PUNCTUATION CELEBRATION

A short poem introduces each punctuation mark and explains the rules of its usage, while an example appears on the facing page. The verses explain the rules of punctuation fairly clearly, but the language of the poems often comes across as stilted and forced. Further, although the concepts expressed are simple, the poems sometimes use advanced vocabulary in the service of rhyme and meter: “A question mark is apropos / When there are things you want to know.” Thus, this effort makes a better refresher for older children than an initial lesson. Whitehead’s gouache-and–cut-paper illustrations portray a multiethnic group of children reading, painting, eating and otherwise engaging in the activities referenced in the poems and examples. These dynamic illustrations add visual interest to the text without overcrowding the pages or distracting from the poems, which are printed in large, clear type, with everything in black except for the featured punctuation mark, which appears in red. For those looking for a quick punctuation review in a fresh style, this will do nicely. (Informational picture book/poetry. 5-10)