This Is Just to Say - Joyce Sidman

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Sidman, J., & Zagarenski, P. (2007). This is just to say: Poems of apology and forgiveness. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0618616802

PLOT SUMMARY

This is a book of apologies in verse form. Mrs. Merz sixth grade class is asked to write poems of apology. The students then decide to write back to their classmates. While exploring the depth of students’ ability to apologize and forgive, we see answers run the spectrum; some are remorseful while others couldn’t care any less.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Poetry is often thought of as rhyming long sentences into couplets or a set pattern such as ABBA. This is simply not the case. Poetry comes in many forms and varieties and offers up the author’s emotions in a way that bares the soul. This Is Just to Say takes the classroom of sixth-graders and shows a myriad of different writing styles and techniques. Some show short staccato-like rhythm with one or two words in a line, whereas, some take the expected approach of rhyming long lines to form sentences or coherent thought.

The emotion in each piece in this collection of poems runs the gambit of being deeply remorseful for their actions spanning all the way into I-don’t-care territory. Some show you the child truly has thought long and hard upon their actions and will never repeat them. Others are less caring of others and tell you straight up “I’d like to say I wouldn’t do it again but I’d be lying.” While neither is the wrong approach to their apology poems, I believe the exercise allows the class to tell the truth without being burned by the recipient if they do not accept the apology.

Each separate character is able to show their own unique personality through their writing style. Many people do not understand that when you write, you share a deeply personal piece of yourself to viewed and criticized by a large audience. These children were writing simple apology notes and responding to others, but in this writing exercise we can see those that have the capacity to forgive and those who do not.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

“Sideman’s ear is keen, capturing many voices. Her skill as a poet accessible to young people is unmatched… this is an important book both for its creativity and for its wisdom.” – School Library Journal, Starred Review

“Packed with the intensity of everyday pain and sorrow, kids and adults exchange the words that convey grief, delight, love and acceptance of themselves and others.” – Kirkus review

CONNECTIONS 

*Show students that everyone has to apologize at some time in their life and it’s ok to do so. It’s also good form to accept the apology and move on. Do not dwell on it. This could be used as a tool to model how the apology process will be in the classroom.

*Creative writing exercise where students mimic the book activity and write an apology note to someone and then have to respond to someone who apologized to them.