Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night by Joyce Sidman

Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night by Joyce Sidman
Genre: Juvenile Poetry
Sub-genre:--
Theme: Nocturnal forest life
Primary and Secondary Characters: Nocturnal woodland creatures and wildlife are the primary characters.
Awards: 2011 Newberry Honor Book
Publisher and Date of Publication: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company; 2010
Summary and Uses: This book of poems introduces nighttime animals and plants in a magical and endearing way. Every poem is filled with facts and rhyming verse. On the adjacent page, there is a paragraph of facts about the creature or plant that the poem is about. In the back, a glossary can be found that defines tougher words mentioned throughout the poems and informational text. I would use this book in my own classroom to introduce types of poetry. There are many different types in this one book. I think my students would love to hear how poetry can be so informative and fun. On top of the wonderful words, the illustrations are beautifully done and accompany the text perfectly. It would help my students visualize the forest's nightlife scene better. After reading this book, I would have the students write their own poem and draw an illustration for it.