Poetry - Assorted Topics, Children - Nature

Lemonade Sun: And Other Summer Poems

Name: Lemonade Sun: And Other Summer Poems
Author: Rebecca Kai Dotlich
ISBN: 9781563979446

by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Jan Spivey Gilchrist

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Overview

Like the spicy sweetness of an ice-cold glass of lemonade, these bright and happy poems promise--and deliver--a shiver of recognition and refreshment. From the classic subjects of "My Lemonade Stand" and "Jacks" to the jazzy rhythms of "Jump Rope Talk" to the lyrical beauty of "Backyard Bubbles," this stunning collection from Rebecca Kai Dotlich is drenched in summer colors and pleasures. Color illustrations by award-winning artist Jan Spivey Gilchrist add an edgy charm.

A collection of poems celebrating summer sights and sounds.

Synopsis

A collection of poems celebrating summer sights and sounds.

Children's Literature

Sing a song of summer with Rebecca Kai Dotlich in her joyous collection Lemonade Sun and Other Summer Poems. It's "Good-bye to cold; /hello to sun..." Children shout and sing "A Circle of Sun"--"I'm dancing, / I'm leaping, / I'm skipping about/...I wiggle. / I run. / I'm a piece of sun." Whether playing marbles or making lemonade or jumping double dutch, each poem captures the spirit of the moment. Ms. Gilchrist's animated children add to the sheer pleasure of the poems, extending their meaning and satisfying our senses. 1998, Wordsong/Boyd Mills, Ages 4 to 8, $15.95. Reviewer: Jan Lieberman

About the Author, Rebecca Kai Dotlich

Rebecca Kai Dotlich's books include Lemonade Sun: And Other Summer Poems, an IRA-CBC Children's Choice, and Castles: Old Stone Poems, co-written with J. Patrick Lewis. She lives in Carmel, Indiana.

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Editorials

Children's Literature - Children's Literature

Children's Literature - Leila Toledo

This is an assortment of poems extolling the merits of summer. Many of the poems brought back my own childhood memories. My mouth waters when I read about the liquid sweetness of lemonade. While "Barefoot" and "Jack." evoked pleasant memories of my own skipping barefoot in the grass and tossing jacks. The variety of summer activities addressed in this collection will brings joy to those who read this book.

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 4The richness of Dotlich's figurative language catapults readers into the midst of summer's fun, freedom, and wonder. The collection presents a complete roster of the season's creatures, celebrations, and feelings. "Double-Dutch Song," "Jump Rope Rhyme," and "Jump Rope Talk" capture the steady rhythm of jumping rope. "A Circle of Sun" ("I'm dancing./I'm leaping./I'm skipping about.") cries out for physical enactment. Even the joy of "Reading/books/outside/at last" is included. Metaphorical descriptions of everything from fireflies to fireworks readily focus the mind's eye. Gilchrist's brightly colored, vivid acrylic illustrations marry perfectly with the poetry. A wonderful addition that will be fun to read during any season.Renee Steinberg, Fieldstone Middle School, Montvale, NJ

Kirkus Reviews

Dotlich (Sweet Dreams of the Wild, 1996) uses her poetry to call up moments in a summer. She celebrates the small tantalizing creatures—bumblebees and butterflies, ladybugs and fireflies—and takes year-around pleasures and puts them outside under the sun: a game of jacks, the reading of a book. The best of her imagery is startling and memorable—whispering through a dragonfly's wing, the sidewalk song of a marble game; there are a number of poems that warrant immediate re-reading, both to pick up on the intimations and to experiment with the beat and wordplay. At least two jump-rope rhymes are worth memorizing; one is a Double-Dutch ditty, while the other could serve as a geography lesson. Anchoring the collection is Gilchrist's artwork; it projects a clear sense that all the fun isn't going to last forever. The cityscapes are especially strong and evocative. (Picture book/poetry. 4-8)