Module 14: Water Sings Blues by Kate Coombs

Module 14: Poetry and Story CollectionsWater Sings Blues by Kate Coombs

Coombs, Kate. (2013) Water Sings Blues [Kindle Version]. Retrieved from Amazon.com 

Plot Summary
This collection of ocean poems both explores the lives of aquatic animals and gives life to the ocean itself. Coombs presents the animals and ocean with human-like characteristics which ignites the imagination. Some highlights of the book include: Octopus Ink, Not Really Jelly, and Prayer of the Little Fish.

Octopus Ink
Coombs portrays the octopus as a hesitant author who autographs the water with the word "goodbye." It is an excellent alternative take on the octopus and gives a fun take on their ink.

Not Really Jelly
Not Really Jelly depicts the confusing and amusing nature of jellyfish. They are not really jelly and they are not really fish. This poem gives a child-like impression of jellyfish that captures their jelly nature. "...all slither and jiggle and tremble and squish."

Prayer of the Little Fish
Prayer of the Little Fish goes through the daily prayer of a small fish in the ocean. He prays for safety and health. He prays for food and shelter. It mimics a prayer that readers can hear in their own lives.

Impressions
Although poetry is not usually my ideal reading material, I was very impressed on how well they captured up the spirit of the ocean and how well the poems flowed. Coombs gives human qualities to the ocean and its occupants and inspires the reader to think of the ocean creatures in a new light. I particularly loved Prayer of the Little Fish. Coombs mirrored a human prayer from the perspective of the little fish. It made the fish relatable and gave you a glimpse into their aquatic life.

The illustrations are beautiful. The water color style of illustration enhances the ocean-feel of the poems. They are an excellent accompaniment to the text.

Reviews
Kirkus Reviews (2012) Water Sings Blues [Book Review]. Retrieved from https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/kate-coombs/water-sings-blue/

"Varied rhyme and rhythmic patterns and surprising connections characterize these relatively short poems, which read aloud well and stick in the memory. there's humor, interesting language and intriguing imagery, as when the Gulper Eel's 'astronomical maw' is compared to a black hole. Thoughtful organization and placement of text on the page and So's wavery, watery illustrations extend the poems' meaning."

Bowen, B. (2012) Water Sings Blue: Ocean Poems [Book Review]. Retrieved from http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-8118-7284-3

"Coombs punctuates her sweeping, lullaby-like poems about the ocean with surprising personification and unexpected imagery."

Library Suggestion
This collection of poems is a great resource for read-alouds. I would definitely suggest pulling Water Sings Blues for anyone presenting a ocean/sea themed story time. The poems over the water animals would be excellent for quick reading and pack in a lot of personification in to each mini-story.