After laughing my way through this unique poetry collection of classics and parodies, I’m curious to know whether former children’s poet laureate J. Patrick Lewis was inspired as a kid to write poetry parodies. KEEP A POCKET IN YOUR POEM is guaranteed to inspire many of today’s young poets to give it a shot.
This parody of Robert Frost’s most widely recognizable poem, by itself, makes this collection well-worth reading and sharing.
“Stopping by Fridge on a Hungry Evening
Whose mold is this I think I know
My mother won’t admit it, though;
She hates it when I peek inside
To watch her fiendish fungus grow.
My little sister cried and cried
To see a pound cake...petrified!
That quart of milk’s about to blast.
The cottage cheese has multiplied.
The mustard’s green, the mayo’s past
The expiration date--not last
November?! No, it can’t be true.
The algae’s brown and creeping fast.
The eggs are black, the meat is blue
There’s only one thing left to do:
Get the hose and hire a crew,
Get the hose and hire a crew.”
This is actually a two-for-one experience. In addition to the parodies, readers also get to know the great selection of classics that inspired Lewis’s parodies. They include works by Beatrice Schenk de Regnier, Carl Sandburg, Rose Fyleman, Jack Prelutsky, Langston Hughes, David McCord, and more.
Johanna Wright’s (digitally fine-tuned) acrylic and ink illustrations are notable for their accessibility, bright palette and, most importantly, their joyful, multicultural cast of characters.
32 pages 978-1-59078-921-6 Ages 6-10 Recommended by: Richie Partington, MLIS, California USA
See more of his recommendations: Richie's Picks <https://richiespicks.com/>http
