Review: H Is for Haiku: A Treasury of Haiku from A to Z

H Is for Haiku: A Treasury of Haiku from A to Z by Sydell Rosenberg
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

For new readers, learning to feel at ease with pronouncing words and recognizing syllables is a challenge. Poetry, and in particular Haiku poetry, with its emphasis on a pattern of syllables (five on the first line, seven on the second and five on the third line) is an accessible way to challenge and delight children with simplicity. With clever illustrations, this compendium of alphabetical haikus written by longtime NYC teacher Sydell Rosenberg, member of the Haiku Society of America ( and who passed away in the 1990's) offers children simple sentences with a vocabulary challenge above that in conventional books for the primary grades. (Words like "writhing," "plunging," "queuing," and "outstretched" for instance, are not what we usually see in picture books.) The illustrations help the juvenile reader by offering clues. (Although Z is pretty sneaky and not associated with a visual clue.)

This is a good book for classroom use and for parents to explore with their early-reader children. The illustrations, by Sawsan Chalabi, while simple, are effective and humorous.

I received a Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

View all my reviews