{"product_id":"i-am-someone-else-isbn-9781580898324","title":"I Am Someone Else","description":"\u003cb\u003eCelebrated poet Lee Bennett Hopkins shares a diverse collection of poems that ask (with the help of Newbery medalist Lois Lowry, former US Children's Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis, and others),  \"Who do you want to be?\"\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eKids can imagine pretending and dressing up in this playful poetry collection, flexing their creative muscles and bucking stereotypes. (Who says that girls can't be knights and boys can't be mermaids?) Fifteen poets write about who they might like to be, musing what life would be like as a wizard, a firefighter, a video-game inventor, and more. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\"There is nothing better than being yourself. You are unique and special in every way. Once in a while it might be fun to think about becoming someone (or something!) else.  Who would you like to be? Imagine that you're someone else!\" \u003c\/i\u003e--Lee Bennett Hopkins\"Imagine! Wish! Support! Invent!\"Hopkins organizes this brief, thematic anthology into three sections under the larger umbrella of imagining: \"Wish! Be a Storybook Character\"; \"Support! Be a Person Who Helps\"; and \"Invent! Be a Person Who's a Maker.\" Each of the collected poems is written in the first-person, and Hsu's energetic, cartoon-style digital illustrations depict the diverse children as the individual speakers. Words and pictures alike often upend stereotypes and gender norms. For example, a poem about pretending to be a mermaid by Janet Clare Fagal depicts a brown-skinned child with tight, close-cropped curls wearing a green, striped T-shirt as the voice of the poem, allowing children of varying gender identifications to see themselves. Hopkins' introductory statement affirms that \"There is nothing better than being yourself,\" which doesn't undermine the title in the least since he goes on to affirm the fun in pretend play. Sometimes such play is aspirational, and the poems included in the categories \"Support!\" and \"Invent\" by authors such as Douglas Florian, Prince Redcloud, and Joan Bransfield Graham (with the standout offering \"Nurse: Healing Hand\") give voice to career ambitions. Others, such as the aforementioned \"A Mermaid's Tale\" poem, and Lois Lowry's \"Big Problems\" (about the challenges of being a giant's wife) offer up more fanciful imaginings.A good collection, for real. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWell-known anthologist Hopkins here focuses on make-believe play, presenting 15 possibilities for children to explore being and doing fanciful or everyday things, with contributions from Lois Lowry, Prince Redcloud, and Douglas Florian. Thematically divided into three sections, the poems feature peppy, reader-directed introductions, followed by first-person poems accompanied by illustrations of diverse children play-acting. “Wish! Be a Storybook Character” showcases fantasy figures such as pirates (“I cry argh to the ocean, \/ wail yarr to the sky”); “Support! Be a Person Who Helps” includes a firefighter, nurse, and pilot. “Invent! Be a Person Who’s a Maker” spotlights a chef, dancer, and video-game creator, among others. Colorful, cartoon illustrations depict the children, their activities, and the classroom objects inspiring them with subtle, sketchy background elements, like a girl wearing a hard hat and building with blocks and boxes against cityscape background, which extend the themes presented. Throughout, the collection conveys that there are many options for each child, irrespective of gender, and the encouraging, upbeat approach will likely pique interests and imaginations.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e—\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003eLee Bennett Hopkins\u003c\/b\u003e is the author of dozens of award-winning books for children, including both poetry collections and stories. He was a teacher and educational consultant. He believed poetry is a necessity for children both at school and at home. He established two poetry awards that bear his name.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBorn in Taipei, Taiwan and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, \u003cb\u003eChris Hsu\u003c\/b\u003e is  incessantly inquisitive about and heavily influenced by history,  art  history, science, classical music, psychology, and sports.  In  addition  to book illustration he is an animation background artist,  having worked  on animated series such as \u003ci\u003eArcher\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eHit-Monkey\u003c\/i\u003e.  He is based in the Southeast with his wife and two daughters. He is the illustrator of \u003ci\u003eZero! The Number That Almost Wasn't\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Boo-Boos That Changed the World, \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eMadame Speaker. \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003eWish! Be a Storybook Character. \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eClose your eyes. Imagine what make-believe storybook character you might become (if you could). \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eWould you be...\u003cbr\u003ea wizard double-knotting moonbeams?\u003cbr\u003ea queen wearing silken shoes and gown?\u003cbr\u003ea mermaid exploring deep ocean caves?\u003cbr\u003ea giant's wife stirring stew in vats and barrels?\u003cbr\u003ea pirate swinging from ropes with telescopes?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eImagine! \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBig Problems\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eLois Lowry\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI took on a perplexing life\u003cbr\u003ewhen I became a giant's wife. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHe has a monstrous appetite, \u003cbr\u003esays my cooking's a delight. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut one encounters real perils\u003cbr\u003ewhen stirring stew in vats and barrels!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAnd I am in a total quandary\u003cbr\u003eeach time I try to do the laundry. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHis sweaters could encase three cars; \u003cbr\u003ehis undies are the size of Mars!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI have to climb upon a chair, \u003cbr\u003estretch my arms to smooth his hair. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt is a complicated struggle\u003cbr\u003eto hug or kiss or simply snuggle. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHe's very dear; I'm not complaining. \u003cbr\u003eI only wish I'd had some training! \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere ought to be some branch of science\u003cbr\u003ethat gives advice to wives of giants!","brand":"Charlesbridge","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46301029564645,"sku":"NP9781580898324","price":16.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781580898324.jpg?v=1767729595","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/i-am-someone-else-isbn-9781580898324","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}