This is Just to Say

This Is Just To Say

Sidman, J. (2007). This is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness. Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 9780618616800

“When Mrs. Merz asks her sixth grade class to write poems of apology, they end up liking their poems so much that they decide to put them together into a book. Not only that, but they get the people to whom they apologized to write poems back.”
(This Is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness, n.d.)

This collection of poetry, written by a class of fictional 6th graders, is introduced by Anthony K., editorial board member. He explains that Mrs. Merz’s class, inspired by the poem This is Just to Say, by William Carlos Williams, wrote poems of apology and gave them to their prospective subjects. Those recipients were then asked to reply with a poem in kind. They enjoyed their project so much, they decided to publish it in book form, including illustrations created by a classmate and their art teacher. 

Pamela Zagarenski, our illustrator, uses notebook paper, paper bags, graph paper, newspaper and other items a school child might sketch on to create a whimsical complement to the poetry. The poems themselves express an emotional range from funny, to heart-breaking.  Joyce Sidman captures the uncomplicated guilt of a stolen doughnut, the mischief of an adventurous hamster, the ferocity of playground dodgeball, as well as the ache of the death of a beloved pet. Relationships play an important role in this partnership-poetry with sibling, parent, friend, and other unexpected connections all highlighted. I enjoyed the illustrations as much as the poems, and I very much want to touch the shiny nose of the statue Florence P. Scribner for a bit of luck.

Book Reviews:

"Sidman's collection could help young poets express themselves and learn from their mistakes." Book Links January 2008 Book Links, ALA

"Delicate, mixed-media illustrations...add touches of whimsy and wit to these delightful missives." SLJ December 2007 School Library Journal —

Connections:

- This book of poetry would complement an SEL lesson about apologies, and forgiveness.

- Students could use the “editorial board” angle of this collection to discuss the process of publication and what they could produce to share with a wider audience.

- This could be performed as a reader's theater, and has been adapted into a stage play.

References:

This Is Just to Say: Poems of Apology and Forgiveness. (n.d.). Amazon.com. Retrieved June 25, 2023, from https://www.amazon.com

This review was created as an assignment for SHSU LSSL 5360.