Baseball season! For a kid who loves the sport, everything about it is important. Pitching, batting, sliding, winning, losing, Grandpa's knuckleballs, superstitious teammates, cheering spectators—even the infield dust . . . each has a place in the player's life. And all are captured here in Fehler's perceptive, exuberant poetry and Donald Wu's lively illustrations. Readers who play baseball will recognize a kindred spirit in the young narrator whose voice is heard in this book and will share his pleasure in every aspect of the game. Sports fans may even discover that they're poetry fans, too.
A few of the poems were good but most seemed forced and quicky written--I believe poetry should move you and make you "feel" what the author is describing, in this case, baseball. I only felt that I was bored and wanted to reach the end of this book.
Poetry. Published in 2009 for grades 1-5. This is a wonderful book to introduce poetry to boys and girls. It makes poetry real - when it is about something they do all the time. It draws their interest as it has a poem in here for everyone. A poem about him playing ball with dad, with gramps, moms, winning, losing, being benched, different pitches, and how to count base hits like counting sheep. The teacher can have the students identify their favorite poem in the book, identify the various types of poems in the book, have the students write their own poem with something that interests them. The teacher could collaborate with the PE teacher by having the PE teacher read the poem on the different pitches gramps throws and then show how to throw that pitch. Everyone loves the PE teacher if he/she reads poetry then that may make a big impression on them. Themes include poetry, family, sports and physical education.
As I read "Change-up: Baseball Poems" I couldn't help but reminisce about my own baseball memories. The poems are set up in a story like manner and describe a young boy's baseball season. With poems titled, "Bench View, Superstitious, and My First Loss" it was almost like I was on the field with him. I definitely remember all the superstitions of baseball (rally caps, batting glove adjustments, tapping the plate) and can retell my most heartbreaking moments as well as my most celebrated moments of my baseball experience.
The illustrations are okay in my opinion, but the way the poetry is able to describe the aspects of baseball, and how the author has a way with setting up the text to fit the style of the poems definitely made this book a great one for me. Now all I want to do is find my baseball mitt and play catch!
Fehler is a really good poet, and a handful of these poems are truly clever, but the illustrations are a bit puzzling. Who exactly is this book intended for? From the poems themselves I would have guessed upper elementary, but the pictures would be at home in an early reader. A strange mix, but the poems got me in the mood for baseball! Go Cubs!
Originally Rated G by David Lewandowski This book is narrow in scope – baseball. But I think is may be a good way to introduce the hard to reach, poetry-reluctant student. Some basic illustrations are included that may bring a chuckle.
Note: This might work well for the Humble ISD assignment.
aseball season! For a kid who loves the sport, everything about it is important. Pitching, batting, sliding, winning, losing, Grandpa's knuckleballs, superstitious teammates, cheering spectators--even the infield dust . . . each has a place in the player's life. And all are captured here in Fehler's perceptive, exuberant poetry and Donald Wu's lively illustrations. Readers who play baseball will recognize a kindred spirit in the young narrator whose voice is heard in this book and will share his pleasure in every aspect of the game. Sports fans may even discover that they're poetry fans, too.
Notes Gene Fehler is a widely-published and anthologized poet whose work has appeared in children's books, poetry collections, and college textbooks. He is also the author of five books, including two adult nonfiction titles about baseball's golden age. He lives in Seneca, South Carolina.