Hopkins, Lee Bennett, ed. 2005. VALENTINE HEARTS: HOLIDAY POETRY. Pictures by JoAnn Adinolfi. New York: HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-008058-2

Hopkins has collected twelve easy-to-read poems about Valentine's Day in one slim volume. He has included two of his own poems in the collection and two by anonymous poets. The collection is designed primarily for children between four and eight-years-old, but may be enjoyed through adulthood.

Each poem has its own two-page spread and is illustrated by JoAnn Adinolfi with funny cartoonish characters that will delight the target audience. A few poems have the text and pictures presented on a white background, but most are awash in colors that stretch to all corners of the pages.The children in the illustrations have large heads and small straight bodies similar to the drawings the
children might make themselves.

Hopkins used a large type to make the poems easier for young children to read and to make the book more graphically appealing. Furthermore, Hopkins has included both a Table of Contents and an index of titles and authors in the book. These can be used for teaching about the tools readers use to navigate within a book.

As the collection centers on Valentine's Day, the poems center on affection and caring, but generally with a humourous twist. For example, in "Love Note for Leo," by Peggy Robins Janousky, Leo, the recipient of the love note is a pet dog.
In "Heart Art" by Marilyn Singer, the writer is making a valentine and getting herself so covered with glitter, glue and lace that she concludes, "I should sign/ VALENTINE/ And send ME off to you!"

Within the collection, my favorite poem is "For Her" by Lee Bennett Hopkins.

I am sending
a card
to our
school crossing guard
to let her know
how glad I am
that she's always there
to help
hurry-hurry-hurry feet
safely
across
a busy
street.

The illustration shows a crossing guard and three children one of whom is handing the guard a bright red heart seemingly cut from construction paper. Three cars all look rather like homburgs on wheels as a kindergartener might draw a car. The humor of the illustration is a counterpoint to the fairly serious side to this poem that reminds its readers of all the rarely-thanked people who help us get through our lives.

Poetry Break
Topic: Hats

Introduction
Read the class JENNIE'S HAT by Ezra Jack Keats.
Let the class discuss times they like to dress up. Do people compliment them on how they look?
How do different clothes make them feel? Do they dress differently for different occasions?
Can dressing formally be a sign of respect?

Ladies' Hat
by Nikki Grimes

My family settles in a pew.
I leave them for a minute or two
to race up to the balcony
and smile down on the gallery
of ladies wearing hats.

I could admire them for hours-
hats with feather, bows, and flowers,
satin ribbons, black as jet,
broad silk bands, and lacy net
that ladies hide behind.

Some hats are peach, plum red, pale pink,
some shades of purple which I think
are beautiful, especially
on Mom, who often says that we
should dress up for the Lord.

[Grimes, Nikki. 1996. COME SUNDAY. Grand Rapids, Mich.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing. Illustrated by Michael Bryant. ISBN 0-9028-5108-8]

Extension
Have each student draw a picture of a favorite piece of clothing.
Ask them to remember when and where they last wore it. As a group, make a list of words that describe the clothes.
Then ask the children to write a poem about the article of clothing.

Poetry Break
Topic: Making mistakes in school

Introduction
Every teacher has moments when they make mistakes in front of their class. When student catch an error made by the teacher, this is a teachable moment that may be capitalized on through this poem by Alice Schertle. After discussing the silliness of the mistake and how the error can be corrected, the teacher should show the class Florida and its capital on a map. Then the teacher should pull out this poem and read it to the class.

A millions miles from Tallahassee
by Alice Schertle

I was so sure
I knew the capital of Florida
I almost threw my elbow out of joint
Waving my hand
In front of Mr. Miller’s face.
When he called on me
I jumped up and said,
"Tassalooma!"

I thought they’d never stop laughing.
Jerome practically
Fell out of his seat.
Even Mr. Miller lost it.

Now everybody’s always asking me,
"How are things in Tassalooma?"
And Maria the comedian said,
"Let’s rent a rooma
in Tassalooma."

And if I could go to Tassalooma!
Which is nowhere
On anybody’s map-
I’d never
Come
Back!

[Hopkins, Lee Bennett, ed. 2005. OH, NO! WHERE ARE MY PANTS? AND OTHER DISASTERS: POEMS. New York: HarperCollins. Illustrated by Wolf Erlbruch. ISBN 068817860X]

Extension
Have the class take a moment to remember a mistake they made this year. Remind the children it must be their own mistake, not a classmate’s or sibling’s. A few may wish to volunteer to share the error they made. Then ask each person to try to make a poem either describing what happened or how they felt at the time or both.