Stampede!: Poems to Celebrate the Wild Side of School

Biblography:
Salas, Laura Purdie. 2009 STAMPEDE!: POEMS TO CELEBRATE THE WILD SIDE OF SCHOOL. New York, NY. Clarion Books. ISBN: 9780618914883



Review:
In Stampede, Laura Purdie Salas invites us into the crazy and zany world of school. Traditional new student experiences are described such as getting lost in a new school and typical school experiences that induce such emotions as fear, loneliness, embarrassment, and frustration are dealt with in a comical light- hearted tone that will have everyone laughing and sharing similar stories. Salas reinforces the comparison of the school as a wild zoo by dotting her poems with metaphor and simile such as the the child that is afraid of his own stench drawn as a skunk and the poem titled “Blush” that compares a girl running away from her crush to “blazing cardinal, winging away.” With Stampede, Salas, helps students learn to laugh at their embarrassments and to realize that they are not alone in fear and frustrations.

Excerpts: “Nesting”

I'm one quiet fox.
My desk is my den,
with quizzes, smooth rocks, and
a note from a friend.

I tuck deep inside
the hollowed-out wood
to make me feel safe when I'm
not understood.


Introducing the poem:
With the entire book of poems entirely set in a school environment students will have no problem relating to the poems. Also, not only will the poems grab their attentions but the bright and comical illustrations will cause many fits of unruly laughter. One way to introduce the poems in a fun way would be to read them to the class as they are applicable such as the first day of class, lunch time, picture day, and recces. Children will learn that others share the same fears and joys as they do and may be interested in sharing their similar experiences.