Book Review: Red Sings From Treetops

1.      BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sidman, Joyce. 2009. RED SINGS FROM TREETOPS: A YEAR IN COLORS. Ill. by Pamela Zagarenski. New York: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. ISBN: 978054701494

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

This book of poems accurately describes the colors through each season. Starting with spring, Sidman explains the sounds, sights and smells that you experience in springtime according by its colors. As she moves through each season, Sidman also includes details on what events go on by explaining them by color. By the end of the story, as she describes winter the store goes full circle and foreshadows what season will come next.

3.      CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors is a poetry book describing the colors that are experienced throughout the seasons. Throughout the poems, Sidman uses great word choice that really paints a picture in the reader's mind. For example when she describes spring by saying, “Green floats through rain-dark trees, and glows, mossy-soft, at my feet.” The reader can actually feel that they are staring at green trees and standing on soft green grass. I really liked how Sidman highlighted the color that was being talked about on that particular page, because it draws in the reader’s attention and forces them to focus on that color. There is a great amount of emotion that flows through this story, and it allows the reader to connect to their favorite season of the year.

Zagarenski’s illustrations are made from mixed media paintings on wood and computer illustrations and I found this mix to be quite interesting. The combination of pictures with words in them and the lines from the wood paintings give the story a very “mystical” feel. The illustrations complement the story very well and correspond with the text by showing a variety of color blends according to what specific color is being written about.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

2010 Caldecott Honor Book

NEW YORK TIMES review: "It's wonderfully strange to read of colors with sounds, smells and tastes.”

KIRKUS REVIEWS starred review: "A charming inspiration to notice colors and correlate emotions."

THE BULLETIN starred review: "This book has a freshness and visual impact all its own, and it will inspire a rainbow of uses."

HORN BOOK starred review: "Sustaining the playfulness of the text and its sense of awe, mystery, and beauty, the illustrations contribute gracefully to the celebration."

BOOKLIST starred review: "As the title implies, the colors that surprise on every page, do sing."

 

5. CONNECTIONS

*Students can create their own color poems by choosing a color and describing what that color means to them. Great activity for all seasons!

*For other poetry books about nature by Joyce Sidman check out the following books:

Sidman, Joyce and Krommes, Beth. SWIRL BY SWIRL: SPIRALS IN NATURE. ISBN: 9780547315836

Sidman, Joyce. DARK EMPEROR AND OTHER POEMS OF THE NIGHT. Ill. by Rick Allen. ISBN: 0547152280

Sidman, Joyce. BUTTERFLY EYES AND OTHER SECRETS OF THE MEADOW. Ill. by Beth Krommes. ISBN: 061856313X