Alligator Pie

A Canadian classic, with poems for children to skip to, bounce to, invent new verses to... Some longer stories of every-day childhood with a humourous twist. Many are easy to learn off by heart, and many are parodies of traditional Mother Goose rhymes or A.A. Milne poems, updated and made relevant for modern city kids. Some Canadian place names and other references. A favourite from my childhood, now much loved by our own children.

This was my first poetry book I read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. One of the first reasons I liked this was how easy the poems were to read. The flow and rhyming that many of the entries had were engaging but easy enough for a young child to comprehend. This would be a great introductory poetry book for students because of how each is written out. I also enjoyed the illustrations that went along with the poems. Although not much detail was given in them, the pictures went along perfectly with the poems and gave just enough for the children to have something fun to look at.

Summary: As far as children's poetry books goes, it rates right up at the top! It rhymes in an almost silly manner and makes little sense, but that's what makes it so appealing to children!

Personal reaction: I love it and can't really explain why. If read with enthusiasm, it can move along at a good clip and really captivate and keep the children's attention. And what early childhood teacher doesn't love a book that so richly includes rhymes?

Classroom extensions: I'd make an alligator pie out of graham crackers and chocolate pudding and let them each have a slice, after we read it as a class, a couple of times!

We could make paper mache' alligators!

This book was my introduction to poetry. I have read this book a million times. First to myself, then with my children, to classrooms full of children and now with my grandchild.

Without Dennis Lee how poetic would I be?

With Alligator Pie Mr Lee opened a whole new world for me and I instantly fell in love with it. My life can be divided into to two parts before and after reading Dennis Lee.

Alligator Pie won the Book of the Year award from the Canadian Library Association in 1975.

Nonsensical rhyming fun for kids, the poetry of Alligator pie does not worry about imparting a lesson or moral, its only focus is on entertainment. Silly poems that are as much fun to say as they are to hear abound within this quirky collection of bizarre and funny tales. Truly Alligator pie has stood the test of time and its poems are as much fun for the kids of today as they were for us as the children of yesteryear.

This is a series of poems tied together with accompanying illustrations. It was cute, winsome, and I think middle aged would be best suited for this book.

It is a classic for many and a book that is read over and over again.

This book has many amazing poems that were so well written. I would say they would be meant for a younger age and great to read before bed! The poems are a bit more contemporary and quirky, but make it more interesting and a different read for most. I would definitely recommend to read.