Brian P. Cleary, the author of a series of bestselling, very clever, rhyming grammar series, Words Are CATegorical (which includes titles like Lazily, Crazily, Just a Bit Nasally: More About Adverbs), also has other poetry/wordplay books, which I didn’t realize.
One is Rainbow Soup (Millbrook Press, 2004), which fits my mood perfectly after a full week’s worth (today’s the final day) of exhausting but exhilarating Young Authors Conferences!
He mixes puns and all kinds of wordplay with humor for a collection that I think elementary kids would love!
Here are a few poems from the collection:
Mr. and Mrs.
She Mrs. him while he’s away
And thinks of how he’s kissed her.
The few times he’s been out of town,
He tells her that he’s Mr.
–Brian P. Cleary, from Rainbow Soup
Rest in Pieces
Here lies Owen Matthew.
He was found about the plain.
He caught bugs and butterflies
And tried to catch a train.
–Brian P. Cleary, from Rainbow Soup
Here’s one of his haikus, an unexpected dash of seriousness in a collection mostly light and funny.
Report Card
Four days of the year,
One tiny piece of paper
Turns my stomach sour.
–Brian P. Cleary, from Rainbow Soup
This fun collection not only introduces kids to various poetic forms (see “We’re Going to the Villa, Nell”), but it’s also filled with modern references (“My Cat Bytes”). This is a great light poetry book to share with kids!
The Poetry Friday roundup this week is at the fabulous Elaine Magliaro’s Wild Rose Reader. Go check it out!