The Butterfly'sguide to Haiku: Haiku Basics and Workbook

A workbook for students and teachers for creation of Haiku poetry. Divided into easy-to-follow parts that allow you to create Haiku from the basic formula to the more advanced styles.

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The Butterfly's Guide to Haiku by Melissa Dolber Grappone & Don Foxe
 
Reviewed by Realistic Poetry International

Whether you're an educator or just someone looking to step your feet into poetry's refreshing water, Authors Melissa Dolber Grappone and Don Foxe's, "The Butterfly's Guide to Haiku," will surely set you on the right path when it comes to understanding and absorbing the excellent power, gift, and Spirit of Poetry! But not just any type of poetry.
 
Authors Melissa Dolber Grappone and Don Foxe successfully collaborate with one another to help teach, guide, and assist those interested in expressive writing, particularly, haiku! Adding a unique touch to their book's concept, the Authors cleverly implement the use of symbolism throughout the collection, electing the renowned image of a butterfly to highlight or indicate sections of diverse facts with brief snapshots of compelling information and images, like the mystical image on page one showing a fox under a black star-filled night.
 
The Authors make a point in the beginning to explain how this information is un-related to the history or nature of poetry, and the teaching of haiku, nonetheless, seems to use this concept with the intention to stir up inspiration (e.g. images, photos, quotes) and emphasize certain aspects of the Japanese culture and tradition (e.g. language, words, symbols, and meanings)! And considering the fact that haiku's origins are from Japan, this is a brilliant idea! Naturally commanding the reader's attention AND appealing to a youthful audience.
 
The book's design and layout are well-constructed, inventive, stimulating, and diverse with multiple parts, beginning with the basics (also the name of the first section of the book). Under this segment, readers will learn about the structure of haiku, the relevance of syllables, and how to transform every day, plain, unadorned thoughts into engaging poetry that awakens and speaks prominently to the senses.
 
Part two of this book, "The Spirit of Haiku: Seasons of the Year," focuses on describing seasons while "trying not to actually name the time of the year." To help drive the creative process, the Author's also include a writing activity that encourages readers to brainstorm words that remind them of each season. Like an artist sketching out an image first, before actually seeing the finished masterpiece.
 
The thought and intentions behind the making of this book make it purposeful beyond reasons of entertainment or amusement. We applaud the Authors for their altruistic nature that allows them to build and grow for others and believe we need more philanthropic public-spirited individuals such as themselves who are socially-concerned enough to step up and help lead our youth into a better, more prosperous, successful tomorrow. 
Amazingly, teaching the rudiments, importance, and principles of poetry, like haiku, is one of the ways the Authors will achieve their goal. But there is more to this book than just teaching those captured by its magnetic grasp, as it also offers the art of Haiku as a serene "island of peace," and says it is, "escapism in the purest form," in a "hectic, loud civilization." 

With up to six sections, clear and helpful instructions, engaging practice/warm-up activities, inspiring quotes, and motivating examples, this comprehensive guide on how to write haiku is impressive, educational, and delightful to go through! We are happy to present this book with a 5-star rating and agree with the Authors when they say, "Your pen is your wand. Make magic."
 
So, be empowered, find your spirit, and fly like a butterfly, "the breeze from your wings will become a storm capable of changing lives."