Thursday, December 16, 2021

JELLYFISH WISHES AND POEMS ABOUT FISHES: A Picture Book Review and Autographed Giveaway

 It's always a pleasure to introduce friends' books. Janine Yordy and I met years ago when the SCBWI Charlotte group met at Morrison library in South Park. 

The inspiration for this book came from Janine spending summers at the beach with her boys as well as the beauty she found in nature. As a biologist she picked and researched animals she loved.

It's now my delight to share her second picture book with you, JELLYFISH WISHES AND POEMS ABOUT FISHES with illustrations by Ellen Injerd (Paraklesis Press, 2021)

REVIEW





The book begins with children running down to the sea; here is the first poem:

        BEACH DAY

Sun pops up, and out we run.
Shovels, buckets surfboards, FUN!
And all around us life is brimming--
flying, crawling, floating, swimming.
Sticky sand beneath our feet.
Wonder who we're gonna meet.

The reader is then introduced to  CRABBY:


The poems are full of figurative language and different rhyming techniques which will make the sea creatures memorable. Readers will discover shells with "someone smelly still inside" (alliteration); a lovely osprey who "wishes for a mate to date" (internal rhyme); a heron who goes "SWISH for a fish, and SSLLURP." (internal rhyme and onomatopoeia); and a pelican whose "beaking is super for sneaking and high-dive techniquing" (unique internal rhyme scheme). 

Here's a fun limerick:


Dolphins dance and glide (vivid verbs) and gulls "scuffled over pickled leeks, with yapping, snapping, beachy beaks." (internal rhyme)

Have you ever thought about a stingray flying? Janine did!


Silly poems include a jellyfish waiting to meet her Peanut Butter, an eel that "slithers, swimming with a swish. He's a special, snake-ish fish." (alliteration, fun made-up word). 

A hammerhead shark complains, "No nails, no wood, no way I should be mending someone's fence. My snoot is cute, so I dispute: my name does not make sense."

Here is one of my favorites,



The book ends with the children who are seen through out the book, saying goodnight to the beach under a  darkening sky, and a lovely spread about sea turtles. 


 


Don't you love the "moon-made map"? I do!

GIVEAWAY

Enter to win an autographed copy by leaving a comment by December 19 at 9 AM.  PLEASE LEAVE YOUR NAME AND EMAIL ADDRESS IF YOU ARE NEW TO MY BLOG. U.S. Postal addresses only. 

Congratulations to Susan Rice who won DINO PAJAMA PARTY.


25 comments:

Rosi said...

This looks like a fun way for kids to learn. I would love to share this with my grands. Congrats to Susan Rice. Thanks for the post.

Patricia Franz said...

Aww! No better place deserving of poems and wrapped in a picture book! Thank you for spotlighting this PB!

Carol Baldwin said...

Patricia, please leave me your email address so I can enter your name!

Carol Baldwin said...

Thanks, Rosi. You're in!

Kathy Halsey said...

What a fun book. So many hooks. Sea what did there? Infowoman@sbcglobal.net

Carol Baldwin said...

Very cute, Kathy! Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving your email address. I hope I've hooked you into coming back again!

Barbara Younger said...

I'd love to win a copy. I'd bring it on the family beach trip for splashy read alouds!

Antoinette said...

What a sweet book for any beach bum reader.

Carol Baldwin said...

Thanks Antoinette and Barbara. You're in!

Terri DeGezelle Michels said...

Great topic, read aloud, and wonderful illustrations, what else could anyone want! thank you for sharing! Terri

Carol Baldwin said...

Thanks, Terri. You're in!

Danielle H. said...

The beach and ocean are my happy places and I always enjoy learning more about life there. The illustrations are adorable and I enjoyed the surprising twists to these poems.

Carol Baldwin said...

Thanks, Danielle. you're in!

Nancy I. Sanders said...

What a delightful book! It's so wonderful to see new poetry for children and this looks absolutely adorable!!!!

Lois said...

What a great book. Love all the kinds of rhymes and images. This is a book my grands will love.

Lois Bartholomew

Sue Heavenrich said...

Aw, this looks like such a cute book. I love the way you broke down some of the poetry elements. Great review. Can't wait to read this one...

Carol Baldwin said...

Thanks Sue, Lois, and Nancy. You're all in!

Connie Porter Saunders said...

Sounds perfect to share with my granddaughter! She loves going to the aquarium!!
Connie
cps1950(at)gmail(dot)com

Carol Baldwin said...

Thanks, Connie. My grands do too!

Sherry Howard said...

I just love these poems!!! It’s always fun to hear how early inspiration starts with many authors!

Vonda Hamilton, author missionary teacher said...

Absolutely love it! The poetry and imagery area are amazing! The illustrations are sweet! Beyond adorable! Want to read it to my grandson! Makes me want to go to the beach! Oceanic creatures come alive!!

Carol Baldwin said...

Thanks Sherry and Vonda. You're both in the giveaway!

Janet Frenck Sheets said...

These are great! I especially like the funny final lines on some of the poems.

Holly B. Johnson said...

LOVE the concept and the poetry.

Carol Baldwin said...

Thanks, Janet and Holly. You're both in!

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