Poetry Book Review #2

Hopkins, Lee Bennett, ed. Philip Stanton, illus. 2006. Got geography! New York: Greenwillow Books.

Got Geography!, a selection of poems put together by Lee Bennett Hopkins, presents various verses having to do with earth science. Sixteen different concise poems by fifteen different poets cover a wide variety of topics dealing with the earth's surface such as volcanoes and the ocean. The majority of these poems are concrete. All of the works featured are by established writers like Carl Sandburg or Jane Yolen. Richly illustrated by Philip Stanton, this collection is an eye catching book that would accompany a geography lesson well.

Poetry is an excellent way to make a usually static scientific subject come alive with imagery. This idea is exemplified in "For Forest" by Grace Nichols, "Forest tune in every day/to watersound and birdsound/Forest letting her hair down/to the teeming creeping of her forest-ground" (18). This image of these clumps of trees listening to the noise of its inhabitants like the music of a radio then relaxing to it is delightful. Along with imagery, an assortment of poetic devices is used. Free verse, rhyme and humor are just a few that are represented. Humor permeates "If I Were the Equator" by Kathryn Madeline Allen, "If I were the equator/I would have an attitude./I'd boast the most about my no degrees of latitude" (9). The thought of this imaginary line that surrounds the globe posturing is quite amusing. Plus it presents a lighter side of this subject not usually revealed.

All of these poems are definitely geared towards older school children because they have some understanding of the physical planet we inhabit. Bennett does an excellent job organizing the pieces. He begins with themes of having to find your way. Towards the middle the subjects get more specific while the poems contain a sense of understanding and adventure about the world around us. Carl Sandburg provides a deft conclusion in "Lines Written for Gene Kelly to Dance To." Overall, the poems are sensibly arranged, fit the theme and go well together.

Stanton's artwork immediately commands attention causing the collection to stand out. Deep colors permeate every corner of the page. Bright blues and deep greens dominate with absolutely no blank spaces. They evoke a very happy idyllic feeling, which works well with the poetry. His depiction of people and animals are mostly realistic with just a hint of caricature. These illustrations are filled with energy that seems to ooze off the paper. Again this aids in defining a more dynamic side to a subject often considered tedious. Because these images are so impressive, they at times command more attention than the poems. However, the artwork matches each verse well even if the art is what is noticed initially.

Ultimately, Bennett has created an excellent collection for educators. Because the theme is a specific school subject, it may at first, have a limited appeal to children. However, once a student sees the rich pictures and skims the contents, it is easy to imagine they would be eager to explore this collection.