SEd Eng 213a – Children and Adolescent Literature

Evaluation Sheet for Poetry for Children

Title of Book: Big Talk: Poems for Four Voices

Author/s/Reteller/s/Editor/s/Translator/s: Paul Fleischman
Illustrator/s: Beppe Giacobbe
Name of Student Evaluator: King Jhames S. Manganaan

Sounds
1. Does/Do the poem/poems rhyme?
Check if Yes: ✔️
Check if No: _____
If Yes, write sample lines with rhymes here:
● clock tick-tockin’ grandpa strummin toes a-tappin’
we’ve just always been the sort who like the quiet evenings here.

2. Does/Do the poem/poems have fixed rhythms?

Check if Yes: ✔️
Check if No: _____
If Yes, write sample lines/stanzas with fixed rhythms here:

● Tints flashing Yes, Iremember, I’ll always

Taste Crouching Yes, Iremember, I’ll always

Images
3. Does/Do the poems bring clear images to the mind’s eye?
Check if Yes: ✔️
Check if No: _____
If Yes, what kinds of images are used?
Write sample denotations of words here if they are used:

● to deep your spoon into the moat of meat juices baked chicken, so worthy

Write sample connotations here through metaphors, similes and symbols if they are
used:

● 'They‘re blind as the streams underground

● To feel the fit of a knife in your palm

Insight
4. What fresh and/or wise observations does/do the poem/poems surprise readers of?

It captures the vividness of sensory experiences to deliver insightful and novel observations. The
author offers a fresh perspective on commonplace events by utilizing vivid language, affirmative
repetition, and creative descriptions like "the wet crunch of cucumbers, each an oasis" that compel
readers to consider the depth of their own recollections and sensory experiences.

5. In so doing, do they expand readers’ awareness and raise their spirits? Explain.

Through the use of expressive language, the poems in "Big Talk: Poems for Four Voices"
encourage readers to see the beauty in everyday situations. Readers may become happier and more
conscious of the unique aspects of their own lives—even in the little things—after reading this. The
poems invite readers to be more appreciative and conscious of their emotions and senses by implying
that there is joy and significance in the little things in life.

Overall Evaluation
Rate the book using the following scale:
Strongly recommended_____ Recommended✔️Not recommended ____Strongly not
recommended _____
Other comments: One thing that I've realized over the course of life so far is the significant
importance of communication in daily life. Humans are social animals and communication
and association with other humans if done right is a recipe for success while if done
inappropriately can create issues and problems. For you to use communication as a tool for
success, it will have to be 'Effective' - that is the key word here. And that is where this book
steps in nicely.