Happy June, Everyone!
Did you all say “Rabbit! Rabbit! Rabbit!” this morning? 🙂
I apologize for not being here for Perfect Picture Books last week! (…but I’m sure you all had tons of fun without me! 🙂 )
Today, I’m honored to have a very special book to share. I hope you will all get a chance to read it at some point. It is well worth it!
It’s not often we get to know the personal backstory of a book, so it’s a special treat to know where there one has its origins.
The publication of this book is the culmination of a decades-long dream. The author, Sydell Rosenberg, was a public school teacher in New York City and a charter member of the Haiku Society of America. She wrote haiku for children that reflected her urban surroundings and sensibilities and were universal and timeless as well. After her death, her daughter, Amy, determined to see Syd’s dream of publishing a book of children’s haiku become reality. The result is this book. Lovely. Delightful. Thought-provoking. Full of Syd’s perceptive view of the world.
Title: H Is For Haiku: A Treasury Of Haiku From A To Z
Written By: Sydell Rosenberg
Illustrated By: Sawsan Chalabi
Penny Candy Books, April 2018, haiku/poetry
Suitable For Ages: listed for Kindergarten – Grade 6, but a book all ages can enjoy!
Themes/Topics: moments that make up life, poetry (haiku)
Opening: “Adventures over
the cat sits in the fur ring
of his tail, and dreams.”

Text copyright Sydell Rosenberg, 2018, illustration copyright Sawsan Chalabi, 2018
Brief Synopsis: One haiku for each letter of the alphabet describes the little moments and details that make up every day life.
Links To Resources: an author’s forward defines haiku and describes how to write them; write your own haiku – or expand on that by thinking of a theme and writing a group of haiku that go together (e.g. “springtime”, “water”, “forest animals”, or “apple-picking”); illustrate your haiku!

text copyright Sydell Rosenberg, 2018, illustration copyright Sawsan Chalabi, 2018
Why I Like This Book: I don’t just like this book. I love it. Each of the haiku is its own little moment or detail, something that rings so true you can’t help but feel its resonance in your own experience. It’s the kind of book that makes you stop and take notice. And isn’t that a valuable reminder for us all? To live in the present and notice all the little things around us? To be sure not to miss what’s right before our eyes? The language is beautiful, articulate, and accessible. Young or old, readers will enjoy these tiny nuggets of truth. I chose two of my favorites from the book to show above in the illustrations 🙂 but they’re all wonderful! The art is bold and fun, and a perfect complement to the poems.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do 🙂
For the complete list of books with resources, please visit Perfect Picture Books.
PPBF folks, please add your titles and post-specific links (and any other info you feel like filling out 🙂 ) to the form below so we can all come see what fabulous picture books you’ve chosen to share this week!
Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!!! 🙂
I’d heard of Amy’s quest to publish her mother’s haiku & so happy to learn they are now out in the world.
Welcome back! Hope it looks more like June where you are than it does near NYC!
Hurray! Hurray! Hurray! For Amy and for her mom and for following your dream and for not giving up and for a totally awesome book! Thanks so much for highlighting this one, Susanna…I’m off to get a copy!
I love this book too and I didn’t know the backstory! I’m working on a Haiku book too and this is quite an inspiration.
Also, Susanna we always say White Rabbit in my house. I’m not even sure where that came from.
This looks so wonderful.
But, as far as alphabet books go, I may be a bigger fan of The Gashlycrumb Tinies. 😉
It sounds delightful! It would be the perfect book to introduce Haikus to your class.
This looks like such a fun book. I love haiku.
Nice to have you back, Susanna! Your pick has caused spontaneous inspiration:
Haikustic guitar
Cutting strumming vibrating
Syllabic meter
I had forgotten that I requested my library buy this book, so your post reminded me. Thanks! I see that my library DID buy it, and I just put it on hold. Can’t wait to read! Amy, your mom would be so happy that her book is in the world 🙂
What a lovely book and tribute to her mum