Summer: An Alphabet Acrostic [Hardcover]

Steven Schnur (Author), Leslie Evans (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up

Sandy beaches, juicy watermelons, and porch swings are just a few of the warm-weather delights featured in this inventive alphabet of acrostic poems about summer. Like the previous seasonal collaborations from Steven Schnur and Leslie Evans, Autumn and Spring, this book contains twenty-six poems, alphabetically arranged. Each reveals a playful acrostic when read vertically, and each is accompanied by a glowing woodcut illustration.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Steven Schnur adds Summer, illus. by Leslie Evans, to his list of acrostic poetry collections that already includes Autumn and Spring. Bright beach umbrellas and tiger lilies fill the linoleum-cut illustrations; they capture summer days where "Fourth of July banners wave from/ Lampposts, front porches,/ And the village/ Grandstand as the parade/ Streams by." The mainstays from Memorial Day to Labor Day--the beach, mosquitoes, a lighthouse--are all here.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 3-This concept book features a short poem in which the first letter of each line spells out the word it represents. "Daisy" becomes "Dragonflies dart/And hover,/Inspecting white flowers with/Sunlike/Yellow centers." The sheer inventiveness of each poem is impressive, but most of them flow effectively, avoiding the forced rhythm that the acrostic form can impose. Neatly framed linoleum-block illustrations feature rich colors and bold lines that capture the brightness of the days. The progression from A to Z coincides with a move toward fall. Most, but not all of the illustrations feature a girl and her dog, adding to the impression that readers are moving through a particular summer, rather than simply getting a list of relevant items. The clever wordplay combined with the vibrant aura of summer captured in the art and poetry make this an appealing title.-Steven Engelfried, Deschutes County Library, Bend, OR

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Clarion Books (March 28, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0618023720
• ISBN-13: 978-0618023721
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 9.6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #892,468 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An ABC book of poetry, September 14, 2004

By 

Kara Reuter (Columbus, OH) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Summer: An Alphabet Acrostic (Hardcover)

Steven Schnur's Summer: An Alphabet Acrostic is one of a series addressing the four seasons, with acrostic poems for each letter of the alphabet. Each letter has its own page, with a brief impressionistic poem addressing a subject that starts with that letter. So, "D" is about a daisy; "M" about mosquitoes; "V" about vegetables. However, the subject of the poem is never mentioned directly, instead the word spelled out in acrostic form by the first letters of the first lines of the poems:

Green clusters, soon to be
Red
And
Purple,
Entwine the
Stairs.

Despite the rigid format, the poems never feel forced and are almost haiku-like in their simple rhythms and tones. As the poems move from A to Z, they also form a kind of narrative, progressing from the early spring-like days of summer with the first day at the beach and to the late autumn-like summer days with stacks of chopped firewood. Leslie Evans' woodblock prints feature rich colors, bold lines, and chunky shapes capturing the scenes described from a variety of perspectives, such as a narrow focus on a dragonfly sitting on a daisy to a sweeping orchard landscape. This sophisticated book will impress children who know their letters with the power and elegance of language.

5.0 out of 5 stars beautifully illustrated, thoughtfully written, May 13, 2007

By 

M. J. Mann "celtic whistler" (Vermont) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Summer: An Alphabet Acrostic (Hardcover)

Several years ago a friend of mine recommended that I buy one of Steven Schnur's books for my Reading Lab. When the book (Summer) arrived, I was impressed with the beautiful illustrations and the simple, creative acrostic poems. I now own two or three of the seasons covered by these lovely Alphabet Acrostic books. Since acrostic poetry is something that can be taught to even young writers-the poetry included in Schnur's books is a wonderful model for all ages. In each book, the author celebrates things that are special to the season that is focused on. I hope soon to include all four of the seasons in my library.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for budding writers, November 11, 2005

By 

Gwynne C. Spencer (Mancos, Colorado) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Summer: An Alphabet Acrostic (Hardcover)

I used this with middle schoolers and they really love the structure, the challenge of topical poems and using the acrostic device to write good poems. The books in this series are handsome enough that even high school kids would be intrigued with the challenge. Writing is hard enough--why not make it attractive, too?