Today's read... H is for Haiku by Sydell Rosenberg

This month, I've had a book in verse for young adults (Thin) , for middle graders (The In-Between), and it only seems fair to add in one for the youngest readers, too. So, today's read is all about poetry, and in this case, Haiku. Considering it's a picture book, I'm expecting this to be a treat...I do enjoy well done poetry for the younger readers when it involves illustrations, too.

So, off we go into the world of Haiku!

H IS FOR HAIKU

A Treasury of Haiku From A to Z

by Sydell Rosenberg

Illustrated by Sawsan Chalabi

Penny Candy Books

Picture Book / Poetry

40 pages

ages 5 to 11

In this award-winning collection of ABC haiku, readers will witness a boy sitting on a mailbox, drops of rain clanking on a watering can, waiting in line for ice cream, and so much more—all in haiku form and vibrant, playful illustrations.

Inspired by her experiences living in New York City, Sydell Roseberg’s haiku invite children and grown-ups alike to slow down, linger, and pay attention to the moments we often overlook. Illustrated in a dynamic and colorful style with text integrated into the images, H is for Haiku is a delightful addition to any bookshelf.

GOODREADS   /   AMAZON   /   INDIEBOUND    /   B&N

MY TIDBITS

This is an imagination-inspiring, look-at-the-world-around-me-driving, and simply enjoyable read.

Every page holds a haiku, and these concentrate on all sorts of sights and things, which a person might see and not consciously take notice of—dry leaves floating on a puddle after a rain or a girl passing by on a bicycle. The haikus make these moments turn into something special, which will have listeners looking at the world around them through new eyes.

The illustrations are as creative as the haikus and add a fresh dimension to each moment. They are bold and unapologetic with their artistic flair. The haikus are slapped on the images or woven into them with various, not-to-be-ignored fonts to present a playful atmosphere. 

It's a wonderful book to introduce haikus in a way which is anything but boring. Young listeners will be inspired to try to write a few of their own. 

There is also a lesson-article available for this book, which is great for teachers, homeschoolers, or those who simply want readers to dive deeper into the topic here:

https://teachersandwritersmagazine.org/making-small-moments-big-teaching-haiku-with-sydell-rosenberg-5594.htm

And here they are...

Amy Losak spent most of her life in Queens, New York and now lives in New Jersey. She is a public relations expert and consultant.

Her mother, Sydell Rosenberg, was a teacher and published writer, including haiku and related forms. Syd was a charter member of the Haiku Society of America in 1968. Amy is a member today.

 

Syd, who died in 1996, contributed to the literary life of her home borough and New York City. Her “city haiku” and other poems were and continue to be published in leading journals, classic anthologies, and other media dedicated to this form. In 1994, Syd’s senryu was featured in the New York public arts project, Haiku on 42nd Street, in which old theater marquees in Times Square were transformed into “frames” for short poems.

 

Thanks to Syd’s influence, Amy writes and publishes her own haiku today. Her credits include Akitsu Quarterly, Autumn Moon Haiku Journal, Failed Haiku, Frameless Sky, Frogpond (the journal of HSA), The Haiku Foundation, Hedgerow, The Heron’s Nest, Modern Haiku, Newtown Literary, Prune Juice, Tinywords; and more, including several anthologies.

 

Amy also is a 2021 First Place award winner in a prestigious contest (with 700+ entries) from the Haiku Society of America. In addition, she has earned several Honorable Mentions.

 

In 2018, Penny Candy Books, started by two poets, released H Is For Haiku (illustrated by Sawsan Chalabi) to acclaim. Amy wrote the introduction. This children’s collection was honored by the National Council for Teachers of English as a 2019 “Notable Poetry Book.”

In 2020, the respected independent literary press, Kattywompus Press, released Syd’s chapbook for adults, Poised Across the Sky. Amy and founder Sammy Greenspan served as co-editors.

 

Their collaborative chapbook, Wing Strokes, was released this year (Kelsay Books).

 

Amy also is a member of The Book Meshuggenahs: a group of Jewish authors in the United States and Israel, all women, who publish award-winning children’s books: www.thebookmeshuggenahs.com