Saturday, March 25, 2017

VERY SHORT TALL TALES TO READ TOGETHER written by Mary Ann Hoberman and illustrated by Michael Emberley


Review by Christi De Leon

a.    BIBLIOGRAPHY

Hoberman, Mary Ann. Very Short Tall Tales to Read Together. Ill. by Michael Emberley. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 2014. ISBN 9780316183296

b.    SUMMARY & CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This poetic collection tells stories of American folklore heroes through 15 selections. These characters include Davy Crockett, Johnny Appleseed, Annie Oakley, and many more. The book is written to be read in two voices.

This book is full of poetic elements such as rhymes, alliteration, and repetition to tell stories of folklore legends. These techniques make reading this book fun. The layout encourages interaction with others. The text is color coded making the process easier for each reader to know which part is theirs to read. The text is also arranged in a way that shows the separation into each voice. Each poem closes with a phrase such as, “I’ll read to you, you’ll read to me.” In addition to making reading an enjoyable experience, these poems help familiarize readers with different folk heroes. These tales are an important component of American literature, and they lend themselves to valuable learning experiences.

The illustrations consist of pencil, watercolor, and dry pastel. These amusing illustrations complement the text in an entertaining way. This book contains many access features that enhance the collection as well. First, the Table of Contents makes each individual tale more accessible. The Author’s Note provides information about tall tales and how these rhyming stories are meant to be read along with others. The first poem introduces readers to tall tales in an engaging way, and the last poem creatively wraps up the book. Overall, introducing this book is a great way to invite readers to participate in a form of poetry performance, reading in two voices, expanding their linguistic abilities and listening comprehension.

c.    POEM TO SPOTLIGHT & SHARE

Excerpt from “Davy Crockett”

I’ve Davy Crockett, frontier king,
A man who can do anything.
My story starts right at my birth:
A comet carried me to Earth.
It hit a hill in Tennessee
And Guess what happened? Out came me!

            That’s quite a story, if it’s true.
            Now let me hear what you can do.

This excerpt is only the beginning of the poem Davy Crockett, which is rather long. However, just in this small piece, there is evidence of upbeat rhyming, clever word choice, alternating voices, color coding, and a suitable layout. The content exemplifies a tall tale in which information is either exaggerated or not true. Nonetheless, this story starts off in a way that is sure to keep the attention of the readers and listeners.

Considering that students may have limited experience with reading poetry aloud along with another person, this poem could be first introduced through modeling by two educators. Inviting students to participate would follow. Many of these poems, such as “Davy Crockett," would be ideal for integrating into corresponding social studies lessons. For instance, “Davy Crockett” could be shared in two voices or chorally as part of a lesson about the Alamo.

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