Diamond Willow
By Helen Frost
cover image retrieved 2/23/13
from
Bibliography
Frost, Helen. Diamond
Willow. New York: Frances Foster Books, 2008. ISBN 9780374317768
Critical
Analysis
Gentle and heartfelt,
this free verse poetic narrative of a young girl’s attempts to make things
right following an accident she caused, is an engaging story that draws the
reader in unknowingly. Diamond Willow
tells the tale of Willow, an Alaskan ‘tween who doesn’t fit in with people and
finds solace with her father’s mush team of sled dogs. Roxy, the favorite dog,
does what she’s asked to lead the team, until Willow’s guidance error leaves
her blinded. Willow fears that her parents will have Roxy put down, so she
plots to relocate her to the Alaskan wilderness, at her grandparent’s house.
Making mistakes, seeking redemption, and finding resolution that will work for
all involved are themes all readers can identify with on some level.
The free verse poetry
is written in concrete poetry style. All poems have slightly varied diamond
shapes, which serve to connect them to one another and to the title character.
The words flow freely, though the author, Helen Frost, must have taken great
care to choose words that were the correct length for their position in the
poem, while creating the correct emotional connection. Vivid descriptions of
the Alaskan wilderness, as well as Willow’s inner turmoil, enable the reader to
connect to this story on many levels. Each poem has the bonus feature of a
string of bold-typed words embedded in them, which speak a secret message to
the reader, revealing Willow’s inner thoughts. She desires to be accepted at
school, strives to please her parents (especially her father,) and stretches
her limbs as she grows into her own person, which leads to her accident. An
unexpected family secret is revealed as the story unfolds, with huge emotional
impact. It proves to be very important to the resolution of the plot.
An added dimension to
this book is the interspersing of prose narratives. All are written from the
point of view of one of Willow’s ancestors, who now live on as an animal in the
wilderness. This storytelling technique
connects the reader to the native Alaskan heritage that strongly influences the
characters. Award-winning poet Frost crafts a touching tale loaded with
figurative language, sensory imagery, and evocative scenes. Middle School
readers and above will find common ground with Willow’s struggles and triumphs.
Book
Reviews
Hazel Rochman
(Booklist, Jun. 1, 2008 (Vol. 104, No. 19))
Set in a remote part of
Alaska, this story in easy-to-read verse blends exciting survival adventure
with a contemporary girl’s discovery of family roots and secrets. The casual
diamond shape of the poems reflects how precious jewels of wisdom can grow
around painful scars. Willow’s bond with Roxy is the heart of the tale.
Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews,
June 15, 2008 (Vol. 76, No. 12))
Diamond Willow, a young
Alaskan of Athabascan and European descent, doesn't have many friends; she's
happiest when she's sledding her father's dogs and visiting her grandparents.
When her first solo dogsled trip to her grandparents ends with a terrible crash
that blinds her father's favorite dog, Roxy, she sets to making sure that Roxy
will live out her days with care and not undergo euthanasia—a decision that
leads to an amazing revelation about her family. Frost presents her story in a
series of poems in Willow's voice, using a form inspired by the marks on a
diamond willow stick; roughly diamond-shaped and no two exactly alike, each
contains a "hidden message" printed in boldface that spans several
lines and encapsulates the poem. It's a novel idea, and largely works quite
well.
Marla K. Unruh (VOYA,
October 2008 (Vol. 31, No. 4))
Willow thinks of
herself as unspectacular, like the gray and unremarkable bark of the willow
tree. Because she is not one of the "sparkly" people in her Alaskan
middle school, she wants to ask Grandma and Grandpa to homeschool her. The
ancestors who watch over her in the form of forest animals speak in
interspersed pages of prose. An engaging survival tale, it is also the story of
a girl who finds within herself the grace to grow up.
Best
Book Lists
Best Children's Books
of the Year, 2009 ; Bank Street College of Education; United States
Capitol Choices, 2009 ;
The Capitol Choices Committee; United States
Choices, 2009 ;
Cooperative Children's Book Center; United States
Pure Poetry, 2008 ;
Voice of Youth Advocates; United States
Awards
Cybil Award, 2008
Finalist Middle Grade Novels United States
Lee Bennett Hopkins
Poetry Award, 2009 Winner United States
Mitten Award, 2008
Winner Michigan United States
Poetry
Break!
Spotlight
Poem
What
I love
about dogs:
They don’t talk
behind your back.
If they’re mad at you,
they bark a couple times
and get it over with. It’s true
they slobber on you sometimes.
(I’m glad people
don’t do that.) They
jump out and scare you in the dark. (I know,
I should say me, not “you” – some people aren’t
afraid of anything.) But dogs don’t make fun
of you. They don’t hit you in the back
of your neck with an ice-covered
snowball, and if the did, and
it made you cry, all their
friends wouldn’t stand
there laughing
at you.
(Me.)
Learning
Extensions
Before sharing this
poem:
·
Give each
student a blank piece of paper. Invite students to draw a picture of what
frightens them.
·
Allow
students who are willing to share their drawings or tell the group what scares
them.
·
Ask
students, “Can something frighten one person, but not another?” Allow students
to debate that idea, asking them to provide examples of cases where this could
be true.
Share the poem by
reading it orally. Ask for reactions to the poem.
·
Share the
poem again, this time displaying it via document camera. Ask for reactions
again, now that students see the concrete format and the bolded words.
·
Ask a
student to read the bolded words aloud. Invite a discussion of how the bolded
words relate to the poem as a whole, and if it changes their perception of the
messages in the piece.
Offer students another
piece of blank paper, or have them turn over their drawing. Invite students to
create a concrete poem about something that frightens or bothers them.
Challenge students to embed a hidden message that relates to their topic.
Other
Books by Helen Frost:
Helen Frost’s
website: http://www.helenfrost.net/
Fiction/Poetry for
Children and Young Adults
KEESHA'S HOUSE (Young
Adult: 12 and up)
SPINNING THROUGH THE
UNIVERSE (ages 8 and up; ideal for upper elementary)
THE BRAID (Young Adult:
12 and up)
MONARCH AND MILKWEED
(Picture Book / lyrical nonfiction)
DIAMOND WILLOW (ages 8
and up; ideal for middle school)
CROSSING STONES (Young
Adult: 12 and up)
HIDDEN
STEP GENTLY OUT
SALT
Poetry for Adults
Skin of a Fish, Bones
of a Bird
National Endowment for
the Arts
as if a dry wind
For Teachers
When I Whisper, Nobody
Listens: Helping Young People Write About Difficult Issues
Worksheets for Forms
Teaching Ideas
Non-fiction for
Children
Coming to America
Series (German and Russian Immigrants)
Three Biographies
19 Series of Pebble
Books for early readers
Plays
Why Darkness Seems So
Light
Keesha's House
Anthologies
Season of Dead Water
Why Darkness Seems So
Light: Young People Speak Out About Violence
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