I Heard the Willow Weep

School Library Journal

Gr 1-4-Albert combines a didactic poem with a set of ecological activities for children. Each line of the verse ends in a rhyme for "weep," and the cumulative effect is annoying and laughable as in "How long will we sleep/Before peepers cannot peep/And leopards cannot leap?" The accompanying illustrations have a grainy, pointillistic quality with muted hues that do little to divert listeners from the text. Those who make it through the first part of the book will find spreads on which each verse of the poem is repeated along with a small copy of its illustration and related facts, a project, and a list labeled "What Can We Do?" Activities include recycling old crayons, making a compost pile, and creating a mini-rain forest, all accompanied by small color photographs. Unfortunately, this worthwhile section is overwhelmed by bad verse.-Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|