Poetry from Planet Earth provides simple guidelines for writing poems.
Poetry from Planet Earth also offers helpful websites. The poems throughout the book are educational. A glossary of poetic terms is provided to use as a simple guide.
Professional Reviews
A Young Person's Guide to Poetry
This collection of poems is geared towards young people, and is really very informative, especially with regard to different types of poetry. Complete with a Glossary explaining the different formats, Ms. Monnar gives examples of Couplets, Acrostics, and Haikus, and defines Alliterations, Cinquains, Expository poems, Limericks and Narrative poems. Also included are addresses for related websites and clipart.
Under different headings, ever the teacher, she groups poems about occupations, natural phenomenon, Geography, Astrology and character building. This last group includes the poem "The Law of the Funnel", which has been released separately as an illustrated children's book, and is about the joys and rewards of being unselfish.
Ana teaches all
Poetry is beautiful
Easy fun format
Amanda Richards
Inspiring Young Poets and Poetry Readers
Ms. Monnar is an experienced elementary school teacher and reading specialist. In these poems, she shares her joy in poetry with her love of children into an accessible introduction to poetry for younger readers. The book doubles as both example and inspiration.
Be sure your young reader looks at the glossary in the back for examples of the different types of poems present in the volume. While back there, encourage her or him to note and look at the many other resources including poetry-related and clip art Web sites, book list, advice on caring for pets, and educational software. There are also some suggestions for adults.
The book begins in strong fashion with illustrated couplets:
"Thanks to inspiring teachers
There are future preachers"
"It is not very entertaining
To see you always complaining"
The next section looks at work. Ms. Monnar is upbeat. She even has nice things to say about lawyers . . . and choosing whether to be a prosecutor or a defense attorney.
"Remember to use your utmost persuasion
Say it with confidence, not the contrary"
My favorite section was the free verse acrostics because children will probably find these the most fun to write as they develop their writing skills. Here's Elvira:
"Energetic everyday
Loving to her family and friends
Vibrant in every fashion
Intelligent in every way
Respected by all others
Artistic is her style"
The illustrated haikus were my second favorite section.
"Gray and cloudy sky
Bright luminous sunset shines
Summer night is near"
Her paean to nature, Nature's Beauty is especially good.
She also has some fun poems for kids like Jump Rope Rhythm and Rap which tours the states of the Union. Some states also have their own poems of which I liked Colorado best. The Solar System has a neat summary of the planets in it.
The book ends with many moral lessons like those in Red Ribbon:
"Don't let peer pressure
Surround you like a thresher
Use your powerful brain
So later on, you won't have any pain."
Compassion speaks an important message very succinctly:
"Compassion does not mean pity
Compassion goes a long way
You might be the one offering a kind word or gesture today
While tomorrow someone else might show you the way."
My wife was also trained to be an elementary teacher. Through that training she developed a love of writing poetry for special occasions to honor family and friends. I cannot help but think that this slim volume can help inspire many more people to develop that love of writing poetry in the future. If it does, we will all be the richer.
New Book of Children's Poetry Educates and Entertains
Poetry from Planet Earth -- New Book of Children's Poetry Educates and Entertains
MIAMI, Sept. 4, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- The minds of children are like smooth soft clay, highly impressionable and waiting for something or someone to leave their mark. Instead of endless hours of watching television creating a child's initial impression, teacher and poet Ana Monnar offers her new book, Poetry from Planet Earth (now available through 1stBooks).
"Let children laugh and play/Before old age gets in their way," she writes.
Monnar offers an abundance of diverse poetry for children and their parents to adore. Hoping to build character and set good examples, while teaching geography and science, Monnar offers a wealth of information about the world that surrounds children outside the TV room. With couplets, acrostics and haikus about everything from tornados, hurricanes and snowy days to eating salad and a favorite pair of blue jeans, the book offers a wealth of different styles of poetry to choose from. "Character Education" helps build character and teaches etiquette.
As a teacher, she injects things from the outside world to inform children of different aspects of life. In the section entitled "School to Work," Monnar explains the importance of such occupations as writer, police officers, firefighters, attorneys, judges, architects and farmers. "Land" offers devices to remember state names and "The Universe" deals with planets, stars and the Milky Way.
Complete with colorful and whimsical illustrations, Poetry from Planet Earth could insight future poets and writers while acting as a steppingstone to becoming responsible and good members of society.
Monnar has been teaching for more than 20 years. Having earned a Master of Science in the areas of early childhood and elementary education from Florida International University, Monnar has taught for more than 20 years. A former "Teacher of the Year," she has encouraged students who have later gone on to win writing awards. She and her husband, Octavio, have three children, a Yellow Nape parrot named Sunny and a Yorkshire Terrier dog named Lulu. Poetry from Planet Earth is one of Monnar's three published books.
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Using Calgary as a backdrop the author satirizes the self-serving nature of the public as it continues to fatten itself, not only physically, but egotistically as well.
This book represents a thirty-day period of my poetry journal. Each poem addresses
the dominant thoughts occupying my mind during the early morning hours of a given
day.
