Lemonade Sun: And Other Summer Poems

by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Jan Spivey Gilchrist (Illustrator)

Overview

Like the spicy sweetness of an ice-cold glass of lemonade, these bright and happy poems promise—and deliver—a shiver of recognition and refreshment. From the classic subjects of "My Lemonade Stand" and "Jacks" to the jazzy rhythms of "Jump Rope Talk" to the lyrical beauty of "Backyard Bubbles," this stunning collection from Rebecca Kai Dotlich is drenched in summer colors and pleasures. Color illustrations by award-winning artist Jan Spivey Gilchrist add an edgy charm.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781563979446
Publisher:	Astra Publishing House
Publication date:	02/01/2001
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	32
Product dimensions:	7.06(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.15(d)
Lexile:	NP (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 7 Years

About the Author

Rebecca Kai Dotlich is the author of Sweet Dreams of the Wild. She lives near Indianapolis, Indiana.

Jan Spivey Gilchrist is an illustrator of more than 30 books for children. Winner of the Coretta Scott King award, she lives in Evanston, Illinois.

Editorial Reviews

"Metaphorical descriptions of everything from fireflies to fireworks readily focus the mind's eye, Gilchrist's brightly colored, vivid acrylic illustrations marry perfectly with the poetry. A wonderful addition that will be fun to read during any season."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

PreS-Gr 4The richness of Dotlich's figurative language catapults readers into the midst of summer's fun, freedom, and wonder. The collection presents a complete roster of the season's creatures, celebrations, and feelings. "Double-Dutch Song," "Jump Rope Rhyme," and "Jump Rope Talk" capture the steady rhythm of jumping rope. "A Circle of Sun" ("I'm dancing./I'm leaping./I'm skipping about.") cries out for physical enactment. Even the joy of "Reading/books/outside/at last" is included. Metaphorical descriptions of everything from fireflies to fireworks readily focus the mind's eye. Gilchrist's brightly colored, vivid acrylic illustrations marry perfectly with the poetry. A wonderful addition that will be fun to read during any season.Renee Steinberg, Fieldstone Middle School, Montvale, NJ

School Library Journal

Dotlich (Sweet Dreams of the Wild, 1996) uses her poetry to call up moments in a summer. She celebrates the small tantalizing creatures—bumblebees and butterflies, ladybugs and fireflies—and takes year-around pleasures and puts them outside under the sun: a game of jacks, the reading of a book. The best of her imagery is startling and memorable—whispering through a dragonfly's wing, the sidewalk song of a marble game; there are a number of poems that warrant immediate re-reading, both to pick up on the intimations and to experiment with the beat and wordplay. At least two jump-rope rhymes are worth memorizing; one is a Double-Dutch ditty, while the other could serve as a geography lesson. Anchoring the collection is Gilchrist's artwork; it projects a clear sense that all the fun isn't going to last forever. The cityscapes are especially strong and evocative. (Picture book/poetry. 4-8)

Kirkus Reviews