Please Bury Me in the Library

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Lewis. J. Patrick. 2005. PLEASE BURY ME IN THE LIBRARY. Ill. by Kyle M. Stone. Orlando, FL: Gulliver Books Harcourt, Inc. ISBN 152163875

     2.  PLOT SUMMARY

     This individual poet compilation houses 16 poems by J. Patrick Lewis, all relating to reading, books, and the library. A creative use of poetic tools has the reader pause to consider new titles of old favorites, reading at the beach, and the qualities of a good book. Special types of poems, such as an acrostic and haiku, contribute to the variety of poetic styles found in this book.

     

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

PLEASE BURY ME IN THE LIBRARY is a poetry collection that emphasizes the value and importance of books and reading. A table of contents makes it easy to locate these 16 poems that address issues such as reading while playing with your food, the qualities of a good book, the joy of a classic book, or the pleasure of increasing your vocabulary through reading. Poems such as FLEA-TING FAME add a bit of humor and word play. The poem tells the story of a flea named Otto who plans to write his own "ottobiography" (Lewis, 2005, 6). Rhyme is used frequently throughout the collection, making this book a pleasurable read for young children. An example of rhyme used by Lewis may be seen in ARE YOU A BOOK PERSON? in the lines "A good book is a kind / Of person with a mind / Of her own, / Who lives alone" (Lewis, 2005, 28). Alliteration such as "Leap me a legend" or " Look lively" may be found in the poem AB-SO-LU-TAS-TI-CAL. This creative use of sound contributes to the pleasure one experiences when reading the poem aloud.

Lewis uses powerful language choice to create vivid imagery in the mind of the reader. Personification is used to describe a book on a shelf in ARE YOU A BOOK PERSON? "Standing on a shelf / By herself. / She has a spine, / A heart, a soul, / And a goal" (Lewis, 2005, 28). Vivid language, used to create metaphors, also contributes to the humor of these poems. In reference to reading at the beach without sunscreen, Lewis states "Some folks who forgot are TOAST!" (Lewis, 2005, 24). Imagery is also heightened by sensory descriptions such as the phrase "across this hot, steamy lagoon" used to describe a tasty bowl of Alphabet soup in EATING ALPHABET SOUP (Lewis, 2005, 8).

Finally, Lewis uses emotional appeal to connect the reader with the book. Most readers can easily identify with the pleasurable feelings associated with reading a good book, the comfort of a familiar library, or becoming lost in a magical world found only within the pages of a good book.

This poetry collection typically features a poem on one side of the page and a corresponding illustration on the opposite page. Small black and white sketch illustrations may be found on the same page as the actual poems themselves. However, several of the poems are placed on top of the actual illustrations. Stone uses dark colors such as brown, red, and black to create a feeling of reading by candle light in many of the illustrations. The acrylic paint and mixed media are used to create  dream like art. The images are not clearly defined in most illustrations, contributing to the feel of entering a magical world found within a book. Examples of these imaginative illustrations may be found in the starry skies featured on the table of contents page or in the whimsical creatures that appear in the illustration for the poem titled A CLASSIC. 

Stone also uses contrast to add to the originality of his work. For example, the illustration corresponding with WHAT IF BOOKS HAD DIFFERENT NAMES? features bold stripes on wall paper juxtaposed with splotchy polka dots on a kitchen table cloth. These creative illustrations, paired with inviting poetry about the love of reading, are likely to find numerous fans!

4. PERSONAL RESPONSE: STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

A major strength is the humor one experiences while reading these poems. It is easy for the reader to chuckle as he or she considers some of the absurd scenes described in poems such as WHAT IF BOOKS HAD DIFFERENT NAMES? or THE BIG-WORD GIRL. One weakness in my opinion is that some illustrations do not seem to clearly match the poem with which it is paired. Often young readers rely on clear picture queues to help them interpret the abstract concepts often found in poetry.

5. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

" A semi-swell collection of 16 poems celebrating books, reading, language, and libraries." (SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL)

" This homage to reading salutes all the essential elements: letters, words, books. Lewis' poetry is continually clever, whether pithily summing up children's classics…" (BOOKLIST)

6. CONNECTIONS

* Students could take turns reading poetry about reading or the library in an open-mike event held in the library.

*Students may read other poetry collections by J. Patrick Lewis such as IF YOU WERE A CHOCOLATE MUSTACHE (ISBN 159078927X)

*After preparing students in advance, schedule an author visit with J. Patick Lewis.