I've Lost My Hippopotamus (original 2012; edition 2012)

Frequently entertaining and fun but uneven collection of silly verse. ( )

I have never been a major fan of poetry. This book of collections uses black and white ink drawings with mostly rhyming poems, a style similar to Shel Silverstein. The illustrations have more details than do Silverstein's and darker outlines. The pictures supprot the poems and help create meaning for some intersting new animals and ideas. My favorite from this collection is "A Curious Quandry" Reading this text outloud is nice, but you must see it with your eyes in order to understand the quandry. I also enjoy the twist at the end. Many of the animal creatures are real, while others are made up combinations. The poems relate to childlike experiences or at least I feel a childlike imagination was used when presenting these poems. I enjoyed this collection over other similarly written collections. Many of the peoms are linked to each other, while they still stand on their own, it is benifitial to read the entire collection in the order presented. Much thought was put into the layout of this text.
I would purchase this collection for my classroom library, which periodic readings to the class during a read aloud. ( )

From the “insufferable asparagoose” to the “cormoranteaters,” this children’s book of more than 100 silly poems artfully plays upon real members of the animal kingdom and a host of made-up, creatively named creatures. Rhyme and rhythm unite to form a range of literary pieces—including short and simple upbeat chants, witty story-like verses, and goofy ballads. Each page dons a black and white charcoal drawing that craftily complements the written elements. A plethora of tongue-twister lines, somewhat complex fictitious characters, and embedded cues for sound, emphasis, and emotion permeate the text. As such, the poems of this thick tome are best recited to a young target audience by advanced or adult readers, who will likely find as much enjoyment in the humorous prose as their child companions. ( )

What's not to like about a book of Jack Prelutsky poems? My favorite is "When," on pages 136-137. Readers will not be disappointed in these poems about "animals," both real and imagined. ( )