Central Heating: Poems About Fire and Warmth [Hardcover]

Marilyn Singer (Author), Meilo So (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up

As a companion volume to her poetry collections about earth and about water, Marilyn Singer now examines the nature of fire, an overlooked subject in the realms of poetry. From forest fires and prairie fires to the fires on backyard grills; from chili peppers to birthday candles; to jack-o-lanterns, menorahs, Christmas lights, and holidays around the earth; to dragons who provide their own central heating—these lyrical poems present a fresh and insightful view of fire of all kinds. Meilo So combines strong linocut art with her signature brushwork in striking illustrations reproduced in fire-red.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Starred Review. Grade 4-7 - The complicated nature of fire is explored in Singer's energetic short poems and So's deceptively simple single-color illustrations. Surprising subjects include birthday candles (a child wants to watch them burn "to give each little flame/its full glory"; chili peppers ("Will nothing suffice/to put out the fire/from one bit of spice?/The hot jalapeño that hid in my rice!"); the Earth's center ("…the earth's deep pot/is always cooking/always hot."). The poems make delightful connections to the ordinary - roasting marshmallows, fireflies, hot water - but also to the extraordinary - a dragon and an inspiration ("No invention - /without a spark."). So's bold lines and washes create simple, minimalist images that uniquely complement each poem. The book's narrow, small size, uncrowded pages, and abundance of white space create an appealing book design. This title, along with Singer's Footprints on the Roof (2002) and How to Cross a Pond (2003, both Knopf), belongs on library shelves everywhere. - Lee Bock, Glenbrook Elementary School, Pulaski, WI
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From Booklist

Gr. 3-5. Fire is the subject of this companion to Footprints on the Roof: Poems about the Earth (2002) and How to Cross a Pond: Poems about Water (2003). "Contradiction," the first poem, states the theme of the collection: fire gives comfort, but it also brings terror. Each of the 19 entries expresses the wonder of fire as a force of nature. From bomb to baked potato to electricity, Singer shows that there is no invention "without a spark." The blurry linocuts, washed in fiery red color, extend images of cozy warmth and jagged power. Some poems and images are playful, but the most memorable evoke the power in a volcano, in a desert, or in the destruction and renewal brought about by a forest fire. Use this across the curriculum, in science and history as well as language arts classes. Hazel Rochman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (January 11, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375829121
• ISBN-13: 978-0375829123
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.4 x 9.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,239,475 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Fire Up Those Young Poets, October 11, 2006

By 

Gwynne C. Spencer (Mancos, Colorado) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Central Heating: Poems About Fire and Warmth (Hardcover)

This title, teamed up with Singer's previous "elemental" paeans (Earth, Water) could inspire poetry from any age, any classroom level. The experience of fire, its danger, its allure, its power is implicit in each poem, with a variety of forms used. Kids could make their own book of poems, illustrate it, after being inspired by this slim but hot little volume. If your school is doing a "keep a poem in your pocket" program, this would be a good source for some "hot" poems!