Birds on a Wire - Hardcover

Lewis, J. Patrick; Janeczko, Paul B.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1590783832 ISBN 13: 9781590783832

Publisher: WordSong, 2008

Synopsis

Two poetry masters create a slice of American life, in renga form. This portrait of a day in the life of an American village is told in an ancient poetic form known as the renga (meaning "linked verse"), in which one poet writes a verse and another poet responds to that. Then the first poet adds another verse, and so on. Each verse links somehow with the one preceding it but not with the others. This means that each new verse takes the story in a completely different direction as each poet comes up with a clever way to connect the new verse. Birds on a Wire, a Parents' Choice and IRA Teachers' Choice book, is a random romp around town.

About this title

About the Author

J. Patrick Lewis has written many books, and his short stories and poems have been published in magazines, literary journals, and anthologies. He lives in Chagrin Falls, Ohio.

Paul B. Janeczko is an author, a teacher, and a poet. Growing up, he didn't much like school, preferring sports. He was a reader, however, thanks to the Hardy boys. He lives in western Maine.

Gary Lippincott has a BFA degree from the Maryland Institute College of Art. He has received numerous awards for his artwork at science-fiction and fantasy conventions. He lives in Royalston, Massachusetts.

Reviews

Grade 3–6—The text of this book is a renga, a poem in which one author writes one verse (three lines) and another writes the next (two lines), linking the new verse to the previous one in some way. The poets describe with carefully crafted word images the places and people one might see walking down the main street of a small town. The connection between the verses is sometimes obvious and other times obscure. The cadence of the free verse poems feels like a slow amble and adds to the homey effect of the poetry. Realistic watercolors perfectly reflect the easygoing mood of the selections. Lippincott has managed to connect the illustrations in the same way that the authors connect the verses. Readers can find details from previous illustrations in the background of the next picture. In the introduction, Lewis and Janeczko explain the form of the poem and invite youngsters to try writing one with a friend. This lovely book will inspire readers to do just that. Birds on a Wire is more contemplative than this team's Wing Nuts: Screwy Haiku (Little, Brown, 2006). It shows the versatility of the authors and is a fine addition to most collections.—Donna Cardon, Provo City Library, UT
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*Starred Review* In the Japanese verse form called renga, a cousin to the haiku, two or more poets take turns, each playing off the previous verse so that the narrative is propelled in constantly new and surprising directions. Lewis and Janeczko, both accomplished youth poets, prove just how compelling this form can be, switching voices gracefully and leaping from concrete imagery that works in concert with the artwork to verses that carry more abstract ideas that will fire imaginations. But the poetry is just half of the attraction here. Mirroring the verse form, each of Lippincott’s two-page spreads offers visual clues as to what the next will hold as well as echoes of the previous one, linking the images together as a sort of meditative meander about a timeless town. The vantage point sweeps and soars, providing no end of captivating details and surprise glimpses into people’s lives, community stories, and natural dramas that fade as soon as they arise. This lovely picture book is an impeccable synthesis of text and image, each simultaneously playing off the other in ways insightful and visceral. A book that demands and rewards multiple readings, viewings, and contemplations. Grades 2-4. --Ian Chipman

Edition details

• Publisher: WordSong
• Publication date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1590783832
• ISBN 13: 9781590783832
• Binding: Hardcover
• Illustrator: Lippincott Gary
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 32