Tap Dancing on the Roof

Park, Linda Sue. (2015). Tap Dancing on the Roof - Sijo: Poems. Turtleback Books. ISBN: 9780606374491

Plot Summary
Tap Dancing on the roof is a collection of 28 Sijo poems that will take readers on a silly adventure about simple everyday life experiences which includes a range of topics: eating breakfast, doing laundry, school life, the changing seasons and the list goes on! There is a twist at the end of each poem that will have readers finding themselves giggling while reading!


CRITICAL ANALYSIS
If you want to read a new form of poetry, this book is just for you! This is a recommended read for all ages or anyone that is open to learn about another style of poetry! When people think of Asian poetry they automatically think of an Haiku. However, Haiku is not the only style of Asian poetry. Tap Dancing on the Roof will have you exploring the rhythmic style of Korean poetry known as Sijo.

At the beginning and end of the book, the author gives readers a cultural background about Sijo poetry. Park explains to readers that Sijo is a form of Korean poetry that is similar to Haiku because of its use of syllables.However, Sijo is much longer in length and each line has a purpose. At the end of the book, Park also welcomes readers to create their own Sijo by giving them tips on how to write Sijo poetry. As readers explore this book, they will be wanting to compare the difference between Haiku poems and Sijo poems.

Lastly, the illustrations by Istvan Banyai just adds to the humor of this poetry book! The quirky black and white (with a splash of color) sketches will have your imagination go wild! This book will immediately take some readers back to their childhood!

REVIEW EXCERPTS
Kirkus Reviews
“Some sijo rhyme, some use six short lines instead of three long. All provide an intriguing glimpse into an art form that, like haiku, seems simple but is in fact exacting. The poems spring from roots in a child's everyday life, from school to the out-of-doors to sports to homey activities, each inviting readers to examine their familiar world in new and surprising ways.”

Library Media Connection 

“This book is an excellent introduction of sijo to a new generation. Notes in the book explain the form and include a sijo from the 1600s. The artwork is a bizarre mix of fantasy and realism, and tells its own story",

Connection
View these Youtube videos that will connect with this book and great intro to a lesson!

http://www.sejongsociety.org/videos/sijo/jorgensen/index.htm