Winter Bees & Other Poems Of The Cold (2014) - Plot & Excerpts
Joyce Sidman has a new poetry collection coming out Tuesday, and it is glorious. It's a companion book for Dark Emperor called Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold (HMH, 2014). I love Joyce's work, nature, and winter, so this is a triple-threat collection! The poems are lovely, presented in a variety of styles and moods and voices. From the surreal elegance of tundra swans to the ancient voice calling snakes to their winter home to the whimsical moose calf, you will love every animal and plant here (and learn more about each in every poem's accompanying prose sidebar). While you're deep in the enchantment of Joyce's language and Rick Allen's art, you might not even notice until you're finished that you've learned an awful lot about the various ways animals and plants survive--or even thrive during--the winter.I just realized I chose the only poem about a non-living thing to share here. Oh well--I tasted our first winter flurry on Tuesday, and I just had to pick this poem about snow!Snowflake WakesSnowflake wakes,whirling,arms outstretched,lace sprouting from fingertipsLeaps, laughingin a dizzy cloud,a pinwheel gathering glitterDrops into air,suddenly softand full, a latticeof stars spinningsilentlyDrifts down,touchingand tickling,clingingand clumpingHugs earth,sighs and settlesSleeps,tucked in its own blanket--Joyce Sidman, all rights reservedIsn't that gorgeous? "lattice / of stars spinning / silently" Sigh. The illustrations in this book of poetry really make this work shine. Joyce Sidman's poems about various winter animals and other aspects of the season certainly evoke wonderful feelings and images, but the design is the star here. The illustrations were put together with linoleums block prints, that were then hand painted on paper. These individual prints were then cobbled together with digital design tools to form whole scenes. I love winter myself, and this book perfectly illustrated the many facets of this season and the little worlds that exist within it.
What do You think about Winter Bees & Other Poems Of The Cold (2014)?
Poems paired with factual information about animals in winter. Beautiful illustrations.
—CV1105
Gorgeous illustrations, fabulous poetry, fun new words, like BRUMATE and SUBNIVEAN.
—Holly
A poetic celebration of winter and science in one! Beautiful illustrations.
—Mel
I lover her poetry matched with expository text!
—Abby_be
