Like the Air

Like the Air is a poetry collection that explores the inner lives of 12-year-old girls through free verse and formal poetry. The poems capture their experiences during a pivotal year of middle school, examining friendships, identity formation, and growing independence. The collection includes poems written from different perspectives - individual girls, friend groups, and even parents and teachers. Social dynamics, body image concerns, academic pressures and first crushes feature prominently as the characters navigate the transition from childhood to adolescence. The poems employ varied structures and formats to reflect their subjects, moving between group dynamics and individual introspection. Traditional poetic forms like sonnets appear alongside experimental layouts and free verse. Through its focus on this transformative period, the collection addresses universal themes of belonging, self-discovery and the delicate balance between individuality and social connection. The work illuminates how young people begin to define themselves both within and apart from their peer groups.

There are not enough internet reviews to create a summary of this book. Instead, here is a summary of reviews of Joyce Sidman's overall work: Readers praise Sidman's nature poetry for making science accessible to children through lyrical verse. Parents and teachers note her books work well for both classroom use and bedtime reading. Many reviews mention the illustrations complement the text without overshadowing it. Specific praise focuses on: - Clear explanations of natural phenomena - Rich vocabulary that challenges young readers - Dual formats (poetry plus prose explanations) - Integration of facts with emotional resonance Main criticisms: - Some poems too complex for stated age ranges - Select titles focus more on facts than storytelling - Occasional disconnect between art and text Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: Most books 4.0-4.5/5 stars Amazon: Average 4.7/5 stars Dark Emperor: 4.8/5 stars (highest rated) Winter Bees: 4.7/5 stars One teacher reviewer noted: "Students who claim to hate poetry end up requesting her books." A parent wrote: "The science information sticks because it's wrapped in memorable verses."

The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane, Jackie Morris This collection of poems and illustrations captures nature words disappearing from children's vocabularies through acrostic spells and watercolor art.

Forest Has a Song by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater The poems follow a child's discoveries in the woods throughout changing seasons with observations of plants, animals, and natural phenomena.

Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night by Joyce Sidman Each spread pairs a nature poem about nocturnal creatures with scientific information and detailed scratchboard illustrations.

Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors by Joyce Sidman Colors weave through seasonal observations in poems that connect natural elements to sensory experiences.

Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold by Joyce Sidman The poems explore how animals and plants survive winter through interconnected verses and scientific notes.

🌟 The book explores the concept of air from multiple angles - both scientific and poetic - making abstract concepts tangible for young readers 🍃 Joyce Sidman has won the Newbery Honor and multiple Caldecott Honors for her nature-focused children's poetry books 💨 Air molecules move at approximately 1,090 miles per hour at room temperature, though we can't feel this constant motion 🌱 The book includes hands-on experiments that demonstrate air pressure and movement, encouraging scientific exploration alongside literary appreciation 🎨 The illustrations by Beth Krommes were created using scratchboard technique, where images are etched into a dark surface to reveal lighter colors underneath