Module 14: Mirror Mirror - Poetry and Story Collections

Book Summary:

This book is a poetry book that includes poems that read from the first word to the last word and then the poem is read in the reverse order, starting with the last line.  The poems are about classic familiar fairy tale characters and the author is able to demonstrate to the reader that there are always two sides to every story and that there might not always be a happily ever after.

APA Reference:

Singer, M. (2010). Mirror mirror: A book of reversible verse. New York, NY: Dutton Children's Books.

Impressions:

My first impression was WOW, how did the author write these amazing poems.  I was amazed at how the poems made sense when read both direction.  This is an awesome talent to be able to show the point of view of two characters by using the same words, just in reverse order. There are some punctuation changes but the poems were a joy to read and a great way to add new life to classic fairy tales.

Professional Review:

Through a poetic invention she dubs the reverso, Singer meditates on twelve familiar folktales, and, via the magic of shifting line breaks and punctuation, their shadows. Each free-verse poem has two stanzas, set on facing columns, where the second is the fi rst reversed. Red Riding Hood, contemplating berries, thinks, “What a treat! But a girl / mustn’t dawdle. / After all, Grandma’s waiting” while across the page the wolf lurks: “After all, Grandma’s waiting, / mustn’t dawdle… / But a girl! / What a treat…” In the main, the poems are both cleverly constructed and insightful about their source stories, giving us the points of view of characters rarely considered. Similarly bifurcated illustrations, Shrek-bright, face the poems: Nonfi ction Goldilocks (“ASLEEP IN CUB’S BED, / BLONDE / STARTLED BY / BEARS”) awoken; the bears surprised (“BEARS STARTLED / BY BLONDE / ASLEEP IN CUB’S BED”).

Sutton, R. (2010). Mirror mirror: A book of reversible verse. Horn Book Magazine, 86(2), 79-80.

Library Uses:

This book could be used to introduce a poetry lesson in the library.  The students could learn about different styles of poems and them write a poem in their favorite style.