Genre 3, Book 2: RED SINGS FROM TREETOPS: A YEAR IN COLORS by Joyce Sidman

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Bibliographic Data 

Sidman, Joyce. 2009. Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN: 0547014945. Illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski.

Plot Summary

Sidman takes readers on a journey through the seasons by focusing on the colors prominent in the world over the course of a year.

Critical Analysis

Here is a book that begs to be read aloud! Sidman’s use of assonance, alliteration, and rhymes throughout the book are sure to please young ears. Written for an audience ages 4-8, Red Sings from Treetops describes various colorful objects, animals, and scenery to which kids are often drawn. She charmingly personifies the colors frequently, as in the lines “Yellow slips goldfinches / their spring jackets. / Yellow shouts with light!” Her short poems vary from calm to energetic to surprising, and back again. Though classified as a color book, it is every bit as much an I Spy type book as well. This book encourages kids to explore their world and take notice of all the wonders it holds for us every day.  

The copyright page informs readers that the text in this book is set in Oldbook ITC and the artwork is “mixed media paintings on wood and computer illustration.” Illustrator Pamela Zagarenski takes full advantage of this form by adding clever details throughout the pictures. Musical notes, leaves, and snowflakes dance in the air, numbers and words sneak into the pictures, and all the color words are displayed in their actual color. For example, white is white and red is red. Unexpected images hid in some pictures, like stars, wheels, and whales, making the reader want to explore every inch of the artwork presented to discover what else may be hidden within. 

The main character exploring the world has triangular features, and is often surrounded by circular, square, and rectangular objects. Along with a muted color palette, these artistic features create a whimsical feel to the images that expertly accentuates the poetry rather than dominating it. Together, the words and artwork reveal the hidden, everyday magic in the world to readers.

Awards

• 2010 Caldecott Honor Award
• Claudia Lewis Poetry Award
• Minnesota Book Award
• Cybils Poetry Award
• Horn Book Fanfare
• Bulletin Blue Ribbon
• Booklist Editor's Choice
• CCBC Choices 2010
• New York Public Library's
• "100 Titles for Reading and Sharing"
• ABC "Indie" Best Book
• Junior Library Guild Selection

Reviews

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books: "Talented poet Sidman ... fluidly moves from image to image, wittily personifying colors in their various incarnations and cleverly contrasting their appearance in different seasons. ... A note describes Zagarenski's artwork as ‘mixed media paintings on wood and computer illustration,’ a summation that doesn't do justice to the nimble figure creation, incorporated patterns, collage textures, and, appropriately, glowing hues. ...The book has a freshness and visual impact all its own, and it will inspire a rainbow of uses: language arts assignments, reading aloud or alone, or just poring over the pictures."

The Horn Book: "Zagarenski's richly pattemed spreads ... capture the poet's delight in the natural world, extending the imagery with fantastical details like a cardinal's notes in red, each ‘dropping/ like a cherry/ into my ear.’ Fabric patterns and bits of newsprint add texture.... Sustaining the playfulness of the text and its sense of awe, mystery, and beauty, they contribute gracefully to the celebration."

The New York Times Book Review: "Joyce Sidman's language is vivid and deft. ... [The illustrations], while quite beautiful, feel obscure. A primitive quality in their style might encourage parents to give the book to children too young to respond to the poetry, but second graders and up, at least those who like language, should love it."

  

Connections

Enrichment Activities 

There are many activities one can explore with children after reading this book. To encourage language exploration, try activities provided on these websites:

poetry - http://www.joycesidman.com/poemstarters.html

alliteration - http://ici-bostonready-pd-2009-2010.wikispaces.umb.edu/file/view/Alliteration+Activities.pdf and http://volweb.utk.edu/Schools/bedford/harrisms/1allitera.htm

assonance and alliteration - http://printables.scholastic.com/printables/detail/?id=24052 

rhymes - http://domesticviolence.bellaonline.com/articles/art42560.asp and http://www.dltk-teach.com/rhymes/index.htm

Colors are discussed in this book. Ask your kids to name as many things they can think of that are typically red, or blue (or whichever color you want to name). What's the difference between primary colors and secondary colors? What two colors do you mix together to make green, or orange?  Try out color activities on this website: http://www.education.ne.gov/forlg/MiddleHighSchool/ColorActivities.pdf 

At the bottom of this website is a list of coloring page activities for the different seasons: http://www.theteachersguide.com/SeasonsLessonPlans.htm 

Other Books by Sidman 

• Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow by Joyce Sidman (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2006)

• Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night by Joyce Sidman (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2010)
• Eureka! Poems about Inventors by Joyce Sidman (21^st Century, 2002)
• Just Us Two : Poems About Dads by Joyce Sidman (Millbrook Press, 2003)
• Meow Ruff: A Story in Concrete Poetry by Joyce Sidman (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2006)
• Shoofly, Vol. 1, No. 3: An Audiomagazine for Children by Gene Fehler, Phil Siegel, and Joyce Sidman (Shoofly Inc., 2007) – Unabridged
• Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems by Joyce Sidman (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2005)
• Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature by Joyce Sidman (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2011)
• This is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness by Joyce Sidman (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2007)
• Ubiquitous: Celebrating Nature's Survivors by Joyce Sidman (Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2010)
• The World According to Dog by Joyce Sidman (Sandpiper, 2008)
• Button Up!: Wrinkled Rhymes by Alice Schertle (Harcourt Children's Books, 2009)

Related Readings

• All the World by Liz Garton Scanlon (Beach Lane Books, 2009)
• Bubble Trouble by Margaret Mahy (Clarion Books, 2009)
• My Garden by Kevin Henkes (Greenwillow Books, 2010)
• Boo Hoo Bird by Jeremy Tankard (Scholastic Press, 2009)
• Wombat Walkabout by Carol Diggory Shields (Dutton Juvenile, 2009)