The New Kid on the Block

“The New Kid on the Block” by Jack Prelutsky is a wonderful set of poems that I adore. I love the silly nature of the poetry. Topics include wondering is oysters sneeze, being glad one’s nose is not on one’s face, and a wolf visiting the Laundromat. I think these are really fun and original ideas for poems. I also like that little black and white pictures were included beside each poem. This adds to the playful nature of the poetry collection, because the cartoons are simple yet humorous. I think, as a collection, the theme is surprise. The main poem, about the new kid in town, is a surprising poem with a twist at the end—the bully is a girl! The other poems are surprising in that they are such strange and unusual topics for show more poems. That is what makes them so fun to read! show less

Have you ever considered the advantages to having your nose on your face? Or what life is like for a boneless chicken? Or lamented a night of homework? Then this book is for you! Jack Prelutsky’s collection 107 poems are silly, catchy, and classic. Readers bounce from poem to poem, carried along by James Stevenson’s squiggly illustrations. Though this is a fast read, Prelutsky’s odd characters, like the Underwater Wibblies and Drumpp the Grump, will keep you giggling.

These quirky poems will entertain readers both young and old. Prelutsky’s poems are made for reading aloud, and audiences will enjoy listening to the made-up names and punchlines. Stevenson’s artwork, which can also be found in The New Yorker, fits perfectly with show more the singsong style of the poems. The black and white drawings wobble and flutter around the text, interacting with it. Prelutsky’s work, combined with Shel Silverstein’s, makes for an excellent introduction into the world of poetry for young readers. show less

I had to buy this for my niece after I found myself starting a poem from the book and not remembering how to finish it. Imagine that - it's been at least 16 years since I had this book, yet I could still recite stanzas at will. How frustrating it was not to have all of them!

Jack Prelutsky is one of the best children's poets out there. You MUST have this book - indoctrinate your kid in the joys of reading poetry aloud when they're young, and you'll never have to unteach them "poetry is boring" when they're older.

This poem is excellent as most readers assume that the "new kid" is a guy, beating up everyone else and being a bully. However, the poem flips it around and the new kid is actually a girl. I think the message in this poem is not to judge a person by their actions, and also different genders can act like each other. Stereotypes of gender are not always correct. This poem stretches the mind of readers and helps them to read outside the box, imagining other scenarios that are possible from the words written.

Well done poems in the same vein as Shel (Where the Sidewalk Ends). I had to knock it down a point because they all started to sound the same. Too many done in the same style with the same meter and rhyme scheme. The voice was too familiar. Shel seems to have a better variety in his books with many more random lengths included.

But it wasn't enough to knock it completely down. If I find the book on sale I would buy it and I gladly take it for free and read poems from it here and there. My kids enjoyed reading poems outloud while we were driving. In fact, I got the book because my son loves it and in the past has read me selections. So, for sure a hit with the kids.

I’ve read all the short holiday Jack Prelutsky poetry books...It’s Halloween!...It’s Valentine’s Day...It’s Christmas! But I’ve never taken on one of the longer books. And, I say to myself now, what was I waiting for?

I can unabashedly recommend this book now. It’s right up there with Shel Silverstein’s Where the Sidewalk Ends for silliness and delight. Trust me. Need poetry for kids? This is a sure thing.

Summary: This collection of children's poetry focuses on a variety of topics from homework and younger brothers to jellyfish stew and drump the glump. It has poems that children can relate to and poems that do not make sense. These poems have an adult type humor in them, that is not found in many children's book. It can be humorous to all ages-especially students who are older. It is a fun collection that will make you want to keep reading.

Argument: This was a great collection of poetry for many reasons and I would surely recommend these for elementary classrooms. The first reason i enjoyed this book was for its illustrations. The illustrations in this book are in black and white and very simple but that does not stop them from show more conveying a very deep message. The pictures are creative and vividly describe the poem but they also carry an air of realism to the stories and bring them to life. Another reason, I enjoyed this collection was for its variety in content. This book had a wide range of poems from realistic, relatable stories to complete nonsense. For example, on page 58 the poem is titled, "Song of the Gloopy Glooppers" and on page 7 the poem is titled, "The New Kid on the Block". Both of these poems differ greatly from going to unrealistic to realistic very quickly. Lastly, I recommend this collection of poems because of the sense of humor cleverly put into each poem. The humor in these poems is very subtle and very quick and witty-it will grab your interest and keep you engaged in the book. For example, the poem on page 133 states, "I'm bold, I'm brave, I know no fear. I'm gallant as a buccaneer. Is that a hornet by my ear? Gangway! I'm getting out of here!" The slight humor in the child acting brave and then being afraid of the bee is something that all children can relate to and will find funny.
The main idea of this collection of poems by Jack Prelutsky is to get inside the mind of a young child. This book is set up like the thought process of a young child. Each poem has themes and messages that can connect to any child. It has serious themes such as being new and having a younger sibling and it also touches on the imaginative side of children with poems that feature made up monsters such as "The Thing" and "Drump the Glump". show less