A Bunch of Punctuation

by Lee Bennett Hopkins, Serge Bloch (Illustrator)

Overview

Selected by noted anthologist Lee Bennett Hopkins, this collection of all-new poems is written from the points of view of personality-filled punctuation marks, and is a memorable introduction to grammar for kids (adults, too!)

In this land of punctuation, the exclamation mark is a superhero who tells a story chock-full of bops and bams, the comma lets you pause to enjoy the weather, and the period is where you must come to a full stop—or else the Grammar Police will get you. With humor and imagination, A Bunch of Punctuation makes it easy to remember the jobs of the various punctuation marks. Award-winning poet and anthologist Lee Bennett Hopkins has compiled a unique collection of poems featuring brand-new works by well-known poets, accompanied by inventive artwork by illustrator Serge Bloch.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781590789940
Publisher:	Astra Publishing House
Publication date:	08/07/2018
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	1,005,651
Product dimensions:	7.60(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Lee Bennett Hopkins was a poet and anthologist who was honored with the Christopher Award, the University of Southern Mississippi's Medallion for "lasting contributions to children's literature," and the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry for Children. 

Serge Bloch was born in Colmar, France. He has illustrated numerous books for children, including The Underwear Salesman: And Other Jobs for Better or Verse; My Snake Blake, and I Scream Ice Cream, and has won several international prizes and Gold Medals for his work. He has also entered the fine art world with shows in Paris, New York, Tokyo, Seoul, and Berlin, and more.

Editorial Reviews

A collection of peppy poems and clever pictures explains different forms of punctuation. ‘A Punctuation Tale’ kicks off the proceedings with a punny description of a day full of punctuation…(and) ‘Question Marks’ is particularly delightful. The 12 poets included work with a variety of devices and styles for an always-fresh feel. Bloch's illustrations are delightfully surprising, both illustrating each poem's key points and playfully riffing on the punctuation itself. Both playful and enlightening, period.” —Kirkus Reviews

“In this…lively volume, Hopkins showcases poems about punctuation. From commas to periods and every dash in between, kids' favorite marks are sure to find the spotlight at least once. Bloch's illustrations…aid in illuminating meaning…(T)his collection has great potential as a teaching tool.” —School Library Journal

From the Publisher

10/01/2018
Gr 2–5—In this slight but lively volume, Hopkins showcases poems about punctuation. From commas to periods and every dash in between, kids' favorite marks are sure to find the spotlight at least once. "A Punctuation Tale" begins the adventure with a grammar introduction, leading into a solo poem for each mark, and capped with a punctuation-inspired poetry challenge. The poems do not adhere to any one particular structure, instead showcasing a variety of styles that seem best suited to their corresponding subject. Bloch's illustrations combine airy line drawings atop flat washes of color with the bold the punctuation marks. Most often the illustrations aid in illuminating meaning, though the duo with quotation-mark eyes may be a trifle unsettling or distracting. Perhaps not every poem works as well as it could, but as a whole this collection has great potential as a teaching tool. VERDICT Educators and libraries looking to provide grammar resources a bit lighter than the average textbook will find this a useful and enjoyable addition to their collection.—Taylor Worley, Springfield Public Library, OR

School Library Journal

2018-05-28
A collection of peppy poems and clever pictures explains different forms of punctuation.Rebecca Kai Dotlich's "A Punctuation Tale" kicks off the proceedings with a punny description of a day full of punctuation; goodnight is "cuddled / in quotation marks." Ensuing poems discuss the comma, the apostrophe, the dash ("A subdued dude / in tweet and text / he signals what / is coming next"), the colon, the exclamation point, and ellipses. Allan Wolf's poem about this last is called "…" and begins, "The silent ellipsis… / replaces…words missed." Prince Redcloud's "Question Marks" is particularly delightful, with the question "Why?" dancing diagonally down in stair steps. The emphatic answer is a repeated "Because!" Other poems pay tribute to quotation marks, the hyphen, and the period. Michele Kruger explains "The Purpose of Parentheses": "inside a pair / ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) / of slender curves / we'll hold your few / inserted words." The final poem is editor Hopkins' own, "Lines Written for You to Think About" (inspired by Carl Sandburg), urging young readers to write their own verses employing (what else?) punctuation. The 12 poets included work with a variety of devices and styles for an always-fresh feel. Bloch's illustrations are delightfully surprising, both illustrating each poem's key points and playfully riffing on the punctuation itself. Both playful and enlightening, period. (Picture book/poetry. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews