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.”

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!

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!!! 🙂