[.ca] Come to My Party: Other Shape Poems (ISBN 0805066209)

Wee Ones Magazine, Book Review, Gives this a high five!:
Words come alive in this beautifully written and illustrated picture book. Reading poetry is fun in Come to My Party, where the words become the pictures. This is a kid-friendly book from the types of poetry written as well as the bright and bold illustrations. Words make up a jump rope, a flock of geese and a snowy hill. Children will delight in this book and ask to read it again and again. The good thing is that it is fun for adults to read too! It celebrates not only the seasons, but the essence of being a kid! www.weeonesmag.com

Kirkus Starred Review:
KIRKUS Starred REVIEW: Roemer, Heidi B. March 01, 2004 - Text and pictures blend seamlessly in this outstanding offering-no mean feat, as Roemer's rhymes are all shaped to evoke seasonal sights: the V's of nestlings' open beaks and skeins of migrating geese, the fall of raindrops, the twist of the garden hose, the paths of "Dancing Leaves" in autumn. Read aloud, the verses irresistibly invite audience participation--"I take my little rake and my hoe, hoe, hoe;/And break up clods of firt in each row, row, row"-- but lend themselves to silent appreciation, too, as color changes, type sizes and artful placement work together to make them easily legible, even to less-practiced readers. Takahashi folds the shaped lines into her simple, richly hued outdoor scenes with seeming effortlessness, letting words not only rest within the compositions, but become elements of them, as Christmas tree branches, menorah candles, an owl's crest, and dandelion fluff. She also adds visual surprises and stories of her own, from a child's face that dramatically transforms into a snowman's, to a teeter-tottering mother and daughter with different skin tones. A strong debut for Roemer and Takahashi's most inventive work yet. (Picture book/poetry, 6 - 9)

HORN BOOK REVIEW:
Horn Book May/June 2004 - Roemer invites young guests--both newly independent readers and pre-readers--to celebrate the seasons in this unusual collection of concrete poetry. In the spring, "The Happy Gardener" is busily at work: "I take my little rake and my hoe, hoe, hoe; And break up clods of dirt in each row, row, row. I scatter tiny seeds as I sow, sow, sow; With water, sun, and patience, seeds will grow, grow, grow." Set in four vertical rows within a brown plot of soil, this poem, as do most of the others, depends on the background art to complete the concrete picture suggested by the arrangement of words. Far from intrusive, these illustrations provide images that will help youngsters to better understand the poem shapes. A triangle of words creates a tent in the summer poem, "Camper's Prayer: ("Starlight, shine bright on my little tent tonight. If it should rain, and skies turn bleak-- I pray my tent won't spring a leak."); the shape is reinforced by the illustrated background, showing a forest set against the night sky and allowing the triangle to encase the backlit silhouettes of a parent and child. For new readers, this is an excellent introduction to concrete poetry, while the physical patterns of the words will help younger children connect the sounds they hear with word shapes they see. And the gift of that pre-reading skill is a party favor to cherish. B.C.

Celebrate poetry with this winner!:
This book is a treat for the eyes, ears, and tongue as the author and illustrator have created an incredible journey through the year in poetry and pictures. April is National Poetry Month, but the young person who receives this book as a gift will enjoy these poems all year long!

A Lovely Collection:
Dancing Leaves Crimson and coral And yellow as butter- We reach up to snatch Waltzing leaves as they flutter. Hip hip hooray For fall's festive confetti! Let's heap the leaves up and jump! Are you ready? Picture those charming words falling like leaves across the page. Come To My Party and Other Shape Poems is a volume of thirty-eight seasonal concrete poems. There are very few collections of children's poetry whose focus is specifically on the concrete form. Ms. Roemer's poetry dances across the pages and in the imaginations of her lucky young audience. Her poetry form is enhanced beautifully by the playful illustrations of Hideko Takahashi. This would make a lovely edition to any children's library. I hope this talented new poet doesn't make her growing audience wait too long for her next collection.