I usually share stand-alone poems on Poetry Friday, but this week, I’m featuring a rhyming picture book called What’s Looking At You Kid?(Sleeping Bear Press, 2012). J. Patrick Lewis has a new take on riddles, one of his favorite forms, judging by Spot the Plot and Edgar Allan Poe’s Pie. This delightful picture book features a quatrain (well, metrically a quatrain, though sometimes the design splits up the lines differently) on each spread that observes something in nature, followed by two lines that usually start, “Look who’s…”
Kids will want to shout out the answers, which are obvious from the beautiful illustrations by Renee Graef.
I love this, because it really encourages kids to look more closely at what’s around them. That’s something I like to tap into in my own work (like A Leaf Can Be...), too. I also love it because Pat doesn’t just rhyme. He creates actual poetry in this book, in my opinion. Here are a couple of my favorite spreads:
Hanging in the
air’s the thing
he can do
without a wing.Look, a yo-yo on a string!
Whee!
and
Skimming ponds
and country lanes,
whizzing wings
of windowpanes.Look, a pair
of fairy planes.
Aren’t those gorgeous? The spider and dragonflies have never been treated better!
Jama at Jama’s Alphabet Soup has the delicious?Poetry Friday Roundup today! Head on over for a treat!
Oh, I love the dragonfly poem. These sound great, and such a gentle way to introduce metaphor, too. Thanks for sharing – just put it on the list!
I hope you really enjoy it, Renee!
Oh, I love the dragonfly poem. These sound great, and such a gentle way to introduce metaphor, too. Thanks for sharing – just put it on the list!
I hope you really enjoy it, Renee!
The book looks wonderful for teaching those beginning ideas of poetry, Laura, and for the observation aspect. Thanks for telling about it.
I think you’ll love it, Linda!
The book looks wonderful for teaching those beginning ideas of poetry, Laura, and for the observation aspect. Thanks for telling about it.
I think you’ll love it, Linda!
A yo-yo on a string! That’s imaginative. Love these.
Isnt that a great metaphor? Love it
A yo-yo on a string! That’s imaginative. Love these.
Isnt that a great metaphor? Love it
Haven’t seen this one yet. Looks wonderful. Love the excerpts you shared. “Fairy planes” = love.
Perfect, right?
Haven’t seen this one yet. Looks wonderful. Love the excerpts you shared. “Fairy planes” = love.
Perfect, right?
Oh dear that sounds too good and I’ve only just bought Edgar Allan Poe’s pie. So many wonderful books out right now.
So true! This is definitely for a younger audience than that one. And lovely. Hope you get a chance to see it!
Oh dear that sounds too good and I’ve only just bought Edgar Allan Poe’s pie. So many wonderful books out right now.
So true! This is definitely for a younger audience than that one. And lovely. Hope you get a chance to see it!
I agree that he creates real poetry in his books! Thanks for sharing about this one.
Enjoy, Ruth!
I agree that he creates real poetry in his books! Thanks for sharing about this one.
Enjoy, Ruth!
Another winner from the Wonderful JPL!!
Definitely!
Another winner from the Wonderful JPL!!
Definitely!
Love it! The title is great, too.
Isn’t it? It’s a great book!
Love it! The title is great, too.
Isn’t it? It’s a great book!
It sounds like a book that I would truly enjoy. I’ve been telling myself that I should really familiarize myself with J Patrick Lewis’ titles, but I haven’t gotten around to fully exploring his books yet. 🙂 This looks like a good place to start. 🙂
He is one of the most, if not the most, versatile poets I’ve ever read. His poetry has brought me to tears with its beauty and sadness, and it’s made me almost wet my pants from laughing too hard. Sorry, probably tmi. :>)
It sounds like a book that I would truly enjoy. I’ve been telling myself that I should really familiarize myself with J Patrick Lewis’ titles, but I haven’t gotten around to fully exploring his books yet. 🙂 This looks like a good place to start. 🙂
He is one of the most, if not the most, versatile poets I’ve ever read. His poetry has brought me to tears with its beauty and sadness, and it’s made me almost wet my pants from laughing too hard. Sorry, probably tmi. :>)