Dark Emperor & Other Poems of Night- A book review for Children's Literature 5360

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Sidman, Joyce.  2010.  DARK EMPEROR & OTHER POEMS OF THE NIGHT.  Ill. By Rick Allen.  New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. ISBN 0547152288

PLOT SUMMARY

In this book of poetry, the reader joins little eft as he journeys from dusk to dawn through the night.  From the snail to the owl to the porcupette, each night creature tells a story about their lives and what makes them nocturnal.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

In this enchanting collection of poems, Sidman and Allen make the night come alive for the reader.  From the introductory “Welcome to the Night,” to the very last “Moon’s Lament,” I found myself learning new and beautiful things about what happens during the night.  This collection of themed poems gives a positive view of the nocturnal creatures that are all around us, unseen.

One of the most beautiful and creative aspects of these poems is that they are told in the point of view of the nocturnal creatures.  Some are told in first person, and a few are told in third person, such as the title poem, “Dark Emperor.” The poem is told from the point of view of a mouse that is scurrying away to hide from the owl.  The mouse describes the “cool moons of [his] mesmerizing eyes” and notices how the owl can “swivel [his] sleek satellite dish of head” toward the mouse. These strong examples of vivid imagery and figurative language keep the reader engaged as they envision what night looks like from a nocturnal perspective.  The rhythm of each poem creates a smooth and even flow that carries you gently through the night, such as the rich alliteration and flow of “a single searing, unstoppable sound.”

An added element to each poem is a nonfiction description of the topic of each poem.  It is clear that the poet did her research, and it is available for the reader to see the information both in expository and poetic form.  Of course, I prefer to read the book without stopping to read the explanations because they interrupt the rhythm and the flow of images.

The illustrations in this book are done on blocks.  Each illustration looks like the silhouette of an animal, tree, or plant against the backdrop of soft, muted colors.  The pages are dark enough to evoke the feeling of night, but colorful enough to be pleasant and beautiful.  Each illustration adds to and enhances the meaning of the poems they accompany.  There is also a little eft on every page, and as you travel through the book, you realize that you are following little eft on a journey through the pages of the night.   

AWARDS AND REVIEWS

*2011 Newbery Medal Winner

*School Library Journal: “It invites lingering enjoyment for nature and poetry fans… might be used with varied curriculums.”

*Starred review from Booklist: “This picture book combines lyrical poetry and compelling art with science concepts… the thrilling title poem captures the drama of predator and prey…”

CONNECTIONS

·         This selection not only covers the requirements for teaching poetry in grades 3-6, but also connects beautifully to Science, so it could serve well in a cross-curricular unit of study.

·         This book opens the door to research or further reading on one of the animals portrayed in it.

·         Other award-winning books by Sidman include:  SONG OF THE WATER BOATMAN and RED SINGS FROM TREETOPS: A YEAR IN COLORS.

Images taken from: www.joycesidman.com