THE TEACHERS I LOVED BEST

In response to a lawyer who insulted his profession, Mali delivered a poem defending the work of teachers on a much-viewed TED Talk; he continues to laud the efforts of educators in this picture book.

The poet speaks about his own experiences with classroom teachers and other school personnel (coaches, crossing guards, drama, music, and art teachers) and notes that “Easy teachers who gave easy tests / are not the teachers I loved the best. // No, I loved the teachers who made me work hard / in the classroom, the science lab, / the theater, and the schoolyard. / Those are the teachers who stand out from all the rest.” The book-length poem has some rhyming lines and also includes internal rhyme, assonance, consonance, and repetition, but the verse doesn’t always scan well when read aloud. The stylized, digitally created illustrations appear to have some trompe l’oeil effects and are full of diverse children and teachers, including a child who uses a wheelchair and another who uses crutches. Rainbows are common images: quirkily erupting out of test tubes, providing a background for the art teacher, and playfully flowing among the musical notes streaming from a student’s mouth. The content may not be very original, but the theme and the words will speak to parents and children remembering the best parts of their school experiences. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An ode to educators that will resonate with anyone who has had a memorable teacher.