Saturday, June 12, 2010

Poetry Book Digital Trailers #1

I’m trying something new with my children’s literature courses and my students have produced some amazing projects! I’ve encouraged them to create digital trailers or mini movies to promote interest in reading—a kind of video booktalk. I know these are gaining in popularity, particularly among teens and tweens, but I rarely find them made for works of POETRY. So… I’m happy to report I have some wonderful examples to share (with their permission) of original poetry book digital trailers. Here’s the first one created by librarian Shante Clark-Davis for the book, The Poet Slave of Cuba by Margarita Engle.



Isn’t it powerful and personal? With her own original voiceover chanting and storytelling, along with photos of her own family, Shante has captured the tension and spirit of Engle’s incredible novel in verse, while connecting with her own family history, too. Shante writes, “95% of the pictures I used are pictures of my family (My maternal grandparents, great grandparents, and my great aunt). My grandfather was a sharecropper turned fruit preservationist and the images are of his land. After reading THE POET SLAVE OF CUBA, I could remember my grandfather's stories. So, I ran to my photo album. I took the pictures of his land and my mother's old high school. (Other images of the plantation home, the young boy with his mom, and the statue are from Creative Commons.) … I've been brainstorming ideas for encouraging my students to create book trailers and projects of their own in relation to Texas curriculum.”

Go, Shante! I hope to share more student poetry trailers soon, too. Enjoy!

Posting (not trailer) by Sylvia M. Vardell © 2010. All rights reserved.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a brilliant idea. Sylvia you
are bringing poetry to new heights.
Lee Bennett Hopkins

Sylvia Vardell said...

Thanks for that sweet comment, Lee! I can't take any credit-- these students are so creative-- they inspire ME!

laurasalas said...

Wow. "No, you're not." And "I will play with you." So haunting! I can't wait to see more.

Margarita Engle said...

Shante and Sylvia, Thank you so much for this amazing blues song and photo essay! I feel so profoundly moved and grateful. Margarita Engle

Azis Librarian said...

I'm truly encouraged and inspired by both of your works. I aspire to use what I've learned to encourage youth to read, write, and use their personal voices. I can only hope that my works will move readers to action as your works have moved me. Thank you Dr. Vardell and Margarita.

Sincerely,

Shante