When Thunder Comes

October 1, 2013

Gr 5 Up-Prolific children's poet J. Patrick Lewis's new collection (Chronicle, 2012) features profiles of the civil righteous: 15 poems in a variety of forms, followed by notes that add critical context. The verses describe a variety of courageous acts, from "the asterisk career" of black American slugger Josh Gibson to Ellison Onizuka, first Asian American astronaut. The narration is shared among four narrators, male and female, who articulate the first person poems clearly and distinctly. Some evoke a particularly strong emotional connection, such as Myra Lucretia Taylor's performance as Mamie Till in "The Innocent," where she tells the story of her murdered son, Emmett. Listeners will be engaged by the rhythm of the verse. While the roster of diverse racial, cultural, and international leaders is a strength of the collection, students may not recognize them, nor will they understand some references when first hearing the poems. In "The Astronaut," for example, the line "'The world saw sudden grief in ragged streams...." may not make sense until listeners learn from the end notes that Lt. Colonel Onizuka died in the Challenger disaster. Also, resources for more information appear only in the print edition. Have the book available as well so that students can examine the accomplished illustrations, recognize the structure of the poetry, and hear the "tales of thunder," all enhancing their understanding of the global nature of courage.-Toby Rajput, National Louis University, Skokie, IL

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