Reading with Ben - Poetry Saturday

My son tends to find his own books, and very selectively too, so it was a little thrill to see him reading something I'd put on his shelves, Making Friends with Frankenstein. Tonight his dad was out of town, so rather than the usual installment of Harry Potter with voices, I picked up MFwF and read him some of it. What a fascinating experience it is to read comic poetry with a highly intelligent autistic child. He wanted me to explain many of the jokes, especially the puns, but then he found them just hilarious.

He's reading to himself now and I can hear almost constant laughter.

It doesn't seem to be in print at the moment, but used copies abound. My original review:



Making Friends With Frankenstein written and illustrated by Colin McNaughton. Candlewick, 1994 (1-56402-308-7) $19.95; 2001 (0-7636-1552-8) $4.99 pb

The gross, grisly, subversive and wickedly amusing atmosphere of children's playground verses is perfectly captured in this original collection of "monstrous poems and pictures." By turns gruesome, malevolent and cynical--but always gleeful--Making Friends With Frankenstein is delightfully shocking and hysterically funny. The cartoony pictures are an excellent match for the verses: neither are for the weak of stomach. American readers may be baffled by occasional references to English expressions and culture, but that's no big deal--they'll still devour this book and scream for more.

© 2009 Wendy E. Betts

Poetry Thursday

MotherReader pointed me to this wonderful poem by April Halprin Wayland. I'm reminded of a favorite quote: "talking about music is like dancing about architecture." Surely the best way to talk about poetry is via a poem.

Poetry Friday: Come and Play

Come and Play edited by Ayana Lowe. Photographed by various. Bloomsbury, 2008 (978-1-59990-245-6) $16.95

As a reviewer, one of the things I think about as I evaluate a book is, who is this book for? In Come and Play, I see a rare book that could almost be answered "for everybody." Generally speaking, teachers will love it, parents will love it, librarians will love it... even kids will love it.

To make this book, schoolchildren were shown photographs of children from all over the world at play: tag, sledding, dancing, chess, just jumping. They then wrote poems about the photos, creating a truly integral mix of illustrations and words, each adding so much to the other. We get to see the thoughts of an eager French baby being held at the beach:

Papa!
I want to kiss the water.
Let me go.

And a Moroccon girl leading a group of children on an obviously secret errand entices us:

They don't know we are here.
I like to play pranks.
I like to be very sly.
Follow me.

Occasionally the poems feel a little too much like mere narrative of the pictures--but then there might be a surprise twist or unexpected image, like in this poem about a little girl, seen from the back strutting down "Brixton Road:"

Skipping.
Outside, afterschoolish.
Homework?
Or a list to go to the store?
She feels famous.

Of course, we think--that's exactly how she feels!

Here's another that takes description to a different level, of two children playing on rocks near a waterfall:

Two people.
Different places.
Rocks rough and smooth.
Water fast and slow.
One calm.
One excited.
Wait, I'm coming up!
Wait, I'm coming down!

The photos are wonderful, so intriguingly diverse in the children's faces and backgrounds and clothes, yet utterly familiar in their depictions of fun and joy. And the poems only make the photographs even better. The only complaint I have is that the individual authors aren't given credit with their poems, though some are pictured in an afterword and children, presumably the authors, have autographed the end papers. Also, the explanation given for how the poems came to be written is a little ambiguous; I was left uncertain that these specific pictures were actually the ones that inspired the poems. (Although they certainly do seem to be.)

If you're looking for a book about how different children live... or a book of poetry by children... or an exciting read-aloud... or just something really fun to read... well, come and play. * (5 & up)

review: Frankenstein Takes the Cake

Frankenstein Takes the Cake written and illustrated by Adam Rex. Harcourt, 2008 (978-0-15-206235-4) $16.00

From the cover illustration of "Frankenstein" eating the groom off his wedding cake, to the back cover's "Haiku About Adam Rex"--"He knows Frankenstein's/the doctor, not the monster./Enough already"--this book of monster poems is undeniably funny, with jokes lurking in every tiny area, even on the copyright page and under the jacket flap. (Library workers are going to go crazy processing this one.) And like Rex's previous book, Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich (my review here), it could take hours to fully appreciate the astonishing illustrations, filled with sly visual allusions and tributes. "Dracula Junior" is a perfect take-off on Charles Shultz, a vampire Charlie Brown, with bat instead of zigzag on his shirt. A running gag about Edgar Allen Poe is a black & white, big-headed, gothic extravaganza. And doctored photographs of the pumpkin-headed Headless Horseman and other of his ilk are superbly done and hysterically funny; I love the Horseman trying to nonchalantly slouch by a throng of "grandmas" who "hound me with piecrusts and poke at my head" with wooden spoons.

But--you could tell there was a but coming, couldn't you?--even more than the previous book, this one is heavy on the jokes for adults. The cultural focus this time seems less on the appreciation of old monster movie characters and more on the Internet age: The Headless Horseman keeps a very familiar looking running blog called "Off the Top of My Head,"; messages from extraterrestrials turn out to be classic spam. And a lot of the jokes from "Frankenstein's" wedding are about irritating mothers-in-law and the bride's last minute cold feet, again more adult arenas. Not that there's anything wrong with that!--just keep it in mind if you're choosing this book for a child. I've seen it recommended for teens, and certainly more literate middle graders could enjoy it. Here's a thought: any kid who enjoys the "Simpsons" Halloween specials would probably love it.

As with the previous book, I was more blown away by the pictures than the verses, but though they have some flaws of scansion and meter, they're also entertaining. I particularly enjoyed the running parody of Poe's "the Raven"; the raven's ending line--"what a bore," "Tipper Gore" "Get the Door! (Ya stupid poet)" gets funnier every time it appears. (8 & up)

See and hear a poem from the book, performed by its creators, here.

Other Blog Reviews:
Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast

review: If You're Not Here, Please Raise Your Hand

An old review, but my son just came up and gleefully read me a poem, so I had to celebrate. Copyright 1995. I have kept this book for thirteen years, waiting for this day. (And it is still in print!)




If You’re Not Here, Please Raise Your Hand by Kalli Dakos. Illustrated by G. Brian Karas. Simon & Schuster, 1990 (0-02-725581-6); Aladdin, 1995 (0-689-80116-5) $3.95 pb

Featuring poems that are wise, revealing and poignant as well as funny, this surprisingly multi-faceted collection captures some of the most memorable and universal moments in the lives of schoolchildren and teachers. Here we laughingly rediscover the terrible power of Mr. Culp’s mighty eye, the book money that only Tim remembered (and teacher passed out from the shock), the strain of being silent while your friend is sitting next to you (“Teacher, could you do what you ask us to do?”), and the beautiful days that call to you while you’re forced to stay indoors. Here also are revelations about the saddest parts of school life, like the death of a friend who never will be ten or the teasing names that feel like darts thrown into your heart. The book has its share of trivial verses, but for a collection that’s mostly comic, its use of imagery is unusually strong. The poems are charmingly accented by Karas’ whimsical and affectionate pencil drawings. * (7-12)

Poetry Friday: Dog Poems by Dave Crawley

Dog Poems by Dave Crawley. Illustrated by Tamara Petrosino. Wordsong, 2007 (978-59078-454-9) $16.95

Twenty-four vignettes in verse makes up this lighthearted collection of love poems to dogs. There's a description of the unbeautiful but loyal and gentle bulldog, showing that beauty is only fur deep, a glimpse of a wolf and hunter beginning to bond in ancient times, and and a story about a pure white puppy named Snowball who unexpectedly develops into a Dalmatian who has to be renamed Dotty. A strong affection for the foibles of dogs shines through the book, culminating in a tender poem about a girl and puppy growing old together:

And as we walk this well-worn path
no longer running free,
I hope I was as good to you
as you have been to me.

I have a limited tolerance for poetic whimsy and any poem called "Snuggle-Wuggle" that uses the phrase "ruzzle-wuzzle" is really pushing it; nonetheless, I like this book. The poems in it are sometimes silly, frequently obvious and unabashedly sentimental, but even after several rereadings during the Cybils nomination process many of them made me smile; reading it again now, they still do. The poetic forms used are familiar, but frequent changes in mood and tempo keep the book from getting that stale feeling common to collections of verse. Even the illustrations, which are on the shallow, cartoony side, work surprisingly well, keeping the mood of the book light and playful. With pictures like these, you don't expect lyric profundity and it's okay that you don't get it. Although I see a fair bit to criticize in Dog Poems, I think many readers will enjoy it for its warmth and easy humor. (4-8)

no cigar--but then, I don't smoke

I'd like to get around to actual reviews at some point, but in the meantime, here are some (not necessarily all) of the poetry books that did not make it onto the Cybil's short list, but did find a place in my heart:

Where I Live by Eileen Spinelli. Tender, heartfelt poems that narrate the story of a girl adjusting to a new life.

Hey, You!: Poems to Skyscrapers, Mosquitoes, and Other Fun Things selected by Paul B. Janeczko. A lively tribute to all kinds of animate and inanimate objects, with an excellent design. Terrific overall reading.

Tap Dancing on the Roof by Linda Sue Park. Illustrated by Istvan Banyai. An innovative book of "sijo," a form of Korean poetry I haven't seen previously explored in children's poetry. By definition, "Sijo" always has an unexpected twist, and these poems often manage to surprise. The whimsical pictures are also a plus.

Miss Crandall's School for Young Ladies and Little Misses of Color by Elizabeth Alexander and Marilyn Nelson. A powerful collection of sonnets that tell a true and very moving story.

Shape Me a Rhyme by Jane Yolen. Photographs by Jason Stemple. Beautiful photographs inspired clever poems about shapes in nature. The design is lovely and the choices of shapes are sometimes delightfully surprising. Although not strong on emotional range, this is a welcome concept book.

Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars written and illustrated by Douglas Florian. In a batch of many poetry books with specific themes, this was one that really felt like it was about something, that each poem was telling me something new and interesting.

Dog Poems by Dave Crawley. illustrated by Tamara Petrosino. I was taken by surprise by how much I liked this book. The pictures are on the overly cute side and the poems sometimes are too, but the funny poems actually made me laugh, and laugh again on the second reading. I also appreciated the variety of poetic styles, themes and emotions, particularly the true affection for the subject that shines through.

(Thanks to "Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast" and "MotherReader" for this blog topic.)

review: Thanksgiving Poems

Thanksgiving Poems selected by Myra Cohn Livingston. Illustrated by Stephen Gammell. Holiday House, 1985 (0-8234-0570-2)

This title is out of print, which doesn't surprise me too much, because the illustrations have not worn well. But there are such wonderful poems here, many of which were commissioned especially for this book, that it's worth it to search out a copy.

Thanksgiving Poems covers many aspects of Thanksgiving, excluding historical/political controversy. There are harvest poems from an Osage and a Navajo Indian, a selection from the Bible ("Make a Joyful Noise Onto the Lord") and comic poems about overeating from poets like X. J. Kennedy and Jane Yolen. I was most captivated by the poems that concentrate on joy and gratitude, such as the lyrical wordplay of the poem "Giving Thanks Giving Thanks" by Eve Merriam; this is the second paragraph:

giving thanks     giving thanks
for cows and cowslips
eggs and eggplants
stars and starlings
dogs and dogwood

And I was blown away by the simple beauty and sincerity of a poem of thanksgiving by Emanuel di Pasquale, which begins:

I pull a baby crab
off a seaweed-rich rock
and let it run on my hands,
and I see God. I see God
in millions of lights
dancing in the sea and air.

It's a shame that the illustrations, largely black & white drawings with splotches of muted, unattractive colors, have lost so much freshness, seeming tired and dated. I would so love to see this otherwise superb collection reillustrated; even a fresh printing might revitalize it. (4 & up)

Poetry Friday -- Review: Oh, Theodore!

Oh Theodore! by Susan Katz. Ilustrated by Stacey Schuett. Clarion, 2007 978-0-618-70222-0) $16.00

This story in poems traces the developing relationship between a boy and his guinea pig. It starts off somewhat inauspiciously--when mom rejects the idea of a dog, a snake and a horse, "All I could get, was a guinea pig." And timid little Theodore takes quite a long time (ten poems!) to warm up to the boy. Until

At Last

I offer Theodore
an apple slice

He lets me pet
his head,

then purrs.
Hello, friend

I had no idea guinea pigs purred!

Theodore and the boy learn how to appreciate each other, playing with grocery bags and going out for a sit, instead of a walk. Then a ringing phone sends Theodore scurrying out of the room and he can't be found. The boy is heartbroken:

All Day

Nobody squeaked.
Nobody scurried.
Nobody nibbled.
Nobody smiled.

But all ends happily, when Theodore appears inside a cooking pot. "Theodore! Suddenly, I'm hungry."

These poems are short and direct, concentrating more heavily on conveying emotion than on wordplay; there's not a whole lot of read-aloud excitement, but Katz enlivens the free verse somewhat with varying rhythms, an occasional rhyme and a strong use of repetition, as in this poem:

Theo-Door

Open
the kitchen door:
Theodore sits.

Open
the cupboard door:
Theodore sits.

But open
the refrigerator door:
Here comes Theodore!

Watercolor illustrations bring a touch of silliness to the story, giving Theodore big, expressive eyes and the impression of lively movements.

I think Oh, Theodore is overall more enjoyable read alone than aloud, but it would be a good resource for classrooms with guinea pigs or for a unit on pets. It should also be noted by anyone looking for everyday depictions of Hispanic families. (5-10)

Cybils panels are ready!

Yay! I will be helping the poetry nominating comittee with an awesome bunch of other folks. Let the versifying begin!

The initial nomination stage begins October 2st, so I wish everyone luck in whittling their best book lists down to one per genre. Oh, the torture...

Poetry Friday: A Writing Kind of Day by Ralph Fletcher

I forgot all about Poetry Friday, and if you'd had the week/month/year I've had you would have too, but MotherReader reviewed a book I've reviewed so in the spirit of solidarity and laziness I'll just post a rerun (it's even been raining again...):




A Writing Kind of Day by Ralph Fletcher. Illustrated by April Ward. Boyds Mill, 2005 (1-59078-276-3) $17.95; (1-590878-353-0) $9.95 pb

"It is raining today,/a writing kind of day." (Here too: a reviewing kind of day.) This is the book of a young poet, a collection of poems that encapsulate what it's like to be a young poet. There are poems abbout family, poems about school, and poems about words and ideas and thoughts that can become new poems:

"When I look at Julia
her little bald head
reminds me of the planet Earth.

I put that in my writer's notebook
to maybe write a poem later on;
it feels like money in the bank."

And indeed, the next poem is called "Earth Head."

I like the range and openness of this book, how it is not afraid to attribute complicated images and emotions to its young poet, yet also not afraid to be very simple and straightforward, as in the poem "Bill of Sale," which is about reading a poem about a girl, "the same age as me," who was sold as a slave. There is no apparent attempt to mold the poet's horror into subtle words; it just spills out:

In a country like America
how could this ever happen?
How can I go on with my life?"

Black & white illustrations treat each poem as an individual piece, with styles ranging from scrawls and doodles at the bottom of a notebook page to elegant photographs muted behind the words. It's perhaps too sophisticated a design for a book that is so much about openness and sincerity. (8 & up)

review: Grandmothers Nursery Rhymes/Las Nanas de Abuelita

And a big fat smack on the side of my head for forgetting to save this for Poetry Friday...




Grandmother's Nusery Rhymes/Las Nanas de Abuelita complied by Nelly Palacio Jaramillo. Illustratrated by Elivia. Henry Holt, 1994; 1996 (978-0-8050-4644-1) $7.95 pb

Whether you want to expose your kids to a bit of South American culture, try reading a little Spanish, or just enjoy some unfamiliar nusery rhymes, this collection of rhyming riddles and lullabies has something for you. Many of the rhymes are adivinanzas, riddles for which the answer is a letter or an object; I particularly like the riddles for the five vowels, subtly illustrated to suggest the shapes of the letters. (Though the answers are also right there, removing any real mystery.) These verses are short and sweet enough for English speakers to attempt the Spanish versions, but the translations also seem to do an excellent job of keeping the rhythm and sense of the originals; even a poem which is a play on young children's classic mispronunciation of Spanish numbers is entertaining in English:

Un,
dove,
treve,
catove,
quievete,
estaba la reina
sentada al bufete.

becomes

A one
is two,
a tree,
what for,
a fife
my sis,
the queen
did kiss.


Exuberant, sometimes slightly surreal watercolors of plump babies, loving parents and other happy people and animals cozily surround the text, giving the unfamiliar rhymes a comfortably familiar, nursery-rhyme feel. (2-6)

Poetry Friday: Bing Bang Boing

Bing Bang Boing written and illustrated by Douglas Florian. Harcourt Brace, 1994 (0-15-233770-9) $15.95; 2007 (978-0-15-205860-9) $8.00 trade pb

Although I've enjoyed Florian's work in the past, it's always seemed a bit overwhelmed by the "one poem, facing one illustration" picture book format. This much larger collection (144 pages) has a more comfortable, balanced feel, with poems and pictures fitting into each other on the pages and working together harmoniously. The result is a very enjoyable book that expresses the many moods of nonsense poetry: some pure whimsy, some ghoulishness, and some convolutedly revealing looks at life and people. With clever rhymes and a twisted sense of humor, Florian gives us some new ways to look at familiar things.

In Bing Bang Boing we find horrible creatures that turn out to be teachers, robots that write poems, and pease-porridge that, after nine days in the pot, might eat you. We also learn what cannibals prefer to noodles and cheese ("noodles and knees"), the real problem of the old lady who lived in the shoe ("Pew!") and the best way to swallow ones pride ("fried.")

We also see some sharp contrasts between the child world and the adult world. The poems written from the point of view of children are mostly delightfully silly and carefree, like "If I Eat More Candy," in which the narrator imagines the horrible fate that will be befall him if he eats more candy, ending with "the stench of my breath/Will kill birds in the air--But This candy's so good/That I really don't care!" Views of the adult word, however, can be somber, filled with pathetic people like "Mrs. Mary Musty" who covered the sea so it wouldn't get wet and covered the sun so it wouldn't set. To sum up the overall attitude:

Don't wanna be a grown-up,
A fat and overblown-up.
'Cause grown-ups always eat their peas,
Hide their mouths each time they sneeze.
Wear big woolen suits that itch,
Work all day so they'll be rich.
Mind their minners, act polite,
Always smile, never fight.
Talk about the things they've done,
And never ever have much fun.

(That is, unfortunately, only one of a considerable number of negative images of fatness in the poems.)

The mood of the book is is mostly lighthearted, however, and the surreal black and white sketches that go with the poems add some extra bite to their humor. (5 & up)