NCTE Award Poetry

Bibliographic Citation

Esbensen, Barbara J. 2003. Swing around the sun: poems. Ill. by Cheng-Khee, Chee, et al. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books. ISBN 0876141432

Review

NCTE’s 1994 Award Winning Poet, the late Barbara Esbensen’s previously published book (1965) which celebrates the seasons is brought to new life with a new crew of illustrators for each of the four seasons. “Swing Around the Sun: Poems”, features five rhyming poems filled with metaphors for each season. The mossy green watercolors of Cheng-Khee Chee take readers through the spring season as “Umbrellas” make their appearance in the rain … “/Under my umbrella-top,/Splashing through the town,/I wonder why the tulips/ Hold umbrellas/ Up-side-down!”. Moving to the summer season, Janice Lee Porter uses acrylic paintings and curving lines to convey visual meaning for “Fireworks”, and “Yellow” which speaks of the sun, dandelions, and pears. Artist Mary Grand Pré ushers in the fall with muted colors of the spooky season of “Halloween” and “Prediction” which leads readers to think about what changes winter will bring. Caldecott winning artist Stephen Gammell creates the winter landscape with a mix of icy white and hues of blue that seem to bring the chill that come with “First Snow” “/Snow stars fall/On faces and hats;/ They twinkle the ears/And the fur of our cats. / They fall and they spin/In the cold, black night-/Pointed and sparkling, /White! White! White!”

Poem Title

"Discovery"

Within its polished universe
The apple holds a star,
A secret constellation
To scatter near and far.

Let a knife discover
Where the five points hide;
Split the shining ruby
And find the star inside!

Introduction or Follow-up Activity

Each fall, our first grade students visit the library to complete a unit study on the seasons. In the past, I have used a book by Gail Gibbons titled, “The Season’s of Arnold’s Apple Tree” which highlights how the apple trees at Arnold’s family farm change throughout each of the four seasons. The book also features a section on how apple cider is made and this is usually our culminating activity. Sharing poems from each season from Esbensen’s book would add another level to our unit study. When cutting the apples to make the cider, it would be especially appropriate to share the poem, “Discovery” to point out the secret star hidden inside each apple.