who otherwise find earth science a bit dry and uninspiring!
We really enjoyed the Haiku, for example
hot-headed mountain
loses its cool, spews ash cloud-
igneous tantrum
I will definitely think 'igneous tantrum' next time I see a volcano! At the back there is a page of explanation on each process with some nice pencil drawn diagrams.
I loved this, very inspiring.
October 29, 2018
Book Reviewed by Stacey on www.whisperingstories.com
Through 29 Haikus, Sally M. Walker teaches children about the world, opening with ‘third one from the sun, Earth’s blue and white majesty, dwarfs her lunar child’.
All of the Haikus were a delight to read and at the back of the book there are nine pages, all covering a different topic about the earth, giving factual information that correlates to the Haikus. In the bottom right hand corner is a circle with an image, this same image is on one of the factual pages at the back, letting children know which page, goes with which factual information page.
However, I have mixed feeling about this book. Firstly, some of the words are words which children, and most likely a lot of adults, will never of heard of before. Pahoehoe, Pyroclastic, Maiasaura, Gneiss, etc. This makes the book tricky to read as children won’t know what they mean and some are hard to pronounce too.
On one hand, I think this gives a child the opportunity to find out what these words mean, but on the other will children actually want to then go look up the words or will they just gloss over them? Plus, the text is very small, I feel with all the empty space on the pages the font could of been a lot bigger.
The illustrations are also hit and miss with me. They are designed in pastel/crayon style and are quite blurred, this is how they are meant to be. Again, on one hand I feel that the illustrations are unique and different, on the other I don’t feel they complement the book.
As I said I’m not too sure what to make of this book. I feel that it has been cleverly created by a renowned author of children’s educational books. Hopefully, children will enjoy it.
Through 29 Haikus, Sally M. Walker teaches children about the world, opening with ‘third one from the sun, Earth’s blue and white majesty, dwarfs her lunar child’.
All of the Haikus were a delight to read and at the back of the book there are nine pages, all covering a different topic about the earth, giving factual information that correlates to the Haikus. In the bottom right hand corner is a circle with an image, this same image is on one of the factual pages at the back, letting children know which page, goes with which factual information page.
However, I have mixed feeling about this book. Firstly, some of the words are words which children, and most likely a lot of adults, will never of heard of before. Pahoehoe, Pyroclastic, Maiasaura, Gneiss, etc. This makes the book tricky to read as children won’t know what they mean and some are hard to pronounce too.
On one hand, I think this gives a child the opportunity to find out what these words mean, but on the other will children actually want to then go look up the words or will they just gloss over them? Plus, the text is very small, I feel with all the empty space on the pages the font could of been a lot bigger.
The illustrations are also hit and miss with me. They are designed in pastel/crayon style and are quite blurred, this is how they are meant to be. Again, on one hand I feel that the illustrations are unique and different, on the other I don’t feel they complement the book.
As I said I’m not too sure what to make of this book. I feel that it has been cleverly created by a renowned author of children’s educational books. Hopefully, children will enjoy it.
March 30, 2019
Now while I have found some if not even a goodly number of the presented earth science themed haikus in Sally M. Walker's Earth Verse: Haiku from the Ground Up very much engaging and lyrically evocative (read successfully rendered), I personally do tend to find that the further one reads in Earth Verse: Haiku from the Ground Up, the increasingly awkward and not all that poetically inspiring anymore Walker's featured verses seem to become (in other words, the author's haikus about earthquakes, volcanoes, the atmosphere, glaciers and groundwater are in my humble and poetic opinion not nearly as lyrically expressive, as delicately nuanced and therefore also and unfortunately obviously also not as sweetly poetic as her verses regarding the earth as a planet, rocks and fossils tend to be, and that according to my personal poetical tastes and sensibilities, there is therefore somewhat of a definite and frustrating deterioration of lyrical haiku quality in Earth Verse: Haiku from the Ground Upthe closer the end of the book approaches).
And thus, while the combination of Sally M. Walker's haikus and William Grill's impressionistic illustrations presents a decent enough end product (and in conjunction with the wonderfully enlightening, informative supplemental scientific information on the earth, on its minerals, rocks, its atmospheric and geologic phenomena, as well as the appreciated list of suggestions, Earth Verse: Haiku from the Ground Up does create a both informative and poetic description and celebration of both basic and even not so basic geology and science), personally, I have just not found Sally M. Walker's featured earth verse haikus consistently lyrically accomplished enough for me to totally enjoy and love Earth Verse: Haiku from the Ground Up with no lyrical reservations (and furthermore and indeed, although I have enjoyed and appreciated William Grill's impressionistic artwork in and of itself, I also wish that he had refrained from depicting and drawing humans, that ALL of his accompanying images for Earth Verse: Haiku from the Ground Up would be visuals of rocks, minerals, volcanoes etc. as I do certainly tend to find William Grill's depicted humans a bit aesthetically strangely rendered and as such somewhat visually distracting for me).
And thus, while the combination of Sally M. Walker's haikus and William Grill's impressionistic illustrations presents a decent enough end product (and in conjunction with the wonderfully enlightening, informative supplemental scientific information on the earth, on its minerals, rocks, its atmospheric and geologic phenomena, as well as the appreciated list of suggestions, Earth Verse: Haiku from the Ground Up does create a both informative and poetic description and celebration of both basic and even not so basic geology and science), personally, I have just not found Sally M. Walker's featured earth verse haikus consistently lyrically accomplished enough for me to totally enjoy and love Earth Verse: Haiku from the Ground Up with no lyrical reservations (and furthermore and indeed, although I have enjoyed and appreciated William Grill's impressionistic artwork in and of itself, I also wish that he had refrained from depicting and drawing humans, that ALL of his accompanying images for Earth Verse: Haiku from the Ground Up would be visuals of rocks, minerals, volcanoes etc. as I do certainly tend to find William Grill's depicted humans a bit aesthetically strangely rendered and as such somewhat visually distracting for me).
April 17, 2018
I’m not sure what to think of this book. Although I enjoyed reading the poetry and the illustrations, I’m not sure if all kids will understand it. ‘Earth Verse’ is a hardback book about A4 in size although slightly wider and is filled with thick glossy pages of colourful illustrations and some text. It is a non-fiction book all about the planet from its basic structure to the weather that affects its surface.
The book is not arranged in any particular order but explores various aspects of Earth. Each page or double page is filled with illustrations as well as a haiku poem for each image. The haiku poems are all very good and as an adult I can appreciate how interesting and clever they are however I’m not sure that many children will fully appreciate them, especially if they’ve never been introduced to haiku poetry before (like I hadn’t been until I was older).
Each illustration of the book feels very much like a pencil or crayon drawing and are mostly red and blue in colour. Although some people have complained about the illustrations I actually enjoyed them. They are simple but do show what the haiku talks about well and I do like the child-like look to all the images.
Near each page number is a small circle with a specific pattern or illustration in it, it’s only clear once you reach the end of the book why these little patterns exist. At the back of the book there are several pages explaining different aspects of Earth: minerals, rocks, fossils, earthquakes, etc. This section is very interesting and explains in better detail than the poetry does what happens on Earth. It’s a great way for kids to learn especially if they enjoy geography. Each of these sections, such as minerals, has one of the patterns/images associated with it. When you look back at the poetry pages again you can see that each page corresponds to one section. I did enjoy reading this book the second time, once I’d read about the geography of Earth first and I do wonder if this book would be better if the information was read first and then you can appreciate the poetry and images more.
Although I enjoy the haiku and I can’t fault the illustrations, I do think this book is too complicated for a lot of children to understand. The text in a lot of the poetry is too difficult to understand, there were some words that even I didn’t know and had to look up and I know that as a child I wouldn’t have understood what they mean. I also wasn’t a fan of haikus as a child, able to only appreciate them when I as a teenager, and often thought of poetry as being phrases that rhyme so as a child I wouldn’t have understood or enjoyed the book’s poetry aspect much and I wonder if other kids would feel the same.
I think this book is great for kids who are very keen on geography, some of them will enjoy the art work as well as the more detailed text at the back. Others who aren’t so keen might also enjoy the poetry but this may need to be explained a little by an adult first. Whether this book is enjoyed by all children though will depend on how keen they are to read and learn about Earth as well as whether they appreciate and understand the haiku poetry.
-Thanks to Walker Books for free copy.
The book is not arranged in any particular order but explores various aspects of Earth. Each page or double page is filled with illustrations as well as a haiku poem for each image. The haiku poems are all very good and as an adult I can appreciate how interesting and clever they are however I’m not sure that many children will fully appreciate them, especially if they’ve never been introduced to haiku poetry before (like I hadn’t been until I was older).
Each illustration of the book feels very much like a pencil or crayon drawing and are mostly red and blue in colour. Although some people have complained about the illustrations I actually enjoyed them. They are simple but do show what the haiku talks about well and I do like the child-like look to all the images.
Near each page number is a small circle with a specific pattern or illustration in it, it’s only clear once you reach the end of the book why these little patterns exist. At the back of the book there are several pages explaining different aspects of Earth: minerals, rocks, fossils, earthquakes, etc. This section is very interesting and explains in better detail than the poetry does what happens on Earth. It’s a great way for kids to learn especially if they enjoy geography. Each of these sections, such as minerals, has one of the patterns/images associated with it. When you look back at the poetry pages again you can see that each page corresponds to one section. I did enjoy reading this book the second time, once I’d read about the geography of Earth first and I do wonder if this book would be better if the information was read first and then you can appreciate the poetry and images more.
Although I enjoy the haiku and I can’t fault the illustrations, I do think this book is too complicated for a lot of children to understand. The text in a lot of the poetry is too difficult to understand, there were some words that even I didn’t know and had to look up and I know that as a child I wouldn’t have understood what they mean. I also wasn’t a fan of haikus as a child, able to only appreciate them when I as a teenager, and often thought of poetry as being phrases that rhyme so as a child I wouldn’t have understood or enjoyed the book’s poetry aspect much and I wonder if other kids would feel the same.
I think this book is great for kids who are very keen on geography, some of them will enjoy the art work as well as the more detailed text at the back. Others who aren’t so keen might also enjoy the poetry but this may need to be explained a little by an adult first. Whether this book is enjoyed by all children though will depend on how keen they are to read and learn about Earth as well as whether they appreciate and understand the haiku poetry.
-Thanks to Walker Books for free copy.
October 1, 2018
Exhibit A for how the impulse to accommodate "arts integration" can make a mess of it all. I don't know about the science, but the arts suffer in this attempt. The "haiku" are slavish to the 17 syllable count -- which isn't even something to be slavish to (we find out later in life) -- and totally disregard the elements of this form that make it interesting (capturing a moment, for one). I guess I might MIGHT be okay with the text if they called them "short poems" -- but, no. Then I'd wonder why "poems." All the good stuff's in the back, where the author lets language do what it wants to do when it wants to explain something. Also, here the illustrations rock. (har)
Publishers! Spare us! Give us art without the apology.
Publishers! Spare us! Give us art without the apology.
May 26, 2018
Imagine taking something as large as planet Earth and capturing its essence, its beauty, and its wonder in the image-creating precision of the haiku. Well, that is just what Sally Walker has done in Earth Verse and my young readers love it. Walker begins with Earth's place in the solar system:
"third one from the sun,
Earth's blue and white majesty
dwarfs her lunar child"
From the view in space, Walker heads right to the center of her subject:
"fragile outer crust,
shell around mantle and core -
Earth: a hard-boiled egg"
Once the basics are introduced, Walker begins to explore eight of Earth's geological and meteorological events that have formed and continue to form the world in which we live. And she really knows her subject - Walker majored in Geology in college.
First thing you will notice, is that at the beginning of the book, there is a series of eight circular pictures (Earth's symbol is on the title page), one each for Minerals, Rocks, Fossils, Earthquakes, Volcanoes, Atmospheric and Surface Water, Glaciers, and Groundwater.
Each symbol corresponds to a different topic covered. Then, as you read, look at the bottom right hand corner of each page and you will find one of these symbols. This tells the reader that they can find more factual information about each of these natural phenomena in the back matter, along with some Suggestions for Further Reading.
I introduced this book to my young readers because of the volcanic activity the began in April 2018 on the Hawaiian island of Kilauea and the subsequent earthquakes that caused even more volcanic activity:
"hotheaded mountain
loses its cool, spews ash cloud
igneous tantrum"
"energy unleashed
shoots waves through the brittle crust -
trees topple down cliffs"
As you can see, Earth Verse provided us wth not just an interesting, excellent introduction to Earth Science, but I also used it as a vocabulary lesson (yes, I had to look up more words than just igneous, too), an art lesson, a lesson on writing poetry, and, right now, it worked as a current events lesson.
William Grill's color pencil illustrations mirror the soft, rhythmic flow of the haiku form at the same time that it captures the essence of these geological wonders.
Earth Verse is a beautifully done work of nonfiction at its best and it definitely will be used again and again. It would be a any welcomed addition to any classroom, home school, or personal library. I combined Earth Verse with Jason Chin's equally breathtaking book Grand Canyon, for an broader picture of the natural world we live in.
This book is recommended for readers age 7+
This book was provided to me by the publisher, Candlewick Press
"third one from the sun,
Earth's blue and white majesty
dwarfs her lunar child"
From the view in space, Walker heads right to the center of her subject:
"fragile outer crust,
shell around mantle and core -
Earth: a hard-boiled egg"
Once the basics are introduced, Walker begins to explore eight of Earth's geological and meteorological events that have formed and continue to form the world in which we live. And she really knows her subject - Walker majored in Geology in college.
First thing you will notice, is that at the beginning of the book, there is a series of eight circular pictures (Earth's symbol is on the title page), one each for Minerals, Rocks, Fossils, Earthquakes, Volcanoes, Atmospheric and Surface Water, Glaciers, and Groundwater.
Each symbol corresponds to a different topic covered. Then, as you read, look at the bottom right hand corner of each page and you will find one of these symbols. This tells the reader that they can find more factual information about each of these natural phenomena in the back matter, along with some Suggestions for Further Reading.
I introduced this book to my young readers because of the volcanic activity the began in April 2018 on the Hawaiian island of Kilauea and the subsequent earthquakes that caused even more volcanic activity:
"hotheaded mountain
loses its cool, spews ash cloud
igneous tantrum"
"energy unleashed
shoots waves through the brittle crust -
trees topple down cliffs"
As you can see, Earth Verse provided us wth not just an interesting, excellent introduction to Earth Science, but I also used it as a vocabulary lesson (yes, I had to look up more words than just igneous, too), an art lesson, a lesson on writing poetry, and, right now, it worked as a current events lesson.
William Grill's color pencil illustrations mirror the soft, rhythmic flow of the haiku form at the same time that it captures the essence of these geological wonders.
Earth Verse is a beautifully done work of nonfiction at its best and it definitely will be used again and again. It would be a any welcomed addition to any classroom, home school, or personal library. I combined Earth Verse with Jason Chin's equally breathtaking book Grand Canyon, for an broader picture of the natural world we live in.
This book is recommended for readers age 7+
This book was provided to me by the publisher, Candlewick Press
December 16, 2021
I had no idea this was going to be a picture book when I found it on my library's online database. I'm not very gifted when it comes to Haikus, but I love being able to read what others create. And this book was unique because at the end, Sally Walker gives more details and even visual aides on the Earth's many layers, minerals, rocks, and a bit more...but I think if you're interested in knowing more, you'll go check it out.
September 9, 2020
3.5 stars
October 17, 2018
Recommended Grade Levels: K-3
Themes: Earth, science, poetry
Summary:
This book is a collection of haikus. The haikus center around Earth and its multifaceted nature. The book begins looking at Earth itself, first from outer space and then at a cross-section of Earth. Through this book, readers explore many of Earth’s attributes, from small details to large concepts. Some of what is covered includes molten magma, petrified wood, fossils, thunderstorms, and tsunamis. The poems progress by theme: first Earth itself, then minerals, rocks, fossils, earthquakes, volcanoes, atmospheric and surface water, and finally glaciers and groundwater. At the end of the book, Walker includes an explanation for each section, providing further scientific research behind these themes.
Personal response:
I enjoyed this book because the haikus helped to take me through Earth in a smooth, comprehensive way. I felt like I was able to get a grasp on how diverse the earth is while not being bogged down by too many details. The haikus provided both big-picture as well as in-depth perspective on the world while keeping a pleasing flow to the pace. This book reminded me of my science classes in elementary school and the excitement that I used to have towards learning more about the world around me through science. I especially appreciated the added information at the end of the book, allowing further explanation on what the haikus touch upon.
Note about illustrations:
William Grill completed the illustrations of this book in colored pencil. They have a sort of child-like, impressionistic feel to them while still maintaining scientific integrity. Grill was sure to attach a small drawn symbol on the bottom right corner of each page spread which links to individual themes that are further explained at the end of the book. The text is often imposed right on top of the picture, while the illustration spans the entire page. When this is so, the illustrations strategically leave a cloud or lightly shaded space for the text to sit. A few times this is not the case, such as the glimpse of an underground well. Here the picture is not a full page, but white space frames it in a circle while the text rests on a white background on the adjacent page. This book appeals to children with its diverse, colorful depictions of scientific wonder that they are sure to want to learn more about.
Reader Response/Classroom Connections:
After reading this book, children may gather in groups and select one of the scientific concepts behind the haikus to further research. Together, the groups may then research this concept further and present it to the rest of the class through a PowerPoint and hands-on experiment that relates to the concept.
This book may also be used as inspiration to learn more about caves specifically. Students may work together to research stalactites and stalagmites. They may write their own haiku about the wonders found inside caves as well as the creation of caves themselves. As part of the completion to this project, students may go on a field trip together to visit and explore a local cave near their school.
Themes: Earth, science, poetry
Summary:
This book is a collection of haikus. The haikus center around Earth and its multifaceted nature. The book begins looking at Earth itself, first from outer space and then at a cross-section of Earth. Through this book, readers explore many of Earth’s attributes, from small details to large concepts. Some of what is covered includes molten magma, petrified wood, fossils, thunderstorms, and tsunamis. The poems progress by theme: first Earth itself, then minerals, rocks, fossils, earthquakes, volcanoes, atmospheric and surface water, and finally glaciers and groundwater. At the end of the book, Walker includes an explanation for each section, providing further scientific research behind these themes.
Personal response:
I enjoyed this book because the haikus helped to take me through Earth in a smooth, comprehensive way. I felt like I was able to get a grasp on how diverse the earth is while not being bogged down by too many details. The haikus provided both big-picture as well as in-depth perspective on the world while keeping a pleasing flow to the pace. This book reminded me of my science classes in elementary school and the excitement that I used to have towards learning more about the world around me through science. I especially appreciated the added information at the end of the book, allowing further explanation on what the haikus touch upon.
Note about illustrations:
William Grill completed the illustrations of this book in colored pencil. They have a sort of child-like, impressionistic feel to them while still maintaining scientific integrity. Grill was sure to attach a small drawn symbol on the bottom right corner of each page spread which links to individual themes that are further explained at the end of the book. The text is often imposed right on top of the picture, while the illustration spans the entire page. When this is so, the illustrations strategically leave a cloud or lightly shaded space for the text to sit. A few times this is not the case, such as the glimpse of an underground well. Here the picture is not a full page, but white space frames it in a circle while the text rests on a white background on the adjacent page. This book appeals to children with its diverse, colorful depictions of scientific wonder that they are sure to want to learn more about.
Reader Response/Classroom Connections:
After reading this book, children may gather in groups and select one of the scientific concepts behind the haikus to further research. Together, the groups may then research this concept further and present it to the rest of the class through a PowerPoint and hands-on experiment that relates to the concept.
This book may also be used as inspiration to learn more about caves specifically. Students may work together to research stalactites and stalagmites. They may write their own haiku about the wonders found inside caves as well as the creation of caves themselves. As part of the completion to this project, students may go on a field trip together to visit and explore a local cave near their school.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2018
This is one of those books which is beautiful with excellent illustrations and meaningful poetry but is unlikely to be frequently read by a child who owns it.
The book is larger than A4 and has pastel earth tone illustrations throughout. I found the illustrations quite generic and would have liked more detailed illustrations (or even photos) of the wonderful earth features.
Each large page has a haiku on it. As I am sure you can imagine this means a lot of picture & not a lot of text. Although the haikus are all very well it will take around 10 minutes to complete this book if reading from cover to cover - and that is taking it slowly. I found some of the vocabularly quite stretching for a primary school child - which is good in one way but not ideal if they are reading alone.
I think this is a book best suited to use in schools. I can see that it would be useful in a poetry lesson or when working to extend a child's vocabularly.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
The book is larger than A4 and has pastel earth tone illustrations throughout. I found the illustrations quite generic and would have liked more detailed illustrations (or even photos) of the wonderful earth features.
Each large page has a haiku on it. As I am sure you can imagine this means a lot of picture & not a lot of text. Although the haikus are all very well it will take around 10 minutes to complete this book if reading from cover to cover - and that is taking it slowly. I found some of the vocabularly quite stretching for a primary school child - which is good in one way but not ideal if they are reading alone.
I think this is a book best suited to use in schools. I can see that it would be useful in a poetry lesson or when working to extend a child's vocabularly.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
October 10, 2018
Not amazing to me, but still enjoyable. Possibly because of my interest in geology. I notice little symbol like pictures in the page corners, and those were explained in more depth after the poems. Illustrations fairly simple. Didn't astound me, but may appeal more to children of a younger age.
September 10, 2025
What a great crossover text: poetry, geology, illustration, and intrigue! In the fossil category are two haiku: "silica, ghost-like, / drifts into wood and shouts. "Boo!"--/ petrified forest" and "nestled in sandstone, / Maiasaura shields her young / fossil family" which are discussed further in prose at the back of the book. The fossils are "like a stone photograph of ancient life-forms and the environments they lived in." I loved the limited pastel palette used for all illustrations. I'd forgotten how non-fiction spurs you to inquire further. I just had to search for images of the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona.
I also enjoyed reading "hotheaded mountain / loses its cool, spews ash cloud-- / igneous tantrum" and the related factual prose stating that pyroclasts travel "at speeds up to hundreds of miles per hour" destroying everything in its path.
I also enjoyed reading "hotheaded mountain / loses its cool, spews ash cloud-- / igneous tantrum" and the related factual prose stating that pyroclasts travel "at speeds up to hundreds of miles per hour" destroying everything in its path.
April 12, 2022
This collection of poems explores all the wonders the world has to offer: volcanoes, deserts, lakes, glaciers, etc. The author's poems flow like a sweet melody and reflect each scene that she is creating. The illustrations are in a more impressionist style, but they were still rather simplistic. However, I think it works well with the simple structure of the haikus on each page. The vocabulary, though, seems as if it may be too advanced for younger readers. Words like "stalactite" and "everlasting" may be a bit difficult for the students to decipher and comprehend. Overall, this would be a 3.5 for me. I really enjoyed the book, but I still felt like there was something to be desired. With that being said, this collection could still be useful in a science or ELA lesson!
February 21, 2018
The sparseness and brevity of haiku poetry is combined with the expansive subject of the Earth itself in this memorable picture book. It's hard to get more succinct than "relentless glaciers/pluck and smooth steep valley walls/changing V to U" but it's also an impressively accurate description of how glaciers carve valleys. Some of it's just plain beautiful: describing how sediment-filled waves wash up and deposit sand, Walker gives the evocative image of a gull wearing "sand socks". Don't miss the lucid descriptions fossils, earthquakes, minerals, and more in the back matter. A+.
May 5, 2019
I’m always looking for books that introduce poetry to students in unique ways. Earth Verse does this very well with Haikus that Bring earth science into the mix. A poetry book that relates to curriculum is always welcome! The haikus are great, engaging the students, but I found that the muted colours of the illustrations wasn’t attractive to my students. I did find that they loved the more in depth descriptions of the haiku topics at the back of the book. Volcanoes and rocks and fossils, it is a great book to introduce earth science and poetry to students
February 22, 2018
Combine haiku with non-fiction and you have a winning combination! Earth Verse is a collection of haiku poems, beautifully illustrated in colored pencil by William Grill. The poems and illustrations share scientific information about the earth. After the poetry ends, the non-fiction descriptions begin with a page devoted to fossils, earthquakes, volcanoes, etc. Suggestions for further reading are also included.
April 24, 2019
I'm not a fan of poetry or haiku, but this is a beautiful book. The illustrations and accompanying haikus are set to the theme of our planet. It is not preachy or political, just takes the facts about the planet (waterfalls, volcanoes, earthquakes, etc.), and basically puts them to the music of haiku. I actually read and reread this book over and over again...It has a peaceful rhythm and lovely message.
Read
April 12, 2020"Earth Verse: Haiku from the Ground Up" by Sally M. Walker and illustrated by William Grill was published in 2018. This is a great read-aloud option for 1st-3rd graders. This book is comprised of haiku poems and the illustrator beautifully provides images of earthly landscapes. Students will be able to feed on their imagination and curiosity as they read through the literary devices that are present throughout the text.
April 1, 2019
This is not the book for me. If it wasn’t an #IllinoisReads2019 title, I would have never picked it up. I am not a haiku person to begin with, and I think this book may want to use the haikus to tell a story, but it seems to jump everywhere. Plus the illustrations mostly looked like spilled chalk paintings that are more blurr than art.
July 25, 2019
Informative and well designed. A small illustration in the corner of each page relates to scientific information at the back of the book.
The book itself is an extended poem about the scientific make up of our earth. Accompanied by beautiful pastel looking artwork, it has a kind of dreamy quality that children would enjoy.
The book itself is an extended poem about the scientific make up of our earth. Accompanied by beautiful pastel looking artwork, it has a kind of dreamy quality that children would enjoy.
May 14, 2023
I borrowed this book because I read another book illustrated & authored by William Grill.
Interesting work.
The Haiku is this book are on point.
would be very fun in the lessons of geography.
Each spread has a circle icon in the lower right corner.
These icons are symbols for the geographic elements (not sure this term is correct)
and are explained at the back of the book.
Interesting work.
The Haiku is this book are on point.
would be very fun in the lessons of geography.
Each spread has a circle icon in the lower right corner.
These icons are symbols for the geographic elements (not sure this term is correct)
and are explained at the back of the book.
March 16, 2018
With each subsequent reading, I found myself more in awe of how specific Walker's word choice had to be! I like the icon at the bottom of each page and the corresponding information in the backmatter.
May 7, 2018
Solid haiku about various geological processes, some great vocabulary words. Small keys in the corner of the pictures group the poems into categories of processes that are fully explained at the end. The three color illustrations are ethereal and interesting.
June 2, 2018
This is a clever book that combines geology and haiku; the illustrations are lovely.
This would have been given 5 stars if the bibliography was a little more current. Overall, it is a lovely book. I am thinking of purchasing it for my own personal collection.
This would have been given 5 stars if the bibliography was a little more current. Overall, it is a lovely book. I am thinking of purchasing it for my own personal collection.
May 5, 2021
Such a unique poetry collection! The cherry on top was the informational section in the back. This book is just....*chef's kiss*.
Would be a great book to help teach geology or haiku writing. Either way, they get a double dose of the arts and science!
Would be a great book to help teach geology or haiku writing. Either way, they get a double dose of the arts and science!
November 14, 2021
I appreciated the haiku about various features of the earth. The pages at the end of the book give greater details about the different categories (earth, minerals, rocks, fossils, etc.) that the haiku were grouped into.
January 27, 2018
Walker's haiku's are well done but it's William Grill's illustration that stand out.
February 1, 2018
Great resource to connect poetry and Earth science, especially with the inclusion of additional facts in the back matter.
February 13, 2018
Love the haiku; love the illustrations.
March 1, 2018
Earth Science through poetry and art! Haikus and back matter on earthquakes, fossils, glaciers and more...
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