Fold Me A Poem

BIBLIOGRAPHY
George, Kristine O’Connell. Fold Me A Poem. Ill. by Lauren Stringer. Singapore: Harcourt, Inc. 2005. ISBN 0152025014

SUMMARY
A young boy shares his imagination through the origami animals he makes of all shapes and sizes while sitting at the table contemplating their adventures. In “Possibilities” he ponders what to make next. Forty bright sheets of colored paper./A world of animals./ Who will be next? As he begins, he realizes that the camel didn’t quite turn out right and makes reference to checking the directions again. The story begins at breakfast and ends at bedtime while the giraffe keeps his place in a book and the animals settle in his room. Throughout the day he and the animals have encounters with a blowing fan, birds in the outside world, and a troublesome cat. There are thirty-two poems in this collection with a note from the illustrator at the end that provides references for learning more about this beautiful art of paper folding.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Kristine O’Connell George uses gentle line breaks to pause the reader, and to convey a child's feelings expressed in her poetry (e.g. kindness, empathy, disappointment, impatience, warnings). The language is sensitive to the simplicity of a child deeply engaged in his craft. He warns the dragon to behave, reminding him “You are made of paper.” Her use of figurative language and the arrangements they make on the page express forethought and reflection. “Folding a snake? / Need advice? / Be precisssssse.” George does what poets do best; she says a great deal using very few words.

Stringer’s beautifully detailed illustrations almost bring the animals to life. She skillfully places art materials in the pictures, suggesting to young children that there is so much you can do with your imagination and a piece of brightly colored paper. The colors are vibrant and the detail amazing in this 32-page work of art. She explains in her note at the end of the book how she came to be such an expert at origami and invites children to visit other books for help as well as her website. This amazing display of creativity is a delightful book for young children to experience the potential of their own imagination.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
Booklist (ALA): “Warm in colors and often large in scale…Unusual, handsome, and good for reading aloud.”

Publishers Weekly: "A dazzling celebration of imagination...Each turn of the page brings a clever new perspective or insight-even humor."

School Library Journal: “…selections exhibit a creative spark, take their meaning from the illustrations, which are the real strength of the presentation.”

CONNECTIONS
*Have students work in pairs to make a list of verbs found in the poem.
*Invite children to make an origami bookmark and compose haiku poems to accompany them.
* Coordinate curriculum studies with classroom teachers to recommend and select appropriate topic poetry books to share with children. 

 *Other poetry and resource books for teachers and young readers: 

Franco, Betsy. Math Poetry: Linking Language and Math in a Fresh Way: Grades 2-5: Teacher Resource. 2006 ISBN: 10-1596470720

Prelutsky, Jack. Read a Rhyme, Write a Rhyme. Ill by Meilo So. 2005. ISBN: 978-0-375-82286-5

Shields, Carol Diggory. The Bugliest Bug. 2002. ISBN:13: 978-0763622930

RESOURCES

http://www.kristinegeorge.com/teachers_guide_fold_me_a_poem.html

Vardell, Sylvia. Children’s Literature in Action. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited 2008

Picture: http://www.kristinegeorge.com/foldmepoem.html