Wing Nuts: Screwy Haiku

Unfortunately the note explaining "senryu" (vs. haiku) is only on the jacket. And books should be loved enough to outlive their jackets....

Anyway, these are funny. And very accessible, even to kids who think they don't like poetry. Most aren't substantial enough for me, but I did like:

Lions versus gazelles!
game of speed of game--
zebra referees

Note the word-play, and the mental imagery of the B&W striped character. But no, I have no idea why it begins with an uppercase letter and yet does not end with a period.

Some children will love:

City pigeons chatter
and coo--busybodies
eavesdropping

And of course I have to quote the most apt verse:

What is a senryu?
A funny poem that is
Almost haiku-ckoo

This book is a collection of a type of poem called a "senryu". Similar to a haiku, a senryu is a Japanese poem compiled of seventeen syllables written in the present tense and are usually about some aspect of human nature or human emotion. The poems themselves are accompanied with beautiful and detailed illustrations that emphasizes the poems playfulness with puns and words. One poem is "Freedom vanishes/ as the babysitter arrives.../kids are tied in nots". This book would make a great introduction to poetry because of the senryu's free verse style as well as teaching kids how to count syllables. It would also be a great way for educators to give lessons on synonyms, homonyms and homophones with the senryu's play on language. I would show more recommend this for second grade and up, first grade may be too young because the readers will need to have a larger vocabulary to understand the play on words. show less

This collection of senryu, haiku's forgotten relative, is really well done. Since both J. Patrick Lewis and Paul Janeczko are well established as great children's poets, the resulting book is hardly a surprise. Great fun, and a cool form of poetry.

Good punny fun. I wish the book included an explanation of Senryu, but, otherwise, no complaints. I dare you to read this and not snicker to yourself a few times.

Children will enjoy the silliness of this book, and will laugh out loud at some of the poems.

This is a great collection of Haiku which also acts as a play on words. A great book to engage students in poetry.

A silly poetry book that kids will have fun reading. I'd just keep it in my collection to have a variety.