Pablo Neruda: Poet of the People

Author: Monica Brown

Illustrator: Julie Paschkis

Guided Reading Level: N/A

Lexile: N/A

'''Interest Level: Gr. 1 - 5'''

Genre: Biography, Informational 

Identity Group: Latino, Chile

Themes: Poetry, Social Justice, Creativity, Bravery 

 Summary: " Brown adds to her growing list of noteworthy picture-book biographies with this lyrical introduction to poet Pablo Neruda. “From the moment he could talk, Neftalí surrounded himself with words that whirled and swirled, just like the river that ran near his home in Chile,” begins the simple, rhythmic text that follows Neruda from childhood to adult fame as an activist and beloved “poet of the people.” Brown distills events into just a few words on each page, and younger children may need further explanation about why, for example, Neruda is pursued by soldiers. And while Paschkis’ whimsical portraits honor the poet’s heritage and work with streams of words woven into the vibrantly patterned artwork, the intriguing design elements include many references that seem aimed at older children and adults. Still, Brown’s succinct lines read like a poem themselves, and they emphasize the infinite places writers find inspiration, from seashores to coal mines to the faces of people they love. A long biographical note and suggested resources conclude this handsome offering." Grades 1-3. --Gillian Engberg (Booklist)  Instructional Suggestions: 

Read Aloud: Where writers/poeets find ideas? Use text as a class read aloud discuss the different places poems 'live' in Neruda's life (ie. forests, ocean, rocks, books, everyday objects). Compile class list of where Neruda's ideas come from as way to prompt students to think about where their own poems might 'live'. Will help kids think about new and different topics to write poetry/writing about.

Mentor Text: In a writing unit focused on informational or biography text, this book could be an excellent mentor text to help students use imagery to make facts come alive (For example "He always wrote in green ink - the color of the ferns in the forest and the grass beneath his feet." pg. 7)

 Interdisciplinary Connections:   

Science: Social Studies: Arts:  
 * Connections with Ecology
 * observation of nature
 * poet as scientists
 * Ocean Science - Sea creatures, beach ecosystems
 * Geology - types of rocks, rock processes, quarries, mining
 * Natural Resources: coal mining
 * Social Justice/Social Movements: Worker's struggle to organize, activism
 * Students create art inspired by illustrations where they incorporate descriptie words into the own illustrations.

 Vocabulary: 

publishing

opposites

joy

sadness

polished

wealth

justice

honor

struggled

freedom

brave

 Family/Community Connections: 

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 Resources: 

BrainPop: Pablo Neruda, http://educators.brainpop.com/bp-topic/pablo-neruda/

Nobel Prize Laureate Biography. http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/literature/laureates/1971/neruda-bio.html