Smart and sassy poems and accessible illustrations combine for an engaging, humorous package.
Twenty-two light poems and accompanying illustrations explore what happens after school.
Veteran author-illustrator duo Shields and Meisel team up again (Someone Used My Toothbrush and Other Bathroom Poems, 2010, etc.) to depict the full spectrum of fun to be had after school lets out. Looking at what typically happens at the end of the school day—homework, snacking, being reunited with pets, car pools, texting friends, a little instrument practice—Shields and Meisel paint a realistic portrait of how kids feel about these activities. From the opening pair of “2:48” poems, Shields quickly establishes the collection’s light, edgy tone, showing how student and teacher alike often find the last two minutes of the day “the slowest of all.” By week’s end, Shields cleverly uses end rhyme to highlight the irony to be found in a “Friday Night” sleepover: “We call it sleeping over— / That’s not exactly true. / We bring along our sleeping bags, / But sleep? Not what we do.” Throughout the volume, Meisel’s dynamic, childlike mixed-media illustrations effectively underscore the child’s perspective these poems so often provide. But occasionally Shields also shares some important advice as a former child, enlightening young readers as to the dangers of saying, “I’m bored!” to one’s parents or trying to mask unauthorized video game usage behind a beatific smile.
Smart and sassy poems and accessible illustrations combine for an engaging, humorous package. (Picture book/poetry. 6-10)Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-8037-3805-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A collection well-suited to young boys of color as well as all young fans of hip-hop culture, who often long for...
What if Shel Silverstein grew up on hip-hop?
Children’s poetry meets hip-hop culture in this colorful collection anchored by street art and mixed with witty and empowering rhyme. Offering over 60 poems accompanied by graffiti-inspired illustrations from an international collective of artists, Cannon touches on all facets of youth culture in this comical assortment. He explains in an introductory note that, as a child, he found equal inspiration in Shel Silverstein and rappers, whom he identifies as “the storytellers of the street.” From there, he leads readers into poems such as “Graffiti Dreams,” in which he writes “Lost in my passion, I spray my heart away / I breathe graffiti and dream of a new day,” celebrating street art, which many hold as a key element of hip-hop culture along with the MC, DJ and B-boy. Sillier poems, such as “Halitosis” and “Funky Feet,” make clever reading opportunities out of the gross-out humor so popular with growing boys. Dedication poems such as “Mateo” and “A Champion Named Ikiaka” add a heartfelt touch. The standout “Weird Concrete” seeks to empower readers to overcome the obstacles of inner-city life.
A collection well-suited to young boys of color as well as all young fans of hip-hop culture, who often long for family-friendly content. (Poetry. 7-10)Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-545-72281-0
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
An unusually mixed bag.
The title of Viorst’s latest collection of poetry for children provides an open invitation for readers not only to ponder feelings in general, but to examine their reactions to the assembled poems as well.
Complemented by White’s free-flowing mixed-media illustrations, the light lyric pieces cover topics ranging from “School Stuff” to descriptions of the seasons, with the most memorable poems centering on personal and familial relations. The reasons “Why Cats Are Better Than My Older Sister” include (but are not limited to) the following: “They never tell you what to do. / They never ever yell at you. / They don’t think that they’re always right. / They’re prettier to look at, too.” In “New Brother,” trenchant free-verse anti–new-sibling sentiment is hilariously underscored by White’s rendering of a smiling, swaddled babe strapped to a rocket heading “To Mars.” But some stumbles make for an uneven reading experience. There are occasional grammatical lapses, as found in “Could Somebody Please Explain This to Me, Please?,” which hinges on subject-verb disagreement, and questionable messages, as offered in “Help Me!”: “Help me please with all my / Ninety-seven other chores. / Then help me make excuses / When you ask for help with yours.” Though likely made in the service of humor or adopting a child’s persona, such poetic choices might give adult readers less to be “glad” than “mad about.”
An unusually mixed bag. (Poetry. 6-10)Pub Date: Feb. 9, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-2355-7
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Caitlyn Dlouhy/Atheneum
Review Posted Online: Oct. 13, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
bookshelf
