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THERE WAS A MAN WHO LOVED A RAT

Name: THERE WAS A MAN WHO LOVED A RAT
Author: Gerda Rovetch
ISBN: 978-0-399-25014-9

AND OTHER VILE LITTLE POEMS

by Gerda Rovetch & illustrated by Lissa Rovetch ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2008

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This mother-daughter collaboration pairs 14 verses of four lines each to comically serious illustrations originally drawn on paper plates. The poems are limericks in content, if not form: “There was a man who lived in Sydney / who found a large abandoned kidney. / And at a loss of what to do, / he slowly stuffed it in his shoe.” Each round picture interprets the facing text (which is also in a round frame) literally, and is drawn in a heavy, fluid ink line with single-color highlights; most of the figures add to the hilarity by scowling or looking dismayed at the surreal situations in which they find themselves. Fans of Shel Silverstein will find themselves on familiar ground here, both verbally and visually—even readers with short attention spans or an aversion to poetry will happily chuck this down like the bonbon it is. (Poetry. 7-10)

Pub Date: March 1, 2008

ISBN: 978-0-399-25014-9

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Philomel

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2008

Categories:

CHILDREN'S POETRY

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POCKET POEMS

edited by Bobbi Katz & illustrated by Marylin Hafner ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2004

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With an eye toward easy memorization, Katz gathers over 50 short poems from the likes of Emily Dickinson, Valerie Worth, Jack Prelutsky, and Lewis Carroll, to such anonymous gems as “The Burp”—“Pardon me for being rude. / It was not me, it was my food. / It got so lonely down below, / it just popped up to say hello.” Katz includes five of her own verses, and promotes an evident newcomer, Emily George, with four entries. Hafner surrounds every selection with fine-lined cartoons, mostly of animals and children engaged in play, reading, or other familiar activities. Amid the ranks of similar collections, this shiny-faced newcomer may not stand out—but neither will it drift to the bottom of the class. (Picture book/poetry. 7-9)

Pub Date: March 1, 2004

ISBN: 0-525-47172-3

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Dutton

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2004

Categories:

CHILDREN'S POETRY

- BOOK REVIEW
NOTHING BUT A DOG
by Bobbi Katz and illustrated by Jane Manning

- BOOK REVIEW
MORE POCKET POEMS
by Bobbi Katz & illustrated by Deborah Zemke

- BOOK REVIEW
ONCE AROUND THE SUN
by Bobbi Katz & illustrated by LeUyen Pham

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DINOSAURS GALORE!

by Giles Andreae & illustrated by David Wojtowycz ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2005

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A dozen familiar dinosaurs introduce themselves in verse in this uninspired, if colorful, new animal gallery from the authors of Commotion in the Ocean (2000). Smiling, usually toothily, and sporting an array of diamonds, lightning bolts, spikes and tiger stripes, the garishly colored dinosaurs make an eye-catching show, but their comments seldom measure up to their appearance: “I’m a swimming reptile, / I dive down in the sea. / And when I spot a yummy squid, / I eat it up with glee!” (“Ichthyosaurus”) Next to the likes of Kevin Crotty’s Dinosongs (2000), illustrated by Kurt Vargo, or Jack Prelutsky’s classic Tyrannosaurus Was A Beast (1988), illustrated by Arnold Lobel, there’s not much here to roar about. (Picture book/poetry. 7-9)