Red SIngs from Treetops

Sidman, Joyce. 2009.  RED SINGS FROM TREETOPS. Ill. By Pamela Zagarenski. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. ISBN 9780547014944

Brief Plot Summary: 

The colors of the different seasons come to life as you turn the pages of this book.  The author finds color in many places, such as the taste of white in winter, pinks in the color of new birds born in spring, and even purple in the smell of leaves mixed together in the fall.  The scenery crosses fields, groves, lakes, and mountains to paint vivid pictures of the colors.

Critical Analysis:

This book has won numerous awards but it may prove to be a challenging read for children.  The poetry is meaningful, when you take the time to delve into how the colors fit into the imagery, but it does not seem to flow naturally as you read it so children may find it cumbersome to sort out the rhythm and dissect the meaning at the same time (“Red turn the maples feathery, sprouts in rhubarb spears; Red squirms on the road after rain.”).  Once the meaning of each phrase is clear, the imagery is beautiful and the illustrations capture it in a refreshing display of color.  The sweet emotions of gratitude and enthusiasm for the beauty in the changing of seasons are clearly conveyed.

I was surprised to find the book categorized as easy fiction in my local public library.  The complex rhythm and complicated, figurative language would seem to make it more aptly suited for the junior fiction shelves.

Awards won: 

2010 Caldecott Honor Award
Claudia Lewis Poetry Award
Minnesota Book Award
Cybils Poetry Award
Horn Book Fanfare
Bulletin Blue Ribbon
Booklist Editor's Choice
New York Public Library's "100 Titles for Reading and Sharing"
ALA Notable Children’s Book (2010) 

Review Excerpts: 

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL

Through the seasons, this book personifies colors, starting with a red bird in early spring and concluding with it as winter ends. "In SPRING,/Red sings/from treetops:/ cheer-cheer-cheer,/each note dropping/like a cherry/into my ear." At first Green is shy, but in summer "Green is queen." "In fall, Yellow grows wheels/and lumbers/down the block,/blinking:/ Warning-classrooms ahead," and in winter "Gray and Brown hold hands." Sidman encourages readers to experience color with all of the senses. Some of Zagarenski's mixed-media paintings are full of light and others are darker and slightly haunting, but the rich colors come to life on the page. The words and pictures depend upon one another and blend well to conjure up quirky, magical imagery. Children will find many small stories waiting to be told within the detailed paintings and enjoy looking at them over and over. This poetic tribute to the seasons will brighten dull days.

Roach, Julie. 2009. "RED SINGS FROM TREETOPS: A YEAR IN COLORS." SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL 55, no. 4: 126-127. Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts, EBSCOhost (accessed June 26, 2013).

PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY

Anthropomorphized colors take charge in this fanciful book in praise of the seasons, from the collaborators behind This Is Just to Say. An androgynous crowned youth, dressed ornately in triangular apparel, plays host as colors are woven into unrhymed poetry. In spring, pink is "hairless,/ featherless,/the color of/ new/ things," while in summer, the youth finds a companion whose headpiece is a cross between a crown and a cowboy hat (filled with fish, no less), and the two royal personages indulge in popcorn and lemonade on the dock of a bay. Fall strikes a more melancholy tone: "the wind feels black:/ star-spangled,/ full of secrets," as an enormous whale blends into the nightscape. Broad swathes of color compose the seasonal palettes, juxtaposed with painstakingly precise designs. The effect is evocative of primitive antiques: fleur-de-lis, checkered print and scrawled calligraphy abound, creating an artful--if, at times, precious--display that works in tandem with the gentle musings of the imagistic verse. The regal elegance is sure to charm. Ages 5-8. (Mar.)

2009. "RED SINGS FROM TREETOPS: A YEAR IN COLORS." PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY 256, no. 7: 127-128. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed June 26, 2013).

KIRKUS REVIEWS

Describing seasons by colors is not an original concept, but this whimsical color calendar sparkles with creativity. Zagarenski's mixed-media paintings on wood and computer illustration have a European folk-art style. The described hues are block-highlighted in the text while the artwork details the imagery in the words. A woman and her white dog, both wearing paper crowns, wander through the four seasons, observing nature's palette: "In summer, / BLUE grows new names: / turquoise, / azure, / cerulean." A red bird flying across the pages becomes a continuity motif. In summer, RED is a delicate hummingbird; in fall, "RED swells / on branches bent low. / RED: crisp, juicy, / crunch!" In winter, "RED hops to treetops / …begins to sing: / and each note drops / like a cherry / into / my / ear." The seasons flow into each other, bringing readers full circle. Fresh descriptions and inventive artistry are a charming inspiration to notice colors and correlate emotions. Details in the artwork will invite repeated readings and challenge kids to muse about other color icons. (Picture book/poetry. 5-8)

2009. "RED SINGS FROM TREETOPS." KIRKUS REVIEWS 77, no. 3: 135. Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts, EBSCOhost (accessed June 26, 2013).

Connections:

The following fun enrichment activities were found on Joyce Sidman’s website:

http://www.joycesidman.com/books/red-sings-from-treetops-a/jlg-guide-red-sings-treetop.pdf

Identifying and Analyzing Visual Arts

Show the students the book cover, front and back. Ask:

What is on the front cover?

What is on the back cover?

What do the front words on the cover tell you?

How would you describe the four trees on the front cover?

How are they different from each other?

What are the four seasons?

Which tree goes with each season?

Who or what do you think is “Red”?

Why do you think the red bird is flying away from the last tree?

What do you think the red notes stand for?

Vocabulary

Tell students that some words have more than one meaning. Point out that the

word spring is the name of a season. Explain that spring is also an action word that means “to jump suddenly.” It is also an object that is coiled (you may need to

draw this for them). Have students take turns by giving you a sentence that shows each meaning. For example:

I like spring better than winter.

My dog springs up from the floor when I come home.

The spring in my toy broke.

Repeat using some of the following words from our book:

left -    Please turn to the left.

I left school at 3:00.

float     We watched the boat float downstream.

My dad likes a root-beer float.

The team made a float for the parade.

cold     It’s too cold in here.

Does the teacher have a cold?

fall       Don’t fall down the icy steps.

Fall is a busy time on the farm.

Rule     “No running” is an important rule at the swimming pool.

The king wanted to rule his people well.

light     The light in the kitchen is bright.

The large box was light instead of heavy.

Would you let Mom light the candle?

She liked light blue better than pink.

Poetry vs. Prose

Explain that Red Sings from Treetops is a book of poetry. Read aloud a few familiar poems or rhymes. Ask students to share what they know about poems.Then display a familiar storybook, and read aloud a page or two. Ask students to tell how poems are different from a storybook. Display a spread from Red Sings from Treetops and point out how the text is organized into short lines. Display a spread from the storybook and point out how the text is organized into paragraphs.  Explain that the storybook is prose.  Lead a discussion about the differences between poetry and prose. Then discuss how they are alike. Record students’ responses in a Venn diagram. Use the completed diagram to summarize the class discussion and reinforce key points.