Visiting Author/Illustrator: Brian Pinkney

Acclaimed artist Brian Pinkney is the illustrator of several highly-praised picture books including The Faithful Friend, In the Time of the Drums, and Duke Ellington . He is a graduate of the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and holds a master's degree in illustration from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. He lives in Brooklyn, New York with his wife Andrea, with whom he often collaborates, and his two children.

Our visiting author/illustrator will join us during period 3 (9:20-10:00) on Monday, November 23rd. Please read the biography below and check out the attached websites for more information. Many thanks to the Elmsford Author's Fund for their work in bringing us these wonderful experiences with writers and artists!

Brian has won numerous awards including two Caldecott Honors, four Coretta Scott King Honors and a Coretta Scott King Award, and the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award. He has been exhibited at The Art Institute of Chicago, Cedar Rapids Museum of Art, The Detroit Institute of Art, The Cleveland Museum of Art, The School of Visual Arts, and The Society of Illustrators.

He has been published by Greenwillow Books, Hyperion Books for Young Readers, Harcourt Children's Books, Simon & Schuster, and Random House. His work has also appeared in New York Times Magazine, Women's Day, Business Tokyo, Ebony Man, and Instructor.

Websites to See:
http://www.brianpinkney.net

http://www.childrenslit.com/childrenslit/mai_pinkney_brian.html

John Donne Assignment for Wednesday, 11/18/09

Assignment: Read and take notes on the following poem by John Donne. Answer:
How does Donne express his concept of love? Consider what major metaphysical conceit and supporting imagery are used to create a specific tone and message about love in this poem. Post your response in comment form. Be sure to incorporate essential examples from the poem.

"Love's Diet"

TO what a cumbersome unwieldiness
And burdenous corpulence my love had grown,
But that I did, to make it less,
And keep it in proportion,
Give it a diet, made it feed upon
That which love worst endures, discretion

Above one sigh a day I allow'd him not,
Of which my fortune, and my faults had part ;    
And if sometimes by stealth he got
A she sigh from my mistress' heart,
And thought to feast upon that, I let him see
'Twas neither very sound, nor meant to me.
If he wrung from me a tear, I brined it so
With scorn and shame, that him it nourish'd not ;  
If he suck'd hers, I let him know    
'Twas not a tear which he had got ;
His drink was counterfeit, as was his meat ;
For eyes, which roll towards all, weep not, but sweat.
Whatever he would dictate I writ that,
But burnt her letters when she writ to me ;   
And if that favour made him fat,   
I said, "If any title be
Convey'd by this, ah ! what doth it avail,
To be the fortieth name in an entail?"
Thus I reclaim'd my buzzard love, to fly
At what, and when, and how, and where I choose.    
Now negligent of sports I lie,
And now, as other falconers use,
I spring a mistress, swear, write, sigh, and weep ;
And the game kill'd, or lost, go talk or sleep.

Class Schedule: Week of 11/2/09

Since I will be attending a conference on Tuesday and Wednesday, I thought it would be benefical to post our weekly schedule on the blog. If you need to get in touch with me for any reason, please email me at csilva@elmsd.org. Enjoy!

Tuesday 11/3: Timed in-class essay on the sonnet

Wednesday 11/4: Work in class on your outside reading selection
No "aaagh" class today during period 9 - Please work on your books
If your group has not given me a title yet, you need to post it asap.

Thursday 11/5: Faustus rewrites due
Sonnet Presentations

Friday 11/6: Sonnet Presentations
Choosing your poems for Poetry Out Loud