Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices

Fleischman, Paul

3.98

10,662 ratings by Goodreads

9780060218539: Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices

ISBN 10: 0060218533 ISBN 13: 9780060218539

Publisher: HarperCollins, 1988

Written to be read aloud by two voices -- sometimes alternating, sometimes simultaneous -- here is a collection of irresistible poems that celebrate the insect world, from the short life of the mayfly to the love song of the book louse. Funny, sad, loud, and quiet, each of these poems resounds with a booming, boisterous, joyful noise. In this remarkable volume of poetry for two voices, a companion to "I Am Phoenix, "Paul Fleischman verbally re-creates the "Booming/boisterios/joyful noise" of insects. The poems resound with the pulse of the cicada and the drone of the honeybee. Eric Beddows's vibrant drawings send each insect soaring, spinning, or creeping off the page in its own unique way. Paul Fleischman has created not only a clear and fascinating guide to the insect world -- from chrysalid butterflies to whirligig beetles -- but an exultant celebration of life.

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Review:

"A companion to I Am Phoenix, this marvelous, lyrical evocation of the insect world demands accolades. With subjects ranging from grasshoppers to butterflies, there is variety in tone, mood, and theme. There are fourteen poems in the handsomely designed volume, with wonderfully interpretive illustrations. Each selection is a gem, polished to perfection."--"H."

About the Author:

Paul Fleischman grew up in Santa Monica, California in a house with a printing press, a grand piano, a shortwave radio, and his father--children's author Sid Fleischman. Playing recorder in early music consorts led to his books of verbal duets--I Am Phoenix, Joyful Noise (winner of the 1989 Newbery Medal), and Big Talk. His novels built from monologues include Bull Run, a 16-character account of the Civil War's first battle, and Seedfolks--the chronicle of the first year of a Cleveland community garden. His interest in theater inspired his young adult novels Mind's Eye, Seek, and Breakout, all of which revolve around the spoken word. His historical fiction includes Saturnalia and The Borning Room. He's written nonfiction and picture books as well, including Time Train, Weslandia, and Sidewalk Circus.

Alongside the Newbery Medal, he's won a Newbery Honor Book, the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction, the PEN West Literary Award, the California Young Reader Medal, and most recently was a finalist for the 2003 National Book Award. He makes his home in the village of Aromas, California.

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