CHOCOLATE DREAMS

by Arnold Adoff ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 18, 1989

Last year's Greens--a mere 26 poems devoted to its single subject--was just a warmup for this chocolate extravaganza of 44 or so poems. The subject(s) here evolve tastefully as well as logically--paeans to real (chocolate milk) and imaginary (salad spiked with candies) treats; surprising images (fine brown hair that melts and drips freckles); links to the black experience; the fantastic (extraterrestrials); a nod to the dentist; and plenty of humor, sophisticated and otherwise. Eschewing conventional verse forms, Adoff plays as much with space as with sounds and meaning, varying intervals within and between words to please the eye and suggest oral delivery. Amusingly, MacCombie parodies conventional advertising art in her solidly realistic illustrations: Adoff's opening admonition (""We will be watching very lovingly to make sure that no one licks any of these pages, bites the binding, or chews the covers of this chocolate book"") is probably needed. A delightful novelty. Addicts beware!

Pub Date: Aug. 18, 1989

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: 64

Publisher: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 1989

Categories: POETRY