Old ELM Speaks: Tree Poems

by Kristine O'Connell George

Book Overview

This tree across the stream is a trickier bridge than it might seem... The author of The Great From Race and Other Poems has created a collection of short poems that celebrate trees and the amazing... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0395876117
• ISBN13: 9780395876114
• Release Date: September 1998
• Publisher: Clarion Books
• Length: 48 Pages
• Weight: 1.05 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 8.7" x 10.4"
• Age Range: 4 to 7 years
• Grade Range: Preschool to Grade 2

Customer Reviews

Perfect Bedtime Reading

This is the first book that has lulled our 2 1/2 year old to sleep. The nature-based poems are a joy to read with easy, rhythmic prose. Highly recommend.

Terrific for Teachers and Poetry Lovers

I'm using this book for my Arbor Day and Earth Day units with a combination 3/4th class. The poetry is magical and gives a whole new dimension to trees and the environment. George's poems have inspired my students to write some of their most creative work so far this year. I don't think any of us will look at trees in quite the same way after reading Old Elm Speaks.

Runs the gamut from funny to wise

I LOVE this book. Tree Traffic cracked me up and has been making me and my kids giggle ever since we read it. I like this book even more than THE GREAT FROG RACE--and that's saying something! Pick a favorite poem from this new tree collection? No. Beaver Dam, Maple Shoot in the Pumpkin Patch (I know JUST how that helicopter pilot feels!), Tree Horse(all the kids think spending time in a tree is an adventure), At Night (deliciously shivery), Tree's Place, Knotholes (...not for naught...I went off on a whole list of knot/not/naught--hole/whole/'ol puns), Poaching (brought to mind not only ripe plums, but also brittle leaf litter and sticky sap-traps!), Lullaby (I teared up--emotions from mothering memories flooded me), Blue Spruce (our front yard!!), Autumn (SO appropriate after the forest fires in the hills last summer--echoed in the city foliage in the fall), Storm (bittersweet after watching the neighbors have their beautiful, tall, authoritative tree butchered last week because they were afraid it would snap and fall on the house), Avalanche (brought back pictures of Mt. St. Helen's after its volcanic tantrum), and of course, Old Elm Speaks. I see I listed nearly the whole book when I just meant to pick out a few for special attention. So much for restraint!! Our family rates this book a "Best Buy."