R is for Rhyme: A Poetry Alphabet (Art and Culture)

Bring the magic of poetry to life with R is for Rhyme: A Poetry Alphabet. From acrostics and ballads to meter and metaphor, author and poet Judy Young has written a delightful collection of poems to illustrate poetic tools, terms and techniques. Each term or technique is demonstrated in an accompanying poem so readers can see the method at work. Whether haiku or rap, sonnets or cinquain, budding writers of all ages will be inspired to put their imaginations to work crafting their own poems.Judy Young remembers showing one of her poems to her grandmother when she was about 10 years old, and she has been in love with writing poetry ever since. Judy is the author of another Sleeping Bear Press book, S is for Show Me: A Missouri Alphabet. Judy lives with her family near Springfield, Missouri. Victor Juhasz's humorous illustrations and caricatures have been commissioned by such clients as Time, Newsweek, The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, and The New York Times. He is also the illustrator of the popular D is for Democracy: A Citizen's Alphabet. Victor lives and works in Stephentown, New York.

Winner of a Mom's Choice Awards -- 2008 Gold Recipient!

Marilyn Courtot - Children's Literature

Where was this book when I was studying poetic forms in school? It is formatted like a picture book but really is so much more. The poems will appeal to the younger readers, but the information that accompanies each is a real goldmine. Running through the alphabet, readers learn what constitutes a ballad, what a ghazal is as well a haiku, kyrielle, onomatopoeia, quatrain, and plenty more. The poems are amusing and the illustrations provide even more humor. The sidebar contains some pretty detailed information about each poetic form and is probably even too detailed for the high end of the proposed age range. For a high school or college student, teacher, parent or librarian, this book will find many uses. It offers terrific examples and explanations to make poetic forms understandable, and even has a page of pointers on the last page with a special note to parents and teachers, as well as a glossary. A must have for any school or classroom library and a gem for any English teacher. 2006, Sleeping Bear Press, Ages 4 to 10.