RED SINGS FROM TREETOPS: A YEAR IN COLORS written by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski

Review by Christi De Leon

1.    BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sidman, Joyce. Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors. Ill. by Pamela Zagarenski. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Books, 2009. ISBN 9780547014944

2.    PLOT SUMMARY

This book follows a red bird among the seasonal changes that occur throughout the year. Each season is depicted by its many colors. The colors are described with examples that focus on the senses.

3.    CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This book was written with astounding creativity, as it portrays the changing of the seasons by bringing color to life. We experience each season through a series of poems. The colors, actually written as words, are elaborated in a way that heightens the senses. The placement of short lines creates a natural rhythm. Rhyme is used occasionally, as if each rhyme effortlessly fell into place without straying from the overall flow. For example, “In summer, white clinks in drinks.” Figurative language is used in abundance. Among these choices is the simile appearing at both the beginning and the end that reads, “…each note dropping like a cherry into my ear.” Everywhere in between, a new emotion is captured as the colors have feelings of their own. The red bird seems to bring the poem together from start to finish, flying through all of the different surroundings.

Paintings of mixed media on wood and computer illustrations were applied to complement the poems in an appealing way. The use of color is especially important, since the poems are focused on the colors of the seasons. The illustrator did an exceptional job of representing every detail throughout the book. A noticeable detail is the crown. A crown is worn by some of the characters, the red bird included. As a reader, I wonder if there is a purpose to the crown or if it is simply an added detail.

4.    REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

2010 Caldecott Honor Book

From The Horn Book: "Sustaining the playfulness of the text and its sense of awe, mystery, and beauty, the illustrations contribute gracefully to the celebration."

From Kirkus Reviews: "A charming inspiration to notice colors and correlate emotions."

From Booklist: "As the title implies, the colors that surprise on every page, do sing."

From School Library Journal: “This is an important book both for its creativity and for its wisdom.”

5.    CONNECTIONS

Gather other Caldecott winning books illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski to read such as:

Logue, Mary. Sleep Like a Tiger. ISBN 0547641027

Gather other Joyce Sidman books to read such as:

Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night. ISBN 0547152280

Possible Activities:

Integrate into a lesson about the four seasons.

Have each student pick a color from the book and create a corresponding list poem using technology.