Summary: A variety of art mediums punctuate Siebert's poems from a ten year sojourn across and throughout the United States.
Citation: Siebert, D. (2006) Tour America : a journey through poems and art. San Francisco: Chronicle Books.
My Thoughts: Siebert lived my dream: to pack it all up and take off for the great unknown. Although I have neither the gumption nor the fortitude to do so, living vicariously through Tour America was a great substitute.
Reviews:
Gillian Engberg (Booklist, Jun. 1, 2006 (Vol. 102, No. 19)
From the Washington Monument to Mount Saint Helens, Siebert's latest poetry collection celebrates sights and structures unique to the United States. Each spread focuses on a state, pairing a poem with arresting, mixed-media artwork. The poems celebrate the man-made (the Las Vegas strip; Bemidji, Minnesota's giant Paul Bunyon statues) as well as natural beauty, such as Alaska's northern lights ("sweet sparks of wonder"). With a few exceptions, Siebert writes mostly in rhyming couplets, and the relentlessly bouncy meter sometimes distracts from the more contemplative selections, such as "Great Salt Lake." Still, the form works well for humorous poems, as in an opening selection that cleverly groups colorful town names in a rollicking, rhyming list: "Belchertown, Ben Station, Gas; / Homosassa, Sassafras." The accessible words, open design, and appealing geographic approach make the book ideal for classrooms. Johnson's impressively varied, sophisticated images of towns and landscapes may expand the book's audience to older art students. Steer younger children to Peter Sis' TheTrain of States (2004). Category: Books for Middle Readers--Nonfiction. 2006, Chronicle, $17.95. Gr. 4-7.
Sharon Salluzzo (Children's Literature)
America is full of so many amazing places that it must have been difficult for Siebert to select only twenty-six. Her choices include the famous and the fascinating, natural beauty, and man-made wonders. Visits to the Washington Monument, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Las Vegas, and the Kentucky Derby inspired poems about our history, culture, and symbols. Lesser-known artworks, such as the “Cadillac Ranch” near Amarillo, Texas, and “Lucy the Elephant” in Margate, New Jersey, show us the more idiosyncratic side of Americans. Here one can read about the awesome power of Niagara Falls and Mount Saint Helens, the vanishing beauty of the tall grass prairie and the everglades, the Aurora Borealis in Alaska, UFOs in Roswell, New Mexico, and the Vortex in Gold Hill, Oregon. Next to the poem and above a rectangle with information about the area are small outline maps of the contiguous United States and the state in the title of the poem. Red lines indicate the location of each place. Siebert’s poems are fresh and vibrant. Each is distinct in its pace and tone, reflecting the mood of the place. Just as distinctive are the illustrations that accompany the poems, giving a broader picture to the reader. Johnson uses a wide range of art and mediums and lists them in the back of the book. Watercolor, oil, collage, photography, colored pencil, and more have been used, sometimes alone and sometimes mixed, and the results are amazing. With a bit of a postmark on each page, it truly feels like Siebert and Johnson have sent postcards from each of these places. Wonderful for geography, history, science, art, and English classes--why it can even become a math lesson in determining how far it is from one place to another. What a great way to get children to look at their surroundings and write their own poems. This is a beautiful book to hold, to peruse, and to read aloud. It is definitely a “first purchase” for libraries, and an excellent choice for a gift. 2006, Seastar Books/Chronicle Books, $17.95. Ages 7 up.
Suggested Uses: Students will enjoy choosing their own destination and creating inspired poetry and accompanying artwork. An interesting display connected to a map of the United States (or the world) concludes.
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