Brainjuice: American history, fresh squeezed

Shields, C.D. (2002). Brainjuice: American history fresh squeezed. Brooklyn, NY: Handprint Books.

Interest level: Grades 4-8

Books in this series offer a sometimes humorous look at different curricular topics through poetry. In this volume, the top of each page features a timeline of events that impacted American History. The poems are arranged chronologically, with the first one being about the very first Americans- dinosaurs and ending with a poem about the September 11th attacks from the Statue of Liberty's viewpoint. Each poem features illustrations that further the understanding of what the poem is about.

This is a good book for anyone interested in American History. It would be a particularly good classroom resource either before or after a particular topic is discussed to grab students' interest. For instance the poem "Job Available," which is about Sacajawea and the Lewis and Clark Expedition ("Opening for a teenage girl/ (With baby in a pack):/ Help lead an expedition/ Twelve hundred miles and back...") could be used as an interest grabber when starting the unit and also as a wrap up poem to refresh students' memories. All books in this series would also be good for poetry units in English classes.

technically, IT'S NOT MY FAULT

Grandits, John (2004). Technically, it's not my fault. New York, NY: Clarion Books.

Interest Level: Grades 4-8

Reading Level: 3+

This book introduces Robert through a series of concrete poems. Robert is just your typical kid. Technically, it’s not his fault things don’t always go the way he plans. He was doing a scientific experiment when he dropped that brick out of the attic window and it landed on the car. Yes, he may have blown his sister’s math homework to smithereens when he wrapped it around that firework since no one told him he couldn’t or shouldn't. When his mom had to leave work early and pick him up because his teacher and the nurse thought he was having a seizure he was only speaking backwards since his teacher said he acts backwards.

This is a great book for kids who are fans of Shel Silverstein and fun poetry in general. It’s a great resource for a class poetry unity as it very clearly illustrates what concrete poetry is. When Robert breaks his leg the poem takes the form of a cast, when he shoots off his sister’s homework it is shown as a firework and confetti pieces falling from the sky. Kids will crack up at poems such as “The Autobiography of Murray the Fart.” This book is a great way to inspire students to create their own concrete poems.