Speak To Me (And I Will Listen Between The Lines)

Title: Speak To Me (and I Will Listen Between the Lines)
Author: Karen English
Illustrator: Amy June Bates
Publisher: Farrar Straus Giroux, 2004
Genre: Poetry/ Multicultural/ Picture Book
Age Range: 3-5

Summary: This is a collection of poems by six San Fransico, inner-city, African Americans children about their school day. Most of the poems are non rhyming poems. Each are different stories about each child’s school day. One has a good day and brings his teacher a flower, the next gets sent to the principals, one has a new baby brother, one is a show off, and one is a day dreamer, etc. They all have stories to tell and they express themselves through poetry.
Like Tyrell “I just got here and
Already I don’t care about anything this day
Send me next door to Miss Cross’s room
And I don’t care
Bench me for recess
And I don’t care
Make me write: “I’ll do my homework quietly”
One hundred times
And I don’t care
I don’t care about anything this day
And you can’t make me.”

Response: This was a good book, because there was so many completely different stories. Each student was feeling something different on the same day. It shows the point of view on girls and boys, trouble makers and sweethearts, daydreamers, slackers, and hard workers. The illustrations are bright and detailed. I think it was done with pen or black charcoal and water color. I love the expression on each kids face, their very cute. My favorite poems throughout this book were Tyrell’s. He seems to have a hard time in school and does care, he gets sent to the office, and can’t wait to go home. This really gives the teachers a chance to see what going on a child's life and helps them "read between the lines" of their work.

Teaching Ideas: this would be a great book to begin a poetry lesson and a great way to share ones feelings and emotions. This shows the students that not all poems are happy. They can be about whatever you feel. I would take a class of 3rd graders and let them create their own poem on how they are feeling that day. I would also tell them to create another poem that made them feel this way today. We could then go around the room and who ever wanted to share could do so.