Am I Naturally This Crazy? [Paperback]

Sara Holbrook (Author), Reuben Martin (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5. Featuring full-color cover photos of appealing preteens, these poetry books promise more than they deliver. Although Holbrook has selected topics of great interest to elementary kids?such as self-esteem, embarrassment, divorce, discipline, sports, dreams, pets, school, friendships, mischief, family relationships?the poems border on the too cute and often belie the very seriousness of those childhood concerns. The rhymes are far-fetched in many instances and often scan poorly. On the other hand, the poet's inventive wordplay and bouncy rhythms give some of the short pieces a surprising punch, as in these two examples from Which Way: "The lightning show/is followed by/dramatic pause./The clouds applaud" and "I saw it all./Bird walk./Cat stalk./Pounce./Squawk./Close call." Creative teachers might use these poems to show their students that poetry can be about the most mundane topics, but Prelutsky, Silverstein, Viorst, and others have trod the same path more successfully.?Marjorie Lewis, formerly at Heathcote School, Scarsdale, NY
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

The Babysitter
Better Than?
Blueprints?
Confused
Good Stuff
Labels
Needy Cat
A Nice Trip?
Not So Bad
Old Pictures
Self-esteem?
Some Families
Through Thick And Thin
Valentine
Who Did?
-- Table of Poems from Poem Finder®

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Boyds Mills Press; 1st edition (January 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1563976404
• ISBN-13: 978-1563976407
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.4 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,949,069 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars All her stuff is good !, July 5, 2001

By 

Daryl Anderson (Trumansburg, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Am I Naturally This Crazy? (Paperback)

I wrote a longer review of Sara Holbrook's collection "Walking on the Boundaries of Change" which you might take a glance at. Much applies to this collection as well.

Holbrook writes poetry for young people in the 10-15 age range. As a teacher of 6th graders, I think they are a 'demographic group' that sometimes must feel invisilble. Not for lack of being marketed-at and sold-to, though. Invisible because they are always being asked to don the personae of either "child" or "teenager". Usually they are neither, and often they seem to find the cultural fit and expectations of these to be ill-matched to their inner lives. It is rare to find anything, books included, that fit comfortably. Holbrook's work fits.

One thing kids this age are, is poetic. Bad poets - often. Illiterate poets, sometimes. Poets disguised as musicians - frequently. But, because they are thinking, changing, thinking again and jumping, always, to a new vantage point - they are poets. Holbrook, who apparently started writing poems when her own children started growing up, connects to the poet in young people by connecting to the range and jump of their lives.

Unlike the other collection I reviewed, "Am I Naturally This Crazy" seems to be more directed toward younger young folks... somewhat more connected to the needs of 10-12 year-olds than those of 12-15's. This is perhaps a too-subtle distinction, since they are all boundary-crossers, but definitely my sense of the overall collection. It is not lightweight - she speaks to issues like divorce - but somewhat less complex, less abstract. Of course, since your typical 10-12 year-old will turn up as a 12-15 year-old, it couldn't hurt to own both!

If you are a teacher of young people this age, scatter your room with poetry such as this for the odd, quieter moment. If you are their parent, consider the same.

5.0 out of 5 stars Poems Make me happy, June 19, 2003

By 

L A Spillane-Larke - See all my reviews

This review is from: Am I Naturally This Crazy? (Paperback)

Sara's poems are wonderful. They inspire, encourage, and move one to strive for excellence. This book is very organized and well written.