Firefly July

    Janeczko, Paul B. and illustrated by Sweet, Melissa. Firefly July: A Year of Very Short Poems. Candlewick Press, 2014. 3 to 7 years.


    This is a collection of poems selected by Paul B Janeczko that features well known poets such as Emily Dickson and Langston Hughes, they feature very short poems of about 4 to 7 lines that are divided by the four seasons. Because this is not original poetry, there is an acknowledgement section citing where the author obtained permission to use them. This collection is targeted towards young readers and aims to provide exposure to what poetry can look and sound like. Melissa Sweet adds beautifully vibrant illustrations that contrast the small snipets of texts and adds another layer of engagement for readers. It also functions as a good transitioning text for young readers who are starting to read on their own or are used to picture books.

     As the seasons change, so do the color palettes and scenary. Both the poems and the illustrations make this anthology a must have in any children collections.Starting with Spring, and ending with ending with winter, each season is given a color palette that matches its aesthetic and the illustrates the short poem highlighted. The collection aims to highlight how less can be more and show us how a few perfect words can paint a powerful picture that stay with us. 

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