I wasn't really a fan of this poetry book for children. I don't know if Poe is the way to go when it comes to the youth. The photos are great and are a tool to get them to follow along but I think that concepts are too in depth to utilize for anything other than in introductory read. ( )

This is a collection of some of Edgar Allen Poe's most famous poetry. The book offers great introductions to most poems with several vocabulary words as well as a little context to help the reader understand the poem. Each page is also illustrated to match the poem.
This makes a great poetry book because it houses works from a famous poet but also provides context for young readers.
Media: acrylic paint
Age Range: Intermediate ( )

Definitely a more complex book of poetry for children. Probably best for 4th or 5th grade up. This is a nice collection of Poe's beautifully haunting poetry. Each poem begins with a brief synopsis and includes definitions for more complicated words. It ends with some "poems" that have been pulled from some of Poe's prose, but they have been altered by the editors to make the lines more rhythmic. While the editors explain themselves in the introduction, I don't think I would use these alterations in a class. The illustrations appear to be mostly pencil- they are simple and reflect the emotions of the poems accurately

Although the pictures support the readers comprehension of these complex poems, the poems still remain complex for a large audience. There are short summaries at the start of each poem to support the reader and or adult by giving them background knowledge to help better understand the poem, yet even with these synopsis', the poems are not for everyone. ( )

A brief summary:
This book begins with an introduction to Edgar Allan Poe and his many works. The introduction describes the tragic and rough life that Poe lived and how it impacted the poetry and prose that he wrote. The book contains 13 poems and 8 excerpts from prose written by Poe.

My personal reaction:
Although Edgar Allan Poe's poems and other works tend to be sad and dark, I enjoy the authentic quality that they bring. I especially enjoy Poe's use of rhyme. For example, Poe uses rhyme in his poem Annabel Lee and it gives the poem a song like quality. I appreciate how this book provides definitions for difficult words so that students may better understand them.

A couple of uses:
- Have students select an American poet that they would like to study. Have each student research and learn more about the poet and have the project accumulate into an "American Poet Showcase" where students dress up, share poetry and teach their peers about the poet they studied.
- Use Poe's poems as examples of rhyming poetry that have musical qualities and have students write their own poems in this form.

Genre:
Poetry

Media:
Gouache ( )