Do you have a child in your life that is struggling with feeling “different”? Is there a child in your life that has a learning disability, stutters, or struggles to communicate effectively? If you answered yes to either question, I would suggest you read I Talk Like a River to or with this child.
I Talk Like A River by Jordan Scott and illustrated by Sydney Smith is a poem narrated by a boy who has a speech delay. Within the story, you see how creating and expressing himself is difficult when he is asked to speak in front of his class. Words are difficult for the character. Words have meaning but the boy has a hard time formulating them. When the hard speech day was over, the boy goes with his father to the river. The river is quiet, the river is calming, the river has
its own language. It is here where the simile “I talk like a river” is derived. The story is littered with figurative language such as similes, onomatopoeias, and metaphors to help the reader visualize the words and understand the meaning of the characters feelings. The book is also absolutely beautiful with amazing illustrations that mimic the calmness and movement of the river.
This beautiful poem is available at Pocono Mountain Public Library in our youth section.