A splendidly illustrated collection of poems inspired by young
children that address common themes such as having a hard day at school,
feeling shy or being a newcomer.
The poems in Climbing Shadows were inspired by a class of kindergarten
children whom poet and playwright Shannon Bramer came to know over the
course of a school year. She set out to write a poem for each child,
sharing her love of poetry with them, and made an anthology of the poems
for Valentine's Day.
This original collection reflects the children's joys and sorrows,
worries and fears, moods and sense of humor. Some poems address common
themes such as having a hard day at school, feeling shy or being a
newcomer, while others explore subjects of fascination -- bats, spiders,
skeletons, octopuses, polka dots, racing cars and birthday parties.
Evident throughout the book is a love of words and language and the idea
that there are all kinds of poems and that they are for everyone -- to
read or write.
Cindy Derby's dreamy watercolor illustrations gently complement each
poem. Beautiful, thoughtful, sensitive and funny, this is an exceptional
collection.
Key Text Features
illustrations
table of contents
author's note
Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language
Arts:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.1
With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details
in a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.4
Ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.7
With prompting and support, describe the relationship between
illustrations and the story in which they appear (e.g., what moment in a
story an illustration depicts).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.4
Identify words and phrases in stories or poems that suggest feelings or
appeal to the senses.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.2.4
Describe how words and phrases (e.g., regular beats, alliteration,
rhymes, repeated lines) supply rhythm and meaning in a story, poem, or
song.
