Poetry Books
Johnston, Tony, Sierra, F. John ill. My Mexico-Mexico mio. New York: PaperStar, 1996.
Summary: A collection of poems inspired by the culture, art, stories, and anecdotes of Mexico. Written in both English and Spanish, this is a great volume of poems that might represent an idyllic childhood in Mexico.
Review: "This compatible blending of pictures and words presents young readers with a congenial image of our neighbor to the south. In these eighteen short poems, presented in English and in Spanish, Tony Johnston regales the senses with idyllic scenes of streets lined with a rainbow of adobe houses, with the scent of roses growing in coffee cans and lilies in chile jars, with the sounds of fields of corn shaking quietly in the warm wind and of women "warm as hens / clucking in the sun" busy at their looms in the marketplace."
Vasilakis, Nancy. "My Mexico--Mexico Mio." Horn Book Magazine 72, no. 3 (May 1996): 345. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed April 2, 2011).
Summary: A collection of poems inspired by the culture, art, stories, and anecdotes of Mexico. Written in both English and Spanish, this is a great volume of poems that might represent an idyllic childhood in Mexico.
Review: "This compatible blending of pictures and words presents young readers with a congenial image of our neighbor to the south. In these eighteen short poems, presented in English and in Spanish, Tony Johnston regales the senses with idyllic scenes of streets lined with a rainbow of adobe houses, with the scent of roses growing in coffee cans and lilies in chile jars, with the sounds of fields of corn shaking quietly in the warm wind and of women "warm as hens / clucking in the sun" busy at their looms in the marketplace."
Vasilakis, Nancy. "My Mexico--Mexico Mio." Horn Book Magazine 72, no. 3 (May 1996): 345. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed April 2, 2011).
Johnston, Tony, Guevara, Susan ill. Voice from Afar: Poems of Peace, New York: Holiday House, 2008.
Summary:
Johnston's 26 poems speak of the horror, devastation, heartbreak, hope, etc of war and possible peace. These poems are told from the voices of ordinary people in war torn areas. Johnston's poetry evokes a desire for peace.
Review:
"These verses will shake you, wake you, heartbreak you, make you renew your thoughts of the devastation war brings-and finally-bring new meaning to what the word peace should truly mean." Lee Bennett Hopkins
Summary:
Johnston's 26 poems speak of the horror, devastation, heartbreak, hope, etc of war and possible peace. These poems are told from the voices of ordinary people in war torn areas. Johnston's poetry evokes a desire for peace.
Review:
"These verses will shake you, wake you, heartbreak you, make you renew your thoughts of the devastation war brings-and finally-bring new meaning to what the word peace should truly mean." Lee Bennett Hopkins
Johnston, Tony, Pohrt, Tom ill. An Old Shell: Poems of the Galapagos, New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 1999.
Summary:
Johnston uses couplets, haiku, and other poetic forms to depict her visit to the Galapagos Islands in 1995. There are 34 poems in the collection that describe the creatures, plants, and history of the islands.
Review:
"Using a variety of verse forms and rhyme schemes, Johnston conveys her visions and observations in easy, everyday language; Pohrt's drawings capture a sense of the locale's isolation in depictions of a single creature clambering over flotsam, or small stretches of rocky coastline." Kirkus Review 1999
Summary:
Johnston uses couplets, haiku, and other poetic forms to depict her visit to the Galapagos Islands in 1995. There are 34 poems in the collection that describe the creatures, plants, and history of the islands.
Review:
"Using a variety of verse forms and rhyme schemes, Johnston conveys her visions and observations in easy, everyday language; Pohrt's drawings capture a sense of the locale's isolation in depictions of a single creature clambering over flotsam, or small stretches of rocky coastline." Kirkus Review 1999
Johnston, Tony, Ray, Deborah Kogan ill. The Barn Owls, Waterton, MA: Charlesbridge Publishers, 2001.
Summary:
Johnston's repetitive poem about the lives of barn owls follows the repetitive pattern of live. It follows the circle of life from birth to the food cycle (death for the owl's dinner). A great addition to an owl pellet lesson in science or nocturnal creatures.
Review:
"The poetry and paintings will make children want to learn more about these mysterious creatures."
Sherif, Sue. "Preschool to Grade 4: Fiction." School Library Journal, 46, No 3 (March 2000): 208. Academic Search Complete EBSCOhost (April 3, 2011).
Summary:
Johnston's repetitive poem about the lives of barn owls follows the repetitive pattern of live. It follows the circle of life from birth to the food cycle (death for the owl's dinner). A great addition to an owl pellet lesson in science or nocturnal creatures.
Review:
"The poetry and paintings will make children want to learn more about these mysterious creatures."
Sherif, Sue. "Preschool to Grade 4: Fiction." School Library Journal, 46, No 3 (March 2000): 208. Academic Search Complete EBSCOhost (April 3, 2011).
Johnston, Tony, Allen, Thomas B. ill. Once in the Country: Poems of a Farm, New York: Putnam, 1996.
Summary:
A collection of 18 poems depicting life on a country farm throughout the four seasons of the year.
Review:
"In this charming collection of,18 poems are paired with pastel drawings to create a warm celebration of life on small farm."
Chatton, Barbara. "Preschool to Primary Grade:Nonfiction." School Library Journal 42, 12 (December 1996): 114. Academic Search Complete EBSCOhost (April 3, 2001).
Summary:
A collection of 18 poems depicting life on a country farm throughout the four seasons of the year.
Review:
"In this charming collection of,18 poems are paired with pastel drawings to create a warm celebration of life on small farm."
Chatton, Barbara. "Preschool to Primary Grade:Nonfiction." School Library Journal 42, 12 (December 1996): 114. Academic Search Complete EBSCOhost (April 3, 2001).
Johnston, Tony, Young, Ed ill. Desert Song, San Francisco: Sierra Club Books for Children, 2010, 2000.
Summary:
Bring the experience of night falling on the desert through these lyrical words revealing the hidden night-life of the desert. The rhythmic poems use onomatopoeia and musical phrasing to reveal the sounds of night in the desert such as the coyotes howl and more. Richly colored illustrations accompany the text to reveal the stark beauty of the desert landscape.
Review:
"Tony Johnston Shares with young readers the joys of careful listening and observation in a landscape not usually associated with either music or busy activity."
Leggett, Karen. Desert Song (Book Review), Children's Literature.
Summary:
Bring the experience of night falling on the desert through these lyrical words revealing the hidden night-life of the desert. The rhythmic poems use onomatopoeia and musical phrasing to reveal the sounds of night in the desert such as the coyotes howl and more. Richly colored illustrations accompany the text to reveal the stark beauty of the desert landscape.
Review:
"Tony Johnston Shares with young readers the joys of careful listening and observation in a landscape not usually associated with either music or busy activity."
Leggett, Karen. Desert Song (Book Review), Children's Literature.
Johnston, Tony, Barbour, Karen ill. The Ancestors Are Singing, New York: Farrar Straus Giroux, 2003.
Summary:
Johnston's poems are a homage to the culture, history, and present of Mexico. In her poems, she shows how culture and modernism often collide. Her poems are a reflection of the time she lived in Mexico.
Review:
"A heartfelt and loving tribute to Mexico's rich history... Johnston's eloquent, lyrical voice and style are beautifully complemented by the masterful illustration on every page...graceful and expressive." VOYA
Summary:
Johnston's poems are a homage to the culture, history, and present of Mexico. In her poems, she shows how culture and modernism often collide. Her poems are a reflection of the time she lived in Mexico.
Review:
"A heartfelt and loving tribute to Mexico's rich history... Johnston's eloquent, lyrical voice and style are beautifully complemented by the masterful illustration on every page...graceful and expressive." VOYA
Johnston, Tony, Parra, John ill. P is for Pinata, Sleeping Bear Press, 2008.
Summary:
An ABC poetry book representing Mexican culture and history. Each letter of the alphabet is introduced by two or four line verses, in which some rhyme and others do not.
Review:
"Each letter of the alphabet is introduced with a short verse for young children. A wide sidebar contain additional factual information for older readers." Phyllis Kennemer, Children's Literature.
Summary:
An ABC poetry book representing Mexican culture and history. Each letter of the alphabet is introduced by two or four line verses, in which some rhyme and others do not.
Review:
"Each letter of the alphabet is introduced with a short verse for young children. A wide sidebar contain additional factual information for older readers." Phyllis Kennemer, Children's Literature.
Johnston, Tony, Minor, Wendell ill. Cat, What Is That?, Godine, David R. Publishing, 2008.
Summary:
Johnston's poem reveal the many different moods and actions of our furry four footed friends known as cats.
Review:
"The brief verses walk on the pages here as purposefully as a cat, as they describe the many ways of felines. They investigate, stalk, hide; mysteriously and lovingly, in the rich, teasing language of the poet that is a delight to read aloud." Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz, Children's Literature.
Summary:
Johnston's poem reveal the many different moods and actions of our furry four footed friends known as cats.
Review:
"The brief verses walk on the pages here as purposefully as a cat, as they describe the many ways of felines. They investigate, stalk, hide; mysteriously and lovingly, in the rich, teasing language of the poet that is a delight to read aloud." Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz, Children's Literature.
Johnston, Tony, Cheng-Khee, Chee ill. Noel, Carolrhoda Books, 2005.
Summary:
A poem about the ringing of a Christmas bell which draws people and animals to celebrate the sights, sounds, and glad tidings of Noel.
Review:
"All the senses are evoked in this poem about many creatures responding to the chiming of a church bell on Christmas Eve."
Patron, Susan. "Noel (Book Review)." School Library Journal 51, 10 (October 2005): 55. Academic Search Complete EBSCOhost (April 2, 2011)
Summary:
A poem about the ringing of a Christmas bell which draws people and animals to celebrate the sights, sounds, and glad tidings of Noel.
Review:
"All the senses are evoked in this poem about many creatures responding to the chiming of a church bell on Christmas Eve."
Patron, Susan. "Noel (Book Review)." School Library Journal 51, 10 (October 2005): 55. Academic Search Complete EBSCOhost (April 2, 2011)
Johnston, Tony, Kleven, Elisa ill. The Whole Green World, Farrar Straus Giroux, 2005.
Summary:
A young girls happily plants and tends to her plants and rejoices in the beautiful green world.
Review:
"Johnston's repetitive language is playful and reads aloud smoothly. Done in a variety of mediums, the full-page folk-art paintings are filled to the brim with people, animals, bugs, and blooms. Even the pages with text have illustrations in a circle around the words. Kids could spend hours just looking at everything in the pictures. The bright colors and rhythmic language also make this a good choice for units that celebrate nature."
Hankinson, Bethany L. W. "Preschool to Grade 4." School Library Journal, 51, 4, (April 2005): 99. Academic Search Complete EBSCOhost (April 2, 2011).
Summary:
A young girls happily plants and tends to her plants and rejoices in the beautiful green world.
Review:
"Johnston's repetitive language is playful and reads aloud smoothly. Done in a variety of mediums, the full-page folk-art paintings are filled to the brim with people, animals, bugs, and blooms. Even the pages with text have illustrations in a circle around the words. Kids could spend hours just looking at everything in the pictures. The bright colors and rhythmic language also make this a good choice for units that celebrate nature."
Hankinson, Bethany L. W. "Preschool to Grade 4." School Library Journal, 51, 4, (April 2005): 99. Academic Search Complete EBSCOhost (April 2, 2011).
Johnston, Tony, Bloom, Lloyd ill. Yonder, Smith,Gibbs Publishers, 2002.
Summary:
A poem that follows generations of a farming family in the 19th century. Each page of text reveals an event such as marriage, birth, and death, the family celebrates these events by planting a tree over yonder.
Review:
"The natural rhythms are reinforced, as every fourth line of text repeat the refrain, "There. Just over there," effectively including readers in the setting and building a textual bridge between words and pictures."
Noah, Carolyn, and Trevelyn E. Jones. "Yonder (Book Review)." School Library Journal, 34, 9, (2002): 85. Academic Search Complete EBSCOhost (April 3, 2011).
Summary:
A poem that follows generations of a farming family in the 19th century. Each page of text reveals an event such as marriage, birth, and death, the family celebrates these events by planting a tree over yonder.
Review:
"The natural rhythms are reinforced, as every fourth line of text repeat the refrain, "There. Just over there," effectively including readers in the setting and building a textual bridge between words and pictures."
Noah, Carolyn, and Trevelyn E. Jones. "Yonder (Book Review)." School Library Journal, 34, 9, (2002): 85. Academic Search Complete EBSCOhost (April 3, 2011).
Johnston, Tony, Weatherford, Robert ill. Desert Dog, Smith Gibbs Publisher, 2001.
Summary:
Told from the point of view of a herding dog, Desert Dog, is a day in the life of Dawn Boy. He reveals his character throughout the poem as he herds goats and takes care of his human. Dog lovers will love this book.
Review:
"Dark reds and green tempered with earth tones come together in strongly impressionistic paintings. Together with this engaging poem, they create an eloquent portrait told from a working animal's point of view."
Semrau, Ruth. "Desert Dog (Book Review)." School Library Journal 47, no. 11 (November 2001): 126. Academic Search Complete EBSCOhost (April 3, 2011).
Summary:
Told from the point of view of a herding dog, Desert Dog, is a day in the life of Dawn Boy. He reveals his character throughout the poem as he herds goats and takes care of his human. Dog lovers will love this book.
Review:
"Dark reds and green tempered with earth tones come together in strongly impressionistic paintings. Together with this engaging poem, they create an eloquent portrait told from a working animal's point of view."
Semrau, Ruth. "Desert Dog (Book Review)." School Library Journal 47, no. 11 (November 2001): 126. Academic Search Complete EBSCOhost (April 3, 2011).
