POETRY - Please Bury Me In The Library

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Lewis, J. Patrick. 2005. PLEASE BURY ME IN THE LIBRARY. Ill. by Kyle M. Stone. New York: Harcourt, Inc. ISBN 0152163875

PLOT SUMMARY
Using sixteen short poems as a medium, Lewis pays tribute to the imagery and power of the written word wrapped up inside the covers of books. An assortment of poetic styles are utilized including rhyming couplets, haiku, quatrains, and acrostic. Lewis’ subtle humor and word wit are woven throughout the book, contributing to its appeal to both young and old. The poems are richly and vividly illustrated by Kyle M. Stone. The visual playground created by Stone is an ideal addition to the volume due to its ability to portray the meaning behind Lewis’ poetic offerings.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Lewis has a gift for painting a picture with words. An example is the image that is conjured when one reads about the capers of alphabet soup: “the fun-loving vowels / may want tiny towels / to dry themselves off on the spoon”. One can’t help but smile upon reading Lewis’ title offering and imagining the library where the “dictionary dozes” and the bibliophile wishes to be buried with “a dozen long-stemmed proses”. In addition to vivid imagery, the work also abounds with much humor, subtle though it may be. In one offering, Lewis bemoans a task at hand: “Difficult writing / Assignment: “The Story of / My Life: A Haiku””. Another dose of wit is administered when Lewis proclaims, “A bad book owes to many trees / a forest of apologies”. The entire volume’s intent is summed up perfectly when Lewis personifies a book and assigns her purpose, “To capture, to amuse, / To light a fire / (You’re the fuse)”. The majority of the poems have imaginative underlying cadences that lend themselves easily to being read aloud.

Stone’s illustrations go the distance in capturing the feeling created by Lewis’ words. This is evident from the first turn of the page which reveals the title leaf’s art: a small, redheaded girl snuggling contentedly under a warm and comforting blanket of books. The pictorial offerings range from quaint (as the title page illustrates) to absurd. The silliness plays out in such scenes as the little lamb clad in his lobster bib ready to spear a plate of very green eggs. The young boy perched atop a stack of books in Necessary Gardens captures the spirit of being entranced by a good read. The rich palette of colors chosen by the artist make the illustrations leap off the page. A few of the illustrations are stunningly realistic. Stone makes flying upon a paper airplane, nestled in its folds appear an actuality rather than a fantasy.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
* New York Public Library 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing
* BOOKLIST REVIEW: “This homage to reading salutes all the essential elements: letters, words, books. Lewis' poetry is continually clever.”
* PUBLISHERS WEEKLY REVIEW: “Like Lewis' previous witty verse, the poems brim with wordplay.”
* SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL REVIEW: “The tone is generally light, with the last few entries turning more to wonder and metaphor. Usually printed one per spread, the poems are accompanied by richly dark artwork. The Lewis hallmarks are all here–clever wordplay, humor, nonsense, rhyme.”

CONNECTIONS
* Read and view the acrostic poem, Necessary Gardens, in the book. Discuss its form and style. Have students create their own acrostic poem, choosing their favorite person, place, or thing as the subject.
* Encourage creative thinking and word play by asking students to rename familiar books like Lewis has done in What If Books Had Different Names?.
* Choose a poem from the book to read to students and have them illustrate the poem. After they’ve drawn their interpretation, share the book’s illustration. Please Bury Me in the Library or Eating Alphabet Soup might work well for this exercise.
*Other poetry picture books & poetry collections about books, libraries, and bibliophiles:
1) Hopkins, Lee Bennett (compiler). GOOD BOOKS, GOOD TIMES. ISBN 0064462226
2) Hopkins, Lee Bennett (compiler). WONDERFUL WORDS. ISBN 0689835884
3) Stewart, Sarah. THE LIBRARY. ISBN 0374343888
4) Sierra, Judy. WILD ABOUT BOOKS. ISBN 0375925384