Module 14: Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night

Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night

A.    Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night details the lives of animals and plants that thrive after dark.  Each poem is a brief verse describing the night-dweller followed by a description of that animal or plants function in the web of nature.  Spiders, porcupines, mushrooms, and owls are only a sampling of the large number of subjects featured and each is lavishly illustrated by Allen in addition to Sidman’s verses.  The book ends with the advent of day and features a glossary of terms to make this not only a book of verse, but of information as well.

B.     Sidman, J. & Allen, R. (2010). Dark emperor and other poems of the night. New York,

New York: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children.

C.     This particular book is a surprising and effortless blend of fact and verse.  While the descriptions of each focus creature or plant only scratch the surface, it is an apt description for the intended audience of grade-school level readers.  Each verse is well done and there is a variety in style to shake up the overall structure of the book.  Allen’s illustrations are beautifully crafted and fit well with Sidman’s verse.  Each also captures the non-fiction descriptions which make the book even more interesting.  The blend of style and substance goes well here and is a winner for any parent looking to teach their children in an unusual but fun way.

D.    “In Sidman's delicious poems, darkness is the norm, and there's nothing to fear but the rising sun.”

Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night. (2010). Publishers Weekly, 257(31), 50-51.

“The book ends as night ends, the moon lamenting, ‘Alas. Another eternity of sunbeams to wait.’  But readers need not wait; they can enter the book at will and revel in this beautiful nighttime world.”

Picture Book Honor Books. (2012). Horn Book Magazine, 88(1), 24.

E.     For this book, I would ask the kids to try their hand at drawing and writing a short poem about anything relating to the night.  It could include any of the entries featured in the book or any other creature or plant the kids can think of.  I would only need to provide paper, coloring utensils, and a means by which to create lines on the page so they can write about whatever they wish.  There would be no requirement in verse or style; simply to let the kids imagination wander where it will.