Publishers Weekly Review
| Blegvad's (Hurry, Hurry, Mary Dear) airy pen-and-wash illustrations provide a puckish foil for this engaging collection of poems by Smith (Laughing Time). The selections range from familiar subjects such as "The Toaster" ("A silver-scaled Dragon with jaws flaming red/ Sits at my elbow and toasts my bread") to more outlandish fare, including some loopy limericks, nifty nonsense verse and a host of animal poems. The sensibilities of poet and artist make them an astutely paired team; Smith's polished imagery ("a world of bathtub white") and nimble wordplay ("Lady selling sarsaparilla,/ Lemon soda and vanilla") supply ideal fodder for Blegvad, whose sprightly vignettes feature a delicate use of line and cross-hatching, subtle colors and a keen sense of whimsy. Unfortunately, a few of the larger illustrations have a somewhat underdone quality (e.g., "The Cats' Picnic," "People," "Polar Bear"); they don't possess the attention to detail demonstrated in Blegvad's more characteristic, exquisitely honed vignettes (a rendering of the Brooklyn Bridge, for example, and the portrait of "Mr. Simpson"). Still, the leisurely pace and overall tone of tranquility in the poems combined with Blegvad's seemingly effortless way with pen-and-ink capture the endless days of childhood. Ages 2-6. (Mar.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved |
School Library Journal Review
| PreS-Gr 2-Enchanting images and startling comparisons abound in this witty collection of poems, many of which appeared in Laughing Time (Farrar, 1990). From the "silver-scaled Dragon with jaws flaming red" (a toaster) to a flying cow in "a porkpie hat with a green umbrella," the selections feature characters and wordplay that are clever and silly enough to capture the attention of young readers. Smith is a master at a wide variety of types of poetry, from limericks and concrete poems to traditional rhymed verse; equally diverse are his subjects, including cat circuses, chocolate cakes, old friends, owls, and masks. The vocabulary is at times challenging, but not daunting, and is understandable in context. Blegvad's watercolor-and-ink illustrations are in all instances charming, projecting a decidedly nostalgic flavor.-Lee Bock, Glenbrook Elementary School, Pulaski, WI (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. |
Booklist Review
| Ages 2^-5. Most of these poems have been published before in Laughing Time (1990), but new young readers will enjoy the singing nonsense rhymes, especially "Mrs. Piper" ("Who spoke like a windshield wiper"). Blegvad's quiet line-and-watercolor illustrations leave lots of space. They are generally true to the child's view of the universe, both immense and particular, though sometimes the words and pictures express a gentle nostalgia for old-fashioned details (fussily dressed children at tea parties, eccentric explorers in the tropics) that may appeal most to older generations for reading aloud. The animal pages are timeless, including "Seal" ("See how he dives / From the rocks with a zoom!"), "Polar Bear," and "Raccoon." Just as appealing is the child's fascination with all kinds of people in crowded places, "making faces." --Hazel Rochman |
Horn Book Review
| (Preschool, Primary) The composer of memorable gems such as ""The Toaster,"" ""The Mirror,"" and ""People"" has selected twenty-nine of his poems with special interest for young children and collaborated with illustrator Erik Blegvad to create a collection to read again and again. Characterized by infectious rhyme schemes and verse forms varying from couplets to limericks, these lively poems are attuned to the playful language of preschoolers and, like those of Mother Goose, roll trippingly off the tongue. Familiar favorites include the aforementioned titles and others such as the limerick about the ""Young Lady Named Rose"" with constant postnasal drip: ""Because of this failing / They sent her off whaling / So the whalers could say: `Thar she blows!'"" Among the nine new offerings is the intriguing tongue-twister ""Mrs. Piper""-an unusual lady ""who spoke like a windshield wiper."" Illustrated with elegantly delicate humor, there is something here for every taste: nonsense and good sense, wonderful imagery, compelling rhythms, evocative descriptions. As all good poetry should, the enchanting collection gives readers a new point of view. m.m.b. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved. |
Kirkus Review
| Most of the two dozen poems in this collection have already seen the light of day in a previous collection from Smith, which doesn't make them any less sapid; here they are accompanied by delicate ink-and-wash artwork from Blegvad, who keeps perfect stride with the tone of ceremonious nonsense. The poems may be quick but they are never too ephemeral, and while mostly playful, they can also take readers by the hand and walk them through troubles. If the boogies approach, if they come with a threatening rake, as Mrs. Caribou did: ``what you can do/Is snap your fingers and cry, `Shoo!/Away with YOU, Mrs. Caribou!'/Then she will fly back to Make-Believe/With her snake in a basket of intricate weave.'' Smith also hauls out some clever, sheer whimsy, as with the polar bear that never makes its bed, but sleeps on a slab of ice instead. These are fun poems with an intellect attached, as well as inventive, industrious illustrations. (Poetry. 2-6) |
