Joyful noise: poems for two voices

This short collection of poems about insects is designed for reading aloud as a literary duet.

Fleischman and Beddows (I Am Phoenix) are paired again for another remarkable collection of poems written to be read, by two people, out loud. Mayflies, moths, crickets and other insects join voices in clever musical duets. Fireflies are ``insect calligraphers'' who use their light as ink on the parchment of the night, cicadas ``chant from the treetops'' their ``booming joyful noise,'' and two honeybeesa queen and a droneexplain contrapuntally why they have the best and worst of lives. In one of the wittiest poems in the volume, two book lice discuss how they met on some dusty shelves, ``honeymooned in an old guide book on Greece'' and adore each other in spite of opposite tasteshe prefers Shakespeare and she Spillane. Beddows's black-and-white drawings blend biology-text accuracy with charming cartoon fancies and keep pace with the imaginative verse. All ages. (March) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Gr 3 Up-Inventive poetic duets written in side-by-side parts to be read aloud feature the habits and characteristics of 14 insects, including book lice, water striders, and mayflies. When read aloud with practice, human voices morph into insect sounds. Witty pencil drawings add a touch of humor. Audio version available from Recorded Books. (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

A splendid collection of poems in many moods about the lives and dreams of insects. Vivid language, strong images, and the masterful use of two voices in musical duet make this an excellent choice for reading aloud. A charming pair of book lice (""We're book lice/ fine mates/ despite different tastes"") set up home in Roger's Thesaurus to be ""close to his Horace"" and the mysteries she enjoys. Fleischman captures the character of empty-headed water striders, single-minded water boatmen, and the serene queen bee with her complaining worker. More somber pieces include ""Requiem,"" an elegy for the insects that have died in the first killing frost; and ""The Digger Wasp,"" who laments ""I will never/ see my children."" Soft, elegantly detailed pencil drawings enhance the whole, with the book-reading praying mantises on the endpapers a special treat. A joyful noise that should find a wide audience. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Fleischman and Beddows (I Am Phoenix) are paired again for another remarkable collection of poems written to be read, by two people, out loud. Mayflies, moths, crickets and other insects join voices in clever musical duets. Fireflies are ``insect calligraphers'' who use their light as ink on the parchment of the night, cicadas ``chant from the treetops'' their ``booming joyful noise,'' and two honeybeesa queen and a droneexplain contrapuntally why they have the best and worst of lives. In one of the wittiest poems in the volume, two book lice discuss how they met on some dusty shelves, ``honeymooned in an old guide book on Greece'' and adore each other in spite of opposite tasteshe prefers Shakespeare and she Spillane. Beddows's black-and-white drawings blend biology-text accuracy with charming cartoon fancies and keep pace with the imaginative verse. All ages. (March) Copyright 1988 Cahners Business Information.

In resonant voices and striking use of language, this 1989 Newbery Medal-winner explores the various sounds and concerns of the insect world. All ages. (Aug.) Copyright 1992 Cahners Business Information.

Gr 3 Up In this collection of 14 ``Poems for Two Voices'' about insects, Fleisch man surpasses its companion volume, I Am Phoenix (Harper, 1985). He has com bined the elements of sound and meaning to create clear, lively images of a variety of insects. Elements of repetition, ono matopoeia, and alliteration are effectively used to create a character for each of these creatures, with fireflies ``Flickering, flitting, flashing'' and mayflies ``lying, dy ing,'' which make these poems a joy for reading aloud. In addition, elements of personality, both fictional and real, are presented with charming effect. The love lorn moth who yearns for the lightbulb and the book lice who overcome their differing ``tastes'' represent the lighter side, while the digger wasp's reflection on the home it digs for children it will never see and ``Re quiem,'' written for the victims of ``Fall's first killing frost,'' represent real beha viors. Beddows uses personified black- and-white drawings to capture the feeling of the poems, including a sultry queen honeybee reclining on her couch. This book can join Bugs (Viking, 1976) by Mary Ann Hoberman and Never Say Ugh! to a Bug (Greenwillow, 1979) by Norma Farber as proof that insects are indeed the stuff of poetry. Barbara Chatton, Col lege of Education, University of Wyo ming, Laramie Copyright 1988 Cahners Business Information.