Call Me Marianne

by Jen Bryant, David A. Johnson (illustrator)

"Are you a scientist?" I ask. Marianne stops writing and looks up. "No, I'm not a scientist -- I'm a poet.""Oh," I reply. I've never met a poet before. "What, exactly, does a poet do?" I ask her."For me, being a poet begins with watching." On a trip to the zoo, young Jonathan returns a lost hat to Marianne, a woman who wears all black and scribbles notes in a little book. When Marianne invites him to tour the zoo with her, Jonathan makes a new friend and learns that he too can write poetry.With lighthearted illustrations and a poetically told story, this picture book about poet Marianne Moore offers readers a glimpse of the writing process and encourages them to become writers too.

Genres: Picture Books, Fiction, Poetry

32 pages, Hardcover

First published February 15, 2006

About the author

Jen Bryant (Jennifer Fisher Bryant) writes picture books, novels and poems for readers of all ages. Her biographical picture book: A River of Words: The Story of William Carlos Williams, illustrated by Melissa Sweet,received a Caldecott Honor award and her historical novel in verse RINGSIDE 1925: Views from the Scopes Trial is an Oprah Recommended Book for ages 12 & up. Other titles include Pieces of Georgia (IRA Young Adult Choices Pick), The Trial (about the 1935 Lindbergh baby kidnapping trial), a 1960’s-era novel Kaleidoscope Eyes (a Jr. Library Guild selection), Georgia’s Bones, celebrating the creative vision of artist Georgia O’Keeffe, Music for the End of Time, based on a true story about WWII, and Abe’s Fish: A Boyhood Tale of Abraham Lincoln.

Jen has taught writing and Children’s Literature at West Chester University and Bryn Mawr College and gives lectures, workshops and school presentations throughout the year. She lives with husband, daughter and their Springer Spaniel in Chester County, PA.

Reviews

[Colona Public Library · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is about Marianne Moore, who is a poet. I've never read anything of her (that I remember) so, It was kind of interesting reading a bit about her. Unfortunately, the story itself was a bit boring. It was about a boy who had returned her hat and that leads to a discussion. If I knew more about Marianne I think I would have enjoyed it more. The illustrations were very nice.
~Ashley

[Annie O'Hare · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marianne is befriended while at the zoo. She is one who often comes to the zoo to write poetry. Through her love of poetry, Jonathan is able to experience the world of poetry. A friendship blossoms between the two of them. This is a heartfelt book that explores a less used form of writing. I would recommend this book to students that are early readers.

[Jessica Emra]

Marianne is befriended while at the zoo. She is one who often comes to the zoo to write poetry. Through her love of poetry, Jonathan is able to experience the world of poetry. A friendship blossoms between the two of them. This is a heartfelt book that explores a less used form of writing. I would recommend this book to students that are early readers. (

[Ashley Moser · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boring book about a boy who meets a poet at the zoo

[Sophia Lawrence · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is probably 2nd-4th-grade reading level as it discusses a boys journey through the zoo and he meets Marianne. She teaches him a little about poetry and the boy gets excited about it and although it is somewhat fictional it has a biographical aspect to it. She shows him her little black book of poems and how the animals at the zoo inspire some of them. The inside cover in the back talks about how this may have never happened in real life with Marianne Moore but it is something that totally could have happened to her. He already describes the animals very well before he meets Marianne so this is a perfect way for the boy to express what he sees.
I actually did not know who Marianne Moore was until I read this book and did a little research on her. The other poetry book I read about fruit "Fresh and Delicious" could pair well with this as that one describes poetry about food and this one is about a poet and the students could write about animals. I thought this book was cute because it showed a student getting excited about poetry and maybe that can inspire students in my classroom someday.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Jen Bryant’s books, and recently discovered this one from 2006. She’s written about Horace Pippin, Louis Braille, William Carlos Williams, Georgia O’Keefe and others. This book is considered biography, but Jen herself writes that it is an imagined event at a zoo where a young boy who's ridden the bus to see a particular lizard and notices a lady in black with a tri-cornered hat who also gets off at the zoo. That woman is the poet Marianne Moore. The boy Jonathan notices the hat on the ground later, finds the woman to return it. They make their acquaintance and Jonathan asks Marianne what she’s writing about in her notebook. Thus begins a friendship for the day and they tour the zoo together. Jonathan asks what a poet does, Marianne explains about observations so that a poem tells what is “just right”. It's a special moment when Marianne gives the boy his own notebook, telling him to write his own poem.
There is a long page of information shared at the back. The illustrations appear to be ink drawings, with speckled background in various colors, as if it is a story of long ago. Those of the animals are gorgeous.

[Shannon McGee · Rating 1 out of 5]

This picture book is about a little boy meeting poet Marianne Moore at at a zoo. I found it less interesting than most picture books. It just seemed a little boring. The boy meets Marianne after she loses her hat. She then walks with him through the zoo and tells him about being a poet. But there was nothing fun about that, except maybe that they were at a zoo. Even that seemed tedious, though. One of Jen Bryant's better book is Abe's Fish, about Abraham Lincoln, which I reviewed also.

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an unusual poet to be the subject of a picture book, but I like the fact that it does introduce children to someone less well known.

[Gideon · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a Marianne book.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This picture book made me want to go out and read some of Marianne Moore's poetry. It was a sweet story about a boy who meets Marianne Moore at the zoo and the talk about poetry and the animals. I enjoyed the book a lot.

[Georgia Herod · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here is another beautiful picture biography by Jen Bryant, who features an unusual female poet: Marianne Moore.

Johnathan, the central character, meets Marianne at the zoo after the wind had blown away her black tri-cornered hat. Johnathan catches the hat and goes in search of the owner, who is scribbling and writing in a small notebook. When Johnathan asks if she's a scientist, he meets his first poet.

Marianne invites him to tour the zoo with her and learn the discipline of watching closely and making notes. Johnathan not only makes a friend but he also learns something about the process of writing.

Gentle, lovely drawings by David A. Johnson beautifully complement the poetic story.