Reviews for Salting the Ocean: 100 Poems by Young Poets

The average rating for Salting the Ocean: 100 Poems by Young Poets based on 2 reviews is 4 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2015-05-31 00:00:00 William Albert Critically acclaimed poet Naomi Shihab Nye spent decades working as a writer-in-the-schools. She traveled from school to school throughout Texas, running poetry writing workshops for children. In Salting the Ocean, Shihab Nye gathered together 100 of her favorite poems that students had written. As the front jacket flap states, the poets featured in the collection aren't famous, nor are they award winners or poet laureates. In this poetry collection, children speak for themselves. The book begins with three introductions, all written by Shihab Nye. One is directed to the general public, the second is for educators and parents, and the last is for the child poets themselves. Shihab Nye describes a little of her experiences as a teacher in the schools, and then offers a few thoughts on the importance of poetry. The poems themselves are divided into four sections by topic. Each section is named for one of Shihab Nye's favorite lines from the children's poetry. The poems in "My Shadow Is an Ant's Night" are about self-image and inner thoughts. Poems in "Think How Many Stories Are In Your Shirt" are about places, while "My Grandma Squashes Roaches with Her Hand" is about family. Finally, "Silence Is Like a Tractor Moving the Whole World" features poems about imagination. The book also includes an index by title, an index by poet, an afterword, and suggestions for further reading. The quality of the poems in the collection varies. Some poems are standout successes, while others seem to hold meaning only for the person who wrote them. Younger children may feel frustrated when reading poems that seem to be nonsensical, and may need to be reminded that one doesn't always need to understand a poem to enjoy reading it. Surprisingly, hardly any of the poems make use of rhyme. Most are written in free verse and include figurative language. Similes and metaphors are the devices that are employed most frequently, with alliteration being less common. Some narrative poems are present, usually laden with imagery. In "Monday Night at Kwik-Wash", for example, Rebecca Martinez describes an experience at the laundromat: "Lady with broad back, glasses, and Pepto pink polish Glistening on her nails. Looks bored. What's she thinking? Mr. Clock swinging his arms swiftly. Mrs. Dryer warming and soothing, Hugging and kissing my clothes…" (52). In this poem, a clock and a dryer are personified and used in a creative manner. The dyer doesn't just toss the clothes - she hugs and kisses them. The description in the poem is also creative. The woman's nails are not just pink - they're Pepto Bismol pink. The book also includes a few illustrations by artist Ashley Bryan. An image is present in all the major divisions of the book: at the beginning, between the subject sections, and before the afterword. The images are made with tempera paint and are extremely colorful. The artwork portrays children of different ethnicities writing poetry, floating in the ocean, and smiling together in groups. Even the ocean, found in many of the images, is portrayed as made of multiple colors: purple, magenta, green, and yellow. Additionally, the lines that surround shapes are not black, but match the color of the objects they form. Overall, this is a solid collection of poetry written by children, for children. As in any compilation, children will enjoy some of the poems and dislike others.

Review # 2 was written on 2008-07-16 00:00:00 Jake Mcfarlen The inside of the cover states: "There are 100 poems in this book by 100 poets who wrote their poems when they were in grades one through twelve. These poets are not famous. You have not read their poems before. These poets live anywhere. They are now dentists and dancers and teachers and students and construction workers. They write with fire. They could be you." This is a very powerful introduction for students. It helps them see that, at any age, no matter your background, you can write poetry. I think it is very powerful to have students see and read poems written by other kids. It makes the task seem less daunting. The only wish I have is that after the authors name, it would identify the grade level they were in when that poem was written. I think it would help students and me understand the developmental state of the person writing the poem. I also think some great poems are most likely written by a child much younger than we might imagine.