pictures by Istvan Banyai
Cover by Barnes & Noble |
Park, Linda Sue. Tap Dancing on the Roof: Sijo (poems). Ill. Istvan Banyai. New York: Clarion Books 2007. ISBN: 978-0-618-23483-7.
Poetic Elements
This
collection of 27 Sijo poems by Linda Sue Parks is unique, comical, and
entertaining! As Parks explains in the foreword, Sijo is a traditional Korean
form of poetry similar to Japanese haiku. It is not necessary for Sijo to
rhyme, such as in “Pockets,” the featured spotlight poem below. Some of it uses
end rhyme schemes such as “Art Class”: (Keesha says my fish doesn’t look like
anything she’s ever seen./ “Flowered fins? Plaid
scales? And the tail—tie-dyed weirdo green?”). In “October,” Parks personifies
the wind using both, internal and end rhymes: (The wind rearranges the leaves,
as if to say, “Much better there,”/
and coaxes others off their trees:/ “It’s lots more fun in the air.”/Then it
plays tag with a plastic bag,/ and with one gust uncombs my hair!).
Appeal
In
Sijo’s most common form it contains three lines, each with fourteen to sixteen
syllables. The first line introduces the topic and the second line further
develops it. The third line includes a surprise or humorous twist. In the
alternate form, Sijo is divided into six shorter lines. This collection
includes both the three-line and six-line formats of Sijo poetry. These poems
spark the reader’s imagination and tap into familiar childhood experiences with
titles such as “Long Division”, “School Lunch”, and “Art Class.” The humorous
turn of events on the last line of Sijo poetry will be a treat for all readers.
Overall Quality
Tap Dancing on the Roof contains all formats of
Sijo poetry and everything one needs to know in order to try their hand at
writing it. It’s quality is confirmed by
the starred reviews handed out by Booklist, Horn Book, School Library Journal,
and Kirckus, along with being named an ALA Notable Children’s Book for 2008.
The Poet
Linda
Sue Park, the daughter of Korean immigrants, grew up in Chicago, Illinois. She
published her first poem at the age of nine and had several more poems
published during elementary and high school. She graduated from Stanford
University and has published many books for young people, including A Single
Shard, which was awarded the 2002 Newbery Medal. She currently resides in New
York with her husband and wants to be an elephant scientist when she grows up!
The
illustrator of this book, Istvan Banyai, was born in Hungary and is well known
for his editorial illustrations for The
New Yorker, Rolling Stone, and
many other publications. He is the creator of the award-winning wordless
picture book Zoom, as well as Re-Zoom and The Other Side. He now resides in the woods of Connecticut.
Layout
An
“About Sijo” page in the front of the book describes what Sijo is, and it’s
structure in both, three-line and six-line formats. Banyai’s
comical illustrations complement each poem and command the reader’s attention
as much as Park’s humorous language. In “Shower,” a bubble forms the letter “o”
in the word terrycloth. In “School Lunch” the square mouth has been molded by
the “square pizza here, square brownie there;/ milk carton cube, and rectangle
tray.” The author’s note in the back includes a historical background section
on the history of Sijo poems, further reading suggestions, and tips for writing
your own Sijo poety. Parks concludes the book with one last delightful poem
accompanied by Banyai’s whimsical illustrations:
WISH
For
someone to read a poem
again,
and again, and then,
having
lifted it from page
to
brain—the easy part—
cradle
it on the longer trek
from
brain all the way to heart.
Spotlight Poem
Pockets
by Linda Sue Parks
What’s
in your pockets right now? I hope they’re not empty:
Empty
pockets, unread books, lunches left on the bus—all a waste.
In
mine: One horse chestnut. One gum wrapper. One dime. One hamster.
Poetry Break
Introduction:
Introduce this poem by emptying out a pocket full of likely as well as unlikely
contents.
Extension
Activity: To extend this activity, put student poets in pairs and let them attempt Sijo poetry paying special
attention to the following tips by Linda Sue Parks:
1.
Start with a single image or idea. Try to make the first line a
complete unit of thought. This is easiest to do by writing it as one sentence.
2.
In the second line, develop the image further by adding details,
description, or examples. Again, think of this line as a single unit or
sentence.
3.
Most poets regard the last line—the “twist”—as the hardest part of
writing sijo. I try to think of where the poem would go logically if I
continued to develop the idea of the first two lines. Once I’ve figured that
out, I write something that goes in the opposite direction—or at least “turns a
corner.” For example, in “Breakfast,” the logical extension would be another
line about eating. Instead, the poem ends with an image of sleeping.
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