Poetry- Toasting Marshmallows

George, Kristine O’Connell. 2001. TOASTING MARSHMALLOWS CAMPING POEMS. Ill .by Kate Kiesler. New York: Clarion ISBN 061804597-X
Toasting Marshmallows Camping Poems is a collection of thirty poems that take you through a family’s camping adventure through the eyes of the young girl. As with all good camping adventure the perfect spot is found to pitch the tent. “First, smooth dirt. No rocks or roots.” And with a “shake, snap” a “blooming , bright orange “ tent is set among the trees. The poems flow between the family, the animals and the surprises found on and off the path. Sitting by the “Campfire” and toasting the perfect marshmallow in “Toasting Marshmallows” captures the memories of the sights and smells of camping. The book takes the reader through the days and nights of the trip. The trip is over and the young girl and the family come home, but it is not over for the young girl in “Flannel” as she kneels before her dresser and holds the shirt to her face you can almost smell the “pine smell, campfire, forest moss” as she hides her shirt “where no one will find it, and wash away, my memories.” Memories are sure to come back to everyone who has ever spent a night camping. Kate Kiesler’s illustrations and Kristine O’Connell George words create the perfect camping trip. Kate Kiesler’s richly colored paintings create a feeling you are there sitting by the fire or walking through the fields and streams. The illustrations enhance the words in the poems as in “Flashlight”, the words shining out to show the way. The use of concrete poetry in the verses for “Tent”, and “Storm” allows the young reader to experience a new way to experience poetry. Rich colorful pictures, simple and rhythmic words come together to for the perfect camping trip.
Toasting Marshmallows: Camping Poems awards include:
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
NCTE Notable Children’s Book in Language Arts
Myra Cohn Livingston Poetry Award CLCSC
Capitol Choices: Noteworthy Books for Children
Children’s Literature Choice 2002
Stephanie Loer, Boston Globe- “Poems convey a wonderful sense of place as a family enjoys the vastness and immediacy of nature while camping.”
Christopher Moning, Children’s Literature- “One can almost see the starlit night, taste the marshmallows, and hear the buzzing insects as words and illustrations combine in this unique collaboration.”
Kirkus- “Altogether, an engaging trip.”
As I began this unit I had only one book in my classroom and it was on a shelf collecting dust. I took it off and began to share with my class and to my surprise they were very excited. Poetry for first graders has to be interactive and relatable to keep their attention. I was very pleased to find that Toasting Marshmallows: Camping Poems elicited so many stories. It seems that everyone had a story to tell. ( another way to encourage oral language) The children loved the artwork and understood how powerful illustrations can be to delivering the message. I went to www.kristinegeorge.com and found a wealth of information and activities to use with my class. The children were fascinated with “Tent” and “Storm” and we have now added “concrete poetry” to our ways to write chart. I found a web site to compliment Toasting Marshmallows and create a new generation of poetry writers. The site www.wild-about-woods.org allows the children to put words in animal shapes and start the creative process.