Did you know that 2021 is the 25th anniversary of 

National Poetry Month?

National Poetry Month was launched by the Academy of American Poets (poets.org) in April 1996 to "remind the public that poets have an integral role to play in our culture and that poetry matters. Over the years, it has become the largest literary celebration in the world, with tens of millions of readers, students, K–12 teachers, librarians, booksellers, literary events curators, publishers, families, and, of course, poets, marking poetry's important place in our lives."

 

 

The One Thing You'd Save 

by Linda Sue Park; illustrated by Robert Sae-Heng 

published March 16, 2021.

What a great book for poetry month! Linda Sue Park explains in her author's note that she borrowed from the line structure for sijo (pronounced SHEE-zho), a 14th-century Korean syllabic verse form, to create the poems for this book. Sijo usually has three lines of thirteen to seventeen syllables but there are variations. As Park says, "Using old forms in new ways is how poetry continually renews itself, and the world."

I enjoyed reading the thought process behind the choices of the students. I also really liked that the teacher admits that she had chosen one thing but has changed her mind after listening to what her students selected. Using this book could spark some great discussions in a classroom -- or for your next Zoom meeting! Just be sure to give the participants plenty of time to think about their response. It isn't easy! But the students in the book can offer a lot of great ideas.

Also - don't overlook Robert Sae-Heng's lovely illustrations. They add a lot of context to the poetry and the different choices that are made.