Friday, March 2, 2018

Crawly School for Bugs: Poems to Drive You Buggy (David L. Harrison) GIVEAWAY



Illustrator:  Julie Bayless

Target Ages:  4 - 10

Genre:  Poetry Collection

Publisher Summary:
Welcome hummers, diggers, leapers, and creepers to Crawly School for Bugs!  Meet your classmates and teachers, and get ready to learn all the important buggy lessons, such as

The danger of welcome mats
How to avoid birds
And the best way to bug humans

Watch out for the school nurse (she loves to draw blood), and please try not to eat any fellow classmates!

Sample Poems:
“Tick Lesson:  The Problem with People”
Teacher says it’s not a rumor,
people have no sense of humor.
She says they hate it when we bite,
hide our heads and dig in tight.
She says they’re good with evil squeezers,
quick to grab us with their tweezers.
She says if someone yells, “I gottom!”
prepare to have a painful bottom.

“Camouflage Class”
“It pays to hide,”
our teacher said.
“Change your color,
blend,
play dead.
Look like
something else instead.
Sit so still
you disappear.”

One kid went
too far,
we fear.

He’s gone
without a trace
behind him.

We’ve looked
and looked
but we can’t
find him.


Evaluation:
This playful collection envisions life through the perspective of insects attending school.  Children will connect to the natural and imaginative worlds as they read these poems. 

Some of the poems are on lessons the bugs need in relation to humans.  For instance, “Cricket Lessons: How to be Annoying in 4 Easy Steps,” provides instructions for driving people crazy at night!  The process is broken into 4 lyrical stanzas, each part with an illustration. The humorous and all too realistic steps including hiding, waiting, chirping, and doing it again!  In “Today’s Lesson in Grasshopper Class,” the grasshoppers do not understand how humans can eat them—and in so many different ways (creamed, roasted, sautéed).  The grasshoppers look with horror at a recipe book .  The final line adds a twist of irony: “It’s fine to eat/the farmer’s crop/but eating US/has got to stop!!”  

Sometimes the bugs learn lessons about themselves.  In “My Life as a Lightening Bug,” the speaker feels like the butt of others’ jokes as they call him “dim bulb,” “winky,” and similar names.  The only time he feels appreciated is when the lights go out.  An illustration shows another bug following him and trying to read a book.  In “Stink Bug Class” everyone is wondering about the “awful” and “unlawful” smell.  Even the stink bugs do not realize they are the source of it until everyone is pointing at them.  Finally, “Private Thoughts of a Praying Mantis in the Lunchroom” reveals the daily struggle to resist his natural tendency to eat other bug (i.e. his classmates).  

In addition, the insects take classes in survival, such as “Camouflage Class,” “What We Learn in Bird Class,” and “Hiding from Spiders:  Run, Don’t Count!”  Each poem teaches the students in an amusing way how to avoid predators.  The illustrations add humor.  For instance, as they learn how to avoid birds and study a flip chart with one on it, there is a bird shadow right above them.  To avoid looking at the spider, they walk by with books on top of their heads. 

Crawly School for Bugs is an entertaining and creative collection of poems full of whimsical illustrations, lively language, catchy rhythmic patterns, witty situations, and imagination aplenty.  The collection can be enjoyed for an engaging read-a-loud session or as a springboard for other lessons and extension activities. 

Activities and Extension Ideas for Lesson Plans:
  • Science:  This book connects well to a study of insects.  Incorporate the poems into an insect unit or use the book as a springboard to learn more about insect.  
  • Sound devices:  Connect with a lesson on rhyme or alliteration. “What’s Left of Termite Class” is especially well suited for a lesson about alliteration, and “Tick Lesson” is perfect for a rhyming one. 
  • Poetry:  Pick an insect.  Write a poem from its perspective. 
  • Fact vs. Fiction:  Children learn facts about the various insects through the poems.  However, through the literary elements of hyperbole and personification, there are also fictional elements as well. Together, distinguish fact from fiction in one or more poems. 
  • Writing:  Using “Cricket Lessons:  How to be Annoying in 4 Easy Steps” as the inspiration, teach students how to write a simple process paragraph.   Then, instruct students to write one on a creative or funny topic of their choice.
  • Social Studies:  Discuss what quality or qualities makes each bug special.  Connect that idea to how each person has his/her own special qualities that make him/her special.
Visit No Water River for the Poetry Friday link up.


Visit Susanna Hill for Perfect Picture Book Friday.


If you are a teacher, parent, or poetry lover, you can win a copy of Crawly School for Bugs:  Poems to Drive You Buggy. U.S. residents only.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

26 comments:

  1. What a great post! Thanks for spotlighting this book -- which looks absolutely delightful. Love the sample poems you shared as well as all the extension ideas. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. "Tick Lesson: The Problem With People" made me laugh!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Bug studies are always fun. Thanks for sharing everything in this post that made me smile.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for stopping by. :)

      Delete
  4. I do love David Harrison's zany sense of humor!

    ReplyDelete
  5. A granddaughter's class is studying insects all the year. David's book would be a wonderful one for them, looks great.

    ReplyDelete
  6. This is such a versatile book for classroom use. David Harrison is such a masterful poet.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It is a perfect books for an elementary classroom!

      Delete
  7. Kids love insects. Harrison's book is so beautifully crafted! I have a great grandson that would love it! Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  8. After reading the poems from this book that you included, I CAN'T WAIT to check out this book and read the other poems. I have a feeling I'm going to be adding this book to my collection of favorites.

    ReplyDelete
  9. David's been telling us so much about the book, I'm so glad we get to have a little peek here! (Ironic that I love 'Tick Lesson,' considering what a problem they are around here!)

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a buggy fun book! I'm so sorry I missed this post last week....and overjoyed that the drawing for a copy is still open. I love all poems by David Harrison, but the idea of a bug's perspective is so great for kids. So many kids have empathy and love for bugs. Let's celebrate it!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I LOVE the idea of school for bugs. I'm pretty sure our cricket school is in the basement.

    ReplyDelete
  12. You might comment on the order system of the blog. You should chat it's splendid. Your blog audit would swell up your visitors. I was very pleased to find this site.I wanted to thank you for this great read!! Pesticide ions

    ReplyDelete
  13. I finally found great post here.I will get back here. I just added your blog to my bookmark sites. thanks.Quality posts is the crucial to invite the visitors to visit the web page, that's what this web page is providing. ריסוס נגד זבובים

    ReplyDelete
  14. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Great survey, I'm sure you're getting a great response. 高雷中學

    ReplyDelete
  16. I know this is one of the most meaningful information for me. And I'm animated reading your article. But should remark on some general things, the website style is perfect; the articles are great. Thanks for the ton of tangible and attainable help. co-living

    ReplyDelete
  17. Pretty good post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed reading your blog posts. Any way I'll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you post again soon. Big thanks for the useful info. what is a course in miracles

    ReplyDelete
  18. how to make money online

    Join StartUpAm and learn how to start a business online. Connect with best online tools needed to be set up for your online business startup.

    ReplyDelete
  19. discordservers


    Discord Home. DiscordHome is a discord listing website, find discord servers and communities here! You can advertise, hire, post resumes and find partners for your discord server. DH deems itself as the home of discord where you can explore amazing and useful resources for all your discord and server needs. We are not affiliated with Discord!

    ReplyDelete
  20. HECM load pre-qualify Whether you or a family member are looking to buy a new home or refinance your current home, I welcome the opportunity to discuss the options available using a reverse mortgage.

    ReplyDelete

Carl and the Meaning of Life (Deborah Freedman)

Title:   Carl and the Meaning of Life   Author :   Deborah Freedman   Illustrator: Deborah Freedman ...