Poetry by Janaeczko: Dirty Laundry Pile

Bibliography:

Janeczko, Paul B. 2001. Dirty Laundry Pile: Poems in Different Voices. Ill. Sweet, Melissa. United States: Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN: 0688162525

Review:

Dirty Laundry Pile is a collection of twenty- seven persona poems written by various authors. In the introduction, Janeczko explains that a “persona or mask poem are written in the voice of an object or animal.” These poems will help readers to understand what it must be like to be a mosquito, a crayon, a vacuum or a tree! This book is an ideal book to discuss point of view and add humor to a lesson! There are many poetic elements in this collection of poems-onomatopoeia, personification, metaphors and similes and rhythm. One example of onomatopoeia is “Washing Machine” by Bobbi Katz. “Glubita, glubita, glubita, glubita, glubita, glubita. . .GLUB. / Swizzle-dee-swash-- / Swizzle-dee-swash / I talk to myself, / while I do the wash!” The placement of the words on a page imitates the movement of the washing machine just as the words imitate the sounds it makes. All of the poems are concrete and will be easily understood by readers. Most of the poems are quite humorous but a few, like “Roots” by Madeleine Comora, “Old Elm Speaks” by Kristine O’Connell George, and “Grandpa Bear’s Lullaby,” are more subdued and quiet. Melissa Sweet used bright watercolors to illustrate each poem. I especially like the illustration for “Dirty Laundry Pile” by Marcy Barack Black. It shows a dark smelly cloud around dirty laundry with a boy sitting on top of it all holding his nose. Doesn’t everyone hold his or her nose when faced with a huge pile of stinky laundry?

Poem Selection:

Dirty Laundry Pile is a wonderful book to teach point of view in addition to all different types of figurative language. I especially like The Vacuum Cleaner’s Revenge. Prior to reading the poem, I would lead students in a discussion of what a vacuum does. I would write all of the children’s responses on a large sheet of paper or use an overhead transparency or document camera. After exhausting the topic, I would then read the poem. After reading the poem I would lead a discussion asking several questions: 1. What did they think about the poem, 2. What did you like about the poem 3. Does the illustration help you understand the poem? 3. Are there other objects that you can write about using the same technique that Patricia Hubbell used? Then I would have students work together in groups. They will pick an object, brainstorm ideas of what it does and then write a similar poem and illustrate it.

The Vacuum Cleaner’s Revenge

I munch. I crunch

I zoom. I roar

I clatter-clack

Across the floor.

I swallow twigs.

I slurp dead bugs.

I suck the cat hair

From the rugs.

My stomach full

Of dirt and dust

I gulp another

Pizza crust.

A tiresome life-

All work, no play-

I think I’ll swallow you today!

Here is a list of other books to use when teaching point of view.

Point of View:

Black and White - Macaulay

Call Me Ahnighito – Conrad

Great Kapok Tree – Cherry

Great Shaking –Carson

Pain and the Great One – Blume

Something to Tell the Grandcows - Spinelli

Through Grandpa’s Eyes – MacLachlan

Tight Times – Hazen

True Story of the Three Little Pigs - Scieszka/Smith

Two Bad Ants – Van Allsburg

Voices in the Park - Browne

When I Was Young in the Mountains – Rylant

Barn – Atwell