Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night

Gr 3—6—Myra Lucretia Taylor expressively reads Joyce Sidman's lush verse (Houghton Mifflin, 2010) in a warm and soothing voice that adds to the poems' nocturnal mood. She subtly differentiates between the poems and the narratives that are interspersed between them. Listeners are first drawn in by the lyrical "Welcome to the Night," which is followed by an introduction to the nocturnal world and to the raccoon's adaptations that make it a successful night hunter. In each of the following ten poems, an animal or plant is introduced and its night habits are explored in a variety of poetic forms. Then, in a brief prose paragraph, additional information about the night dweller and new vocabulary are presented. For example, after "Crickets Speak," we are told about the mechanics of stridulation—producing a shrill sound by rubbing body parts together. Listeners learn how snails build their shell, what a porcupette is and how it grows, how orb spiders spin webs, how owls hunt their prey, and much more. Finally, "Moon's Lament" closes the nighttime tour. The book's glossary is not included in the recording. The Newbery Honor book's gorgeous, detailed linoleum print illustrations by Rick Allen are as beautiful as the poems, so be sure to have it available to use in tandem with the recording. The second track includes page-turning signals. The expressive, engaging poems and the rich and interesting factual information will attract students interested in nature as well as poetry.—MaryAnn Karre, Horace Mann and Thomas Jefferson Schools, Binghamton, NY