The Raven Remix

Dyslexia specialist and speech-language pathologist Dean offers an Edgar Allan Poe parody and biography aimed at emerging readers.

The author attempts to put a humorous spin on Poe’s famous poem “The Raven” in this illustrated work. The story opens with an unnamed male student skipping school and happening upon a “Book Stop, Pet Shop, Inn and Grill” run by a man named Ed A.P. A raven speaks to the student and invites him inside. The feathered creature then hands the student a book, and strange things begin happening; first, the young man encounters Pluto, a “demon cat” with an eye patch who frightens him. When the student tries to leave the establishment, Ed convinces him to stay and enjoy a feast. During the meal, a bug bothers the protagonist, so he grabs a pair of pans and tries to kill it; in the process, he finds a coded message. After decoding it, he and Ed embark on a search for a treasure chest; they find the treasure, but they’re interrupted by Ed’s pet orangutans. Chaos ensues, so the protagonist closes the book and retreats to his Jeep, where Ed hands him a note with a timely life lesson. The remainder of the book includes a biographical overview of Poe’s life and work and a “How to Use This Book” section for educators and parents. Weltner’s grayscale illustrationseffectively match the grim tone of Poe’s “The Raven,” and their cartoonish style will engage young readers and improve their comprehension of the text. However, the humor and craft of this offbeat parody will likely be lost on those who have yet to encounter Poe’s work. Lines such as “Grabbing brass, it went to swinging / on a lamp as it was singing. / Then the mammoth brat was slinging, / flinging hash and trash at me” may be quite challenging for readers unfamiliar with gothic poetry. The biographical information on Poe is engaging, although it touches on potentially sensitive topics, such as alcoholism, depression, and death, that might not be appropriate for younger readers.

An unusual alternative introduction to Poe that some readers may find inaccessible.