I Am Phoenix: Poems for Two Voices - Hardcover

Fleischman, Paul

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0060218819 ISBN 13: 9780060218812

Publisher: Harpercollins Childrens Books, 1985

Synopsis

A collection of poems about birds to be read aloud by two voices.

About this title

About the Author

Paul Fleischman grew up in Santa Monica, California in a house with a printing press, a grand piano, a shortwave radio, and his father—children’s author Sid Fleischman. Playing recorder in early music consorts led to his books of verbal duets—I Am Phoenix, Joyful Noise (winner of the 1989 Newbery Medal), and Big Talk. His novels built from monologues include Bull Run, a 16-character account of the Civil War's first battle, and Seedfolks—the chronicle of the first year of a Cleveland community garden. His interest in theater inspired his young adult novels Mind's Eye, Seek, and Breakout, all of which revolve around the spoken word. His historical fiction includes Saturnalia and The Borning Room. He's written nonfiction and picture books as well, including Time Train, Weslandia, and Sidewalk Circus.

Alongside the Newbery Medal, he's won a Newbery Honor Book, the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction, the PEN West Literary Award, the California Young Reader Medal, and most recently was a finalist for the 2003 National Book Award. He makes his home in the village of Aromas, California.

From School Library Journal

Grade 4 Up Fifteen poems covering the space of a day and the birds active during that day are designed to be read aloud by two voices. Each poem is accompanied by a handsome black-and-white drawing. The collection fails to offer any new insights and degenerates to the merely silly, especially if the attempt is made to read it aloud. The viewpoints expressed and the imagery used ("Doves of Dodona" or "The Common Egret") will mean nothing to most children. Wonderful, accessible poems about birds already exist. Why bother to clutter up the skies with "Warblers" ("Warblers warbling /Warblers warbling") when Edward Thomas' "Sedgewarblers" exists? The poem "Owls" ("Sun's down, /Sky's dark,") cannot evoke the mood of Randall Jarrell's poem "The Bird of Night." In this year of Audubon's anniversary, honor the beauty of birds with poetry worthy of thempoems found in collections like Cole's The Birds and the Beasts Were There (Collins, 1963; o.p.) or MacKay's A Flock of Words (HBJ, 1970; o.p.). Kathleen D.u Whalin, New Canaan Library, Conn.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Harpercollins Childrens Books
• Publication date: 1985
• ISBN 10: 0060218819
• ISBN 13: 9780060218812
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 51