Genre 3 (Poetry) Button Up!

Button UP!
by: Alice Schertle

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Schertle, Alice. 2009. BUTTON UP. by: Petra Mathers. New York, N.Y. Harcourt Children's Books. ISBN- 978-0-15-205050-4

PLOT SUMMARY

Alice Schertle’s book Button Up is an imaginative collection of poems that are told from the point of view of children’s everyday clothing. 

CRITCAL ANALYSIS

 I was right! Schertle’s poem Wanda’s Swimsuit has helped me prove it.

~Wanda’s Swimsuit~
We like to be wet, Wanda and I, I’m Wanda’s swimsuit, we don’t like dry.
Ready, set, jump! Scrunch up small, Look out down below! 
Everybody dry just got wetter. (Wanda and I think wetter is better.)

Schertle’s poems have confirmed all imaginative curiosities I had as a child. I just knew everything had feelings, not just my baby dolls but also my clothes. Schertle’s poems bring new meaning and excitement to getting dressed every morning. After reading her poems, readers will think twice about what they will wear to play in that day, or think “should I give this away”.

The moods of Schertle’s poems are lively and fun with the exception of one. Tanya’s Old T-Shirt is a poem about the unfortunate reality that everyone doesn’t stay the same size when they grow older.

~Tanya’s Old T-Shirt~
I live in a bucket shoved under a stair. They call me a dust rag! I don’t think it’s fair.
I’m still the same size as when I was new. I didn’t shrink, it was Tanya who GREW.
She started out small and we fit to a T. Now she’s big as a sofa! She’s tall as a tree! She’s out of control, and they’re dusting with me!
You’ll never, not ever hear anyone say, “She’s gotten too big, she’s just in the way, let’s dust the piano with Tanya today.”

Schertle’s poems are exceptionally written in every way.  Her rhyming patterns and rhythmic tones provide great opportunities for her readers to interact with her poems. Schertle’s poem The Song of Harvey’s Galoshes provides her readers with opportunities to chant repeated word patterns that appear in the poem.

~The Song of Harvey’s Galoshes~
When it’s raining Harvey always puts us on, puts us on, we’re together when the sunny weather’s gone, weather’s gone, O there’s mud up to our tops, we hope Harvey never stops making deep, wet foot prints in the lawn, in the lawn.
Squash-galosh, squash-galosh, through the slime, Squash-galosh, squash-galosh, bet a nickel, bet a dime, that the worms are squirming too, for we wish to squish a few, when it’s raining don’t we have a lovely time, lovely time!

There is only one poem that I feel may need a little explaining after being read to a younger audiences. Emily’s Undies is a poem about a girl/mouse named Emily who likes to show off her undies wherever she goes. “We’re Emily’s undies with laces and bows. Emily shows us wherever she goes.” Even though this poem is silly and funny, a discussion about how we shouldn’t show everyone our laces and bows would not be appropriate for a younger audience. 

Schertle uses names in the titles of her poems that demonstrate ownership of the shoelaces that Bertie wears, the hiking hat that Violet takes on her adventures, and the galoshes that Harvey plays with in the mud. The use of names allows her readers to identify with the poem. Schertle’s readers can think, “I have shoelaces like Bertie,” and “I play in the mud with my galoshes.” The use of names also promotes empathy towards the article of clothing in the poem and pride of ownership in the readers' own clothing.

Petra Mathers’ detailed, fun and energetic illustrations capture perfectly the mood of each creature illustrated in Schertle’s poems. Mathers uses animals such as a dog, a mouse, a beaver, a pig, a bear, a bird and a rabbit to illustrate the humanistic trait of wearing clothes. Mathers' illustrations vary in size. Some are small illustrations that demonstrate one verse of a poem, such as in the poem Violet’s Hiking Hat which has a series of six illustrations depicting Violet wherever she goes with her Hiking hat. Mathers’ illustrations also cover corner to corner in poems such as Bill’s Blue Jacket in which he is zipped up high and buttoned up tight. Text sizes are just right, not too big, which would take away from the poem, and not too small so that they can’t be read. Mathers’ illustrations are eye pleasing to audiences of any age, creating a positive poetry experience for readers of every age.

I would recommend Alice Schertle’s Button Up poetry book to everyone. Anyone who is looking to expand their home or classroom library with rich texts and original literature choices should add Button Up to their library collection. Button Up is a "must read".           

REVIEW EXCEPT(S)

Kirkus - starred review- ". . . these creatures have personality, exuberance and high style that perfectly match the verses. Loads of fun."

Horn Book - starred review- "From delicately comical to downright funny, the art perfectly reflects the contagiously rhythmic, playful verse. Made for sharing, and worth learning by heart, too."

School Library Journal -starred review- "The whimsical illustrations pair perfectly with the wittiness of the text, and the whole is a clever and original poetic treat."

The Bulletin - “. . . enjoyable sound effects . . . Tone varies from sturdy support of ‘Bob’s Bicycle Helmet’ . . . to the playfulness of ‘Wanda’s Swimsuit . . . the extraordinary precision of Mather’s [sic] delicate brush strokes result in collagelike textures and crisp solidity . . . sure to tickle youngsters.”

PW Shelf Awareness - "Here's a match made in children's-book Heaven: esteemed poet Schertle (All You Need for a Snowman) and Mathers, the artist behind the Lottie's World (the charming chicken) books . . . Full of surprises, perhaps a sniffle, and plenty of cheer ("Everybody clap your hands,/ everybody shout,/ Bill's got his jacket on,/ LET'S GO OUT!"), this one will be in constant demand."

CONNECTIONS

Other Poetry and Rhyming Books for Children

A Light in the Attic - Shel Silverstein- ISBN-13: 978-0060256739
Where the Side Walk Ends - Shel Silverstein - ISBN-13: 978-0060572341
Kids Pick the Funniest Poems - Bruce Lansky - ISBN-13: 978-0671747695
Pio Peep! (English adaptations - Alice Schertle) - ISBN-13: 978-0061116667
A Curious Collection of Cats – Betsy Franco – ISBN-13: 978-1582462486

Poetry Activity/Art Activity

Have readers choose their favorite article of clothing and write a poem about it. Give students the option to share their poem with friends or classmates. Allow students to post their poem if they wish on a class website or bulletin board at home or in a classroom.

Students/Children can shape their poems into T-shirts, hats, gloves, socks, or even favorite pair mittens.  Students/Children can also decorate their favorite article of clothing with colors, markers, glitter, stickers, yarn, etc…