The Llama Who Had No Pajama

Plot Summary
This is a collection of 100 favorite poems by Mary Ann Hoberman. There is no specific subject - some poems make you laugh, some poems make you think, some poems let you experience things you might not otherwise be able to. This is a great collection to introduce children to poetry, because many poems are about childhood experiences that will be relatable and inviting for children.

Critical Analysis
This is first and foremost a poetry collection, but the illustrations are a major part of the book. They add a lot to each poem. For example, the page spread featuring a poem called “Mouse” is accompanied by a drawing of a playful mouse chasing its tail around the poem, covering both pages (20-21). Some pages have an illustration as a background: “How Far,” “Growing,” and “A Year Later” are printed on the backdrop of a watercolor sunset over a lake (41). When multiple poems are featured on a page, Betty Fraser draws smaller illustrations for each poem. This layout makes the book much more interesting to children, and invites them to read the poem by showing them what it’s about before they even get to the words. For children who can’t yet read on their own, they can look at the pictures while the poem is read to them, and be more involved with the ideas than just listening alone.

     Rhythm.
The cadence of these poems is perfect for children because it has a natural up and down flow, encouraging the reader to raise and lower their tone throughout each line. There are a variety of poems - some long, some short, some with long lines, some with choppier lines. This assortment is a great way to keep children interested because no two poems are alike.

     Rhyme.
The poems in this collection rhyme, which is ideal for children. The rhymes create a natural rhythm, which makes reading poetry more fun. Rhymes also help grab their interest, and may even help in memorizing poetry, or just help them feel included by being able to chime in with the rhyming words! Many different rhyme schemes are employed throughout the book. Hoberman primarily writes in couplets and simple 4-line rhymes, but also plays with assonance, consonance, and alliteration in the lines.

     Sound.
Hoberman employs great use of sound throughout this collection. For example, in the poem “Worm:”

“Squiggly
Wiggly
Wriggly
Jiggly
Higgly
Piggly
Worm” (15).

The words are playful and encourage the reader to squirm along, becoming more and more antsy with each additional adverb. Many of Hoberman’s animals poems are written this way, helping the reader picture how the animal looks, feels, and sounds.

     Language.
Not many metaphors and similes are used throughout the poems because the writing is very straight-forward and realistic. Hoberman chooses vivid words to accurately portray the experiences written about, such as birthdays, vacations, weather, and family relationships. The words are nicely chosen because they are not juvenile, even though the poems are aimed at children. The words are not over their heads, but they encourage the children to use context clues to derive meanings.

     Imagery.
Even if this collection was not illustrated, Hoberman’s language alone would bring the poems to life. Her word choice, when describing anything from a birthday bus to a termite, makes the reader not only visually imagine the subject, but also approach it with the other senses by conveying the scent, sound, and touch of objects written about.

     Emotions.
Since the collection is intended for children, Hoberman keeps the mood light. The poems don’t delve into deep emotions, but they are not all overly perky. They have a upbeat tone, but the happiness of the poems does not undercut the quality of the writing by making it seem too silly or lighthearted.

Personal Response
This collection is fun to read aloud because the poems have great rhythm and rhyme. I loved some poems more than others, but with any collection there is some hit and miss involved. I agree with the assessment that this is a great introduction to poetry for children.

Reviews & Awards
From School Library Journal: “Hoberman's rhythms are lively and agile, and her imagination and sense of humor are still in tune with young readers. Fraser's simple but detailed gouache and watercolor illustrations exhibit the same qualities. The layout is masterfully varied and never overwhelms the poems.” Mary Ann Hoberman’s work has previously won the American Book Award. In 2003, she received the Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children, and received the Children’s Poet Laureate award in 2008.

Connections & Activities
Ask children which poem was their favorite, then have them write a poem of their own in similar style. If they’re having trouble, suggest they work backwards! First, think of rhyming words and jot them down. Then they can make sentences with the rhyming words at the end, and put them in poem format to tell a story or describe something!

Read it for yourself!
Hoberman, Mary Ann. 1998. The Llama Who Had No Pajama. Ill. by Betty Fraser. San Diego:
     Browndeer Press. ISBN 9780152001117

Hideous Love

Not only is my son a little too young for this book, but I read it too quickly to share with him!
Plot Summary
Mary is an educated girl living in a time when women are typically just wives and mothers. Her intellect captures the attention of her father’s friend, poet Percy Shelley, and they run away together. Unfortunately, Shelley is still married to another. This begins a lifetime of drama and turmoil for Mary, who loves Shelley unconditionally and lives for him, learning, and writing.

Critical Analysis
Written as a verse novel, Hideous Love is a powerful story about the life of Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein, told from her point of view. The poetic style comes across as genuine and works because Shelley is a writer herself, and an intelligent woman with strong emotions.

     Rhythm.
The book is broken up into poems, each titled as a chapter would be in a traditional novel. This division provides a natural break for the reader, as most poems encompass a major event or emotion, then move smoothly to the next experience. The flow of each poem individually is affected by the line breaks, which are well-placed to make the reader pause and think about certain words and ideas. For example:

“I busy myself
to think of a story,
but sadly the muse does not
arrive. I want to speak
to the mysterious fears
of our nature and to awaken
thrilling horror.
Nothing comes to me” (126).

The short lines inspire the reader to ruminate on what is being said, instead of rushing on to the next line. “I busy myself” and “I want to speak” stand out as the actions, implying that Mary is trying hard to come up with a story but can’t, though she wants to get the words out. “Mysterious fears,” “awaken,” and “thrilling horror” stand out in the next two lines, adding urgency and emotion to the stanza. The last line is a let down, deflating after the build-up immediately before.

     Rhyme.
There is no rhyme scheme in the poems of this book; it is written in free verse.

     Sound.
The individual poems have no particular sound as far as alliteration, consonance, repeated words, and so on. However, there is the tone (maybe just in my imagination) of a somewhat quiet yet educated voice reading these poems in a level voice.

     Language.
The language in this book is perfectly chosen. Each word sounds like one Mary Shelley herself would pick for her writing, so it really helps the reader become immersed in her life story. Most ideas, emotions, and experiences are explained in straight-forward terms without simile or metaphor, but that does not diminish the quality of the story at all. In fact, I think it helps to make the book seem like it is actually from the 1800s.

     Imagery.
Sensory words are used to establish the environment of Mary’s childhood home and her overbearing stepmother. It effectively conveys the destitute journeys Mary and Shelley took in the early years of their relationship. And it vividly draws the reader in to Mary’s grief… but I’m getting ahead of myself.

     Emotions.
The emotion in this book is my favorite aspect. Mary is so sure of herself as a young teenager, and then falls so helplessly in love, and all of that is shared with the reader. The rocky start to her relationship and all the heartache that comes later is felt in the words of the poems. Though the book is so emotional, it is not heavy-handed, not forcing the reader to shed tears due to sentimentality. Instead, the language stays matter-of-fact and true to Shelley’s style. For example:

“I see my future
now not as something
intangible like a dream,
but like a boat
meeting land
after time spent at sea,
a destination I will reach” (38).

Simple language and a simple idea, but beautifully expressed to sweep the reader away with the words.

Personal Response
I had previously only read one verse novel, years ago, and was not a fan. I’m so glad I read Hideous Love, because I’m now inspired to read more verse novels! It was very well done, and incredibly interesting. I found myself researching Mary Shelley as soon as I finished the last page. I had never known much about her, never even read Frankenstein, but this book was so engrossing that I immediately checked out her most famous novel and am eager to read more - not only by Mary Shelley, but also by Stephanie Hemphill!

Reviews & Awards
From The Horn Book: “In first-person, present-tense verse, author Stephanie Hemphill creates an informative, impressionistic introduction to Mary Shelley’s life.” Booklist says “This is, as intended, an ideal companion piece for teens studying the original classic,” and I have to agree. Hemphill’s previous work has won a Printz Honor and the Myra Cohn Livingston Award for Excellence in Poetry.

Connections & Activities
Instead of having students write traditional reports on notable figures, let them be inspired by Hideous Love. After researching their intended subject, have them write their report in verses, as if from the person’s point of view. This will make them think differently about the assignment - instead of simply regurgitating and repeating important facts, they’ll put themselves in someone else’s shoes, try to see the world through their eyes, and give them a more interesting approach to learning about history. They might even be inspired to go above and beyond the required research to find out as much as they can about their subject’s time, in order to better write from that point of view.

Read it for yourself!
Hemphill, Stephanie. 2013. Hideous Love. New York: Balzer + Bray. ISBN 9780061853319