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Print this story By KAREN MACPHERSON Scripps Howard News Service National Poetry Month may be almost over, but these new children’s books prove that reading poetry can — and should — be a wonderful year-round activity: n David Elliott’s short, snappy rhymes pair perfectly with Holly Meade’s energetic woodcut/watercolor illustrations in “On the Farm” (Candlewick Press, $16.99). This oversized picture book is just right for reading aloud to young children, who will both wonder and laugh at Elliott’s observations. (Ages 3-6.) n Lee Bennett Hopkins is one of the nation’s most distinguished poets and anthologists for children, and he’s outdone himself as the editor of a spectacular new book, “America at War” (McElderry Books/Simon & Schuster, $21.99). Beautifully illustrated by Stephen Alcorn, “America at War” uses poetry to show the emotional impact of U.S. wars from the American Revolution through the Iraq War. (Ages 8 and older — adults also will enjoy this collection.) n Two new picture books both use a series of poems to tell a story: Poet Nikki Grimes is a veteran of using the picture-book format to tell a story through a series of connected poems. Now, Grimes turns her focus to blended families in her new picture book of poetry, “Oh, Brother!” (HarperCollins, $16.99). Featuring lustrous gouache illustrations by Mike Benny, “Oh, Brother!” details the challenges a young boy named Xavier faces in accepting his new stepbrother, Chris. As Grimes shows, Xavier feels it’s bad enough having a stepbrother he never wanted, but watching Chris try to be the perfect son is just too much. (Ages 5-10.) In “Stella, Unleashed” (Sterling, $14.95), poet Linda Ashman and illustrator Paul Meisel combine talents to tell the story of a beaglelike mutt, from her early days in the dog pound through her growing attachment to her new family. Subtitled “Notes From the Doghouse,” Ashman’s text — a series of 29 poems — is a hilarious look at the world through the sharp eyes and nose of a dog. Stella’s not only smart, but she’s also opinionated, and readers will roar at her comments about her family. Meisel’s illustrations make the most of the comedy, showing Stella’s stoic resignation to wearing hats and gowns when playing with the young girl in the family and blissfully eating a steak that she’s grabbed from a tabletop. (Ages 4-8.) n Poet Alan Katz pulls out all the stops in his silly, sometimes gross collection of poems titled “Oops!” (McElderry Books/Simon & Schuster, $17.99). Katz’s pun-filled poems, paired with black-and-white drawings by New Yorker artist Edward Koren, are guaranteed to elicit belly laughs from elementary-school-aged students. Katz ends the book with a hilarious free-form essay that is part autobiography and part effort to convince children that writing poetry is fun. (Ages 7-10.) |
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