FIREFLY JULY: A YEAR OF VERY SHORT POEMS written by Paul B. Janeczko and illustrated by Melissa Sweet

Review by Christi De Leon

a.    BIBLIOGRAPHY

Janeczko, Paul B. Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems. Ill. by Melissa Sweet. Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press, 2014. ISBN 9780763648426

b.    SUMMARY & CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Firefly July is a collection of thirty-six short poems selected by Paul B. Janeczko. The poems include topics related to the four seasons. Work by children’s poets and adult poets are both included in this anthology.

Kids are likely to light up when being introduced to Firefly July. The selections are written by a variety of poets, both new and familiar. The poems are short and sweet, making this book perfect for presenting poetry for the first time. All of the poems in this collection are comprised of ten lines or less. Also, each poem is fairly easy to understand, making them even more kid-friendly. The poems themselves vary greatly despite the short length. Some are written in haiku form, others have a simple rhyming pattern, and a few are free verse poems. Since it includes poems from throughout the year, this anthology can be a valuable resource at any time. It can even be integrated into science when teaching the seasons to younger students.

The colorful, creative cover page and its glowing firefly will instantly draw the attention of readers. The artwork consists of watercolor, gouache, and mixed media collages. The captivating illustrations speak for themselves, especially with such a large format. The visuals complement the text, and the layout is fitting. The added features make this book even more great. The Contents page not only leads readers directly to the page they are seeking, but it is organized by the seasons. This can be extra helpful when intentionally matching poems with the current season. The Acknowledgements page includes bibliographic information for each poem in the anthology. This feature can be handy for readers who would like to read more poetry by a particular poet.

c.    POEM TO SPOTLIGHT & SHARE

“Window” by Carl Sandburg

Night from a railroad car window

Is a great, dark, soft thing

Broken across with slashes of light.

Written in only three lines, this poem indicates how concise the poems in this collection are. However, it is easily understandable for young children, and it allows opportunities for students to use their imagination. The night, as seen by the passenger, is described as a great, dark, soft thing. The descriptive words used allow students to capture the experience in their minds.

“Window” is an ideal poem for practicing visualization and bringing life to the poem in unique ways. To introduce this poem, students could listen to the words being read without looking at the pictures at first. While engaged in listening, they could imagine they are on a train looking out. To follow up, students could create their own artwork by illustrating what they “see” out of their railroad car window. Many of the other poems in this collection lend themselves to similar activities.