When Green Becomes Tomatoes: Poems for All Seasons

Written by Julie Fogliano

Illustrated by Julie Morstad

Summary:

When Green becomes Tomatoes is a collection of poems that follows a year of seasons. It starts in early spring, where snow is still clinging to the trees. A poem titled "April 3" explains the transition into the rainy season and how it affects the world. The following section describes summer and some activities that are popular for that time. Fall begins with the poem called "September 22" and brings cooler weather and calm feelings. Winter poems express the fun of snow days and time spent by the fire. This book ends with the promise of another beautiful spring. 

Grade Level and Unit:

I believe that this book would be best suited for third to sixth-grade classrooms. The language in this book is a bit more elevated, which will help students' writing skills. These poems would fit best in a unit on poetic themes, tones, and moods. This book could also be an example when discussing narrative writing since the poems express a complete story.