Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night

BIBLIOGRAPHY

            Sidman, Joyce. 2010. Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night. Ill. by Rick Allen. New York: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. ISBN 978547152288

PLOT SUMMARY

In Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night, Joyce Sidman has written a collection of poems that describe the wonder and mystery of nighttime. The book contains a collection of 12 beautifully written poems, which inspire readers to learn more about the creatures of the night. The poems are accompanied by factual information, which provides more details about the creatures in the poems. This book is not only entertaining, but also full of educational information.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night is a collection of poems about the majesty of nighttime. The book opens with the poem “Welcome to the Night,” thus welcoming readers to the splendors of evening. After readers explore the various sites and sounds of nighttime, the book closes with “Moon’s Lament,” begging the question “Where has it all gone--.” 

Sidman’s poems are lyrical and have an ethereal quality. She uses a variety of rhythms and rhyme throughout the various poems, which add to the diversity of the collection. Some poems, like “Welcome to the Night,” have a discernible rhyme pattern while others like “Love Poem of the Primrose Moth” do not contain any rhyme. Her use of sound makes the poems easy to read and add to the imagery and overall effect of the poems. 

Sidman’s careful use of descriptive language makes the poems exciting and rich with details. She creates strong visuals images with the use of similes, like “where the moss grows like candy” and with unique word combinations, like “hooked face and hungry eye.” This book of poetry is well balanced, providing variations in content and style, thus keeping the reader’s interest. Each poem also includes a small lesson on the topic of the poem. For example the poem “Cricket Speaks” is accompanied by factual information about crickets.

Rick Allen’s gouache illustrations are the perfect complement to Sidman’s poems. The block-prints combined with dark colors create a shadowy effect. The details of the illustration complement the actions in the poems, but alone are still interesting and provide the opportunity for discussion.

Sidman and Allen capture the magic of night beautifully in this illustrated collection of poems. The reader experiences the sights, sounds, and smells of nighttime through Sidman’s detailed poems and Allen’s intricate pictures. This book of poetry will appeal to both young and old alike.

Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night provides an excellent opportunity to discuss nocturnal animals as well as fears about the dark. The factual information provided in the book is useful for helping make connections between poetry and real life.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

BOOKLIST STARRED REVIEW, 2010: “This picture book combines lyrical poetry and compelling are with science concepts.”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: “It invites lingering enjoyment for nature and poetry fans...”

COOPERATIVE CHILDREN’S BOOK CENTER CHOICES, 2011: “Rick Allen’s detailed, colored linoleum print illustrations lend additional beauty to this gratifying nocturnal experience.”

AWARDS

John Newbery Medal: Honor Book, 2011

Horn Book Award: Honor Book, 2011

CONNECTIONS

*Discuss nocturnal animals. Show pictures and read facts about various animals.

*Create owl masks and ask children to read “Dark Emperor” aloud. Good instructions for creating a mask are located here: http://www.sproutonline.com/crafts-and-recipes/crafts/owl-mask

*Turn off the lights and listen to a disc of night sounds. Ask children to discuss all of the things they hear.