#11 - Dirt on My Shirt

Dirt on My Shirt

Written by: Jeff Foxworthy

Illustrated by: Steve Bjorkman

HarperCollins Publisher

2008

27 pages

Poetry Book

Dirt on My Shirt is a collection of poems written by comedian Jeff Foxsworthy. The poems are about family, animals, friends, playing, and all the things children love most. One fun poem is all about dirt! The poems all follow the same type of style. The poems contain rhyme and are very informal.  A lot of the poems are hilarious descriptions of Jeff Foxworthy’s various family members. Kids will be able to relate very well to these poems, and they will giggle at all of Jeff Foxworthy’s very humorous statements. 

Watercolor is used to create the artwork in the book. The watercolor and outlines are a little messy to promote the excitement of the poems. The colors are bright and vibrant creating excitement. Brush strokes are used to show texture for hair, grass, dirt, and many other elements in the story. The text is very informal and combines with the illustrations. Some illustrations are large, detailed, and fill an entire page. The other pictures are small and highlighted by negative space. The pictures are very funny, and the characters are all sporting hilarious facial expressions. Each picture displays action and movement to go along with each poem’s story.

I would definitely use this poem in my elementary classroom, especially for younger grades. This would be a great book for introducing poetry or rhyme. Students can identify rhyming words and practice creating their own rhyming phrases. Students could also write poems about one of their own relatives. Foxworthy gives many funny examples, so the students could use them as a guide.

Grandma

My grandma puts on lipstick

It’s bright red like a rose

Because she cannot see too well

It ends up on her nose!

-Jeff Foxworthy

#12 - Aliens in Underpants Save the World

Aliens in Underpants Save the World

Written by: Clair Freedman

Illustrated by: Ben Cort

Scholastic

2009

24 Pages

Poetry Book

            This funny poem story is about aliens who are obsessed with underpants from Earth. One day, they discover that a meteorite is heading for Earth. They realize that without Earth they wouldn’t be able to get anymore underwear. The aliens rush to save Earth using the only thing they know about… underwear! They knit a giant pair of underpants and bounce the meteorite back into space. Children will love the hilarious rhymes, and they will laugh the whole time.

Aliens love underpants

It’s lucky that they do

For underpants saved our Universe

Sounds crazy but it’s true.

            The first thing I noticed was that the flyleaf was covered in a bunch of underpants, and the images just kept getting sillier. The artwork in this story is done with acrylic paints, and the images don’t have any sort of outlines. Different colors are used to create shading and textures. All the images are two page spreads and fill up the entire pages with color. The text is informal and is set up inside of the images. All of the aliens are bright exciting colors, and the images on earth are more natural. There is always a lot of action and details within the pictures.

            I would have this book in my 1^st – 3^rd grade classroom library. This is a great book for kids to pick up and read on their own. It would be a great book to show that poetry can be fun. Students could create a funny poem describing their own alien character. This book could also be used for a lesson on rhymes.

#13 - Do Buses Eat Kids?

Do Buses Eat Kids?

Written by: Laura Purdie Salas

Illustrated by: Laura Purdie Salas

Capestone Press

2008

32 Pages

Poetry Book

            Do Buses Eat Kids? is a specialized poetry book containing poems all about school. Some poem topics include: pencils, lockers, friends, lunches, and school buses. The poems in the book are acrostic, cinquain, free verse, haiku, and limericks. All of the different poem styles make the book very interesting. The poems are also very positive and fun for children. In the back of the book there is more information about poetry. It has definitions of each poetry type, poetry terms, internet websites, and a glossary.

            The illustrations in this book are photographs. Some of the images are double page spreads, and some only take up a single page. The text is very informal. It changes color, size, and placement throughout the book. The text is sometimes placed inside of the photographs, and sometimes they are separated into two different pages. The photographs all contain things that are very relatable for children. They have pictures of kids, school settings, and school materials.

            I would use this book in all elementary classrooms. The poems are simple enough for younger grades, and the information in the back of the book is advanced enough for the higher grades. It is a great book to use for poetry lessons. The teacher could pull it out for examples for each different type of poetry. It would also be good book for introducing the elements of poetry such as rhyme, rhythm, and repetition.

Finding My Place

Where will I go?

Who will I be?

How will I get there?

What will I see?

Will I go far?

Explore foreign lands?

I get to choose

The world is in my hands

#14 – Every Thing on It

Every Thing on It

Written by: Shel Silverstein

Illustrated by: Shel Silverstein

HarperCollins

2011

195 Pages

Poetry Book

Every Thing on It is a collection of silly poems that are aimed at making children laugh. The poems are all different styles and use different techniques. His poems use a ton of exaggeration and fictional events. For example, “Everything on it” is about a boy who orders a hotdog and literally gets a pile of everything on top of it. His writing style is very casual and informal. His poems sometimes tell stories, and sometimes they are just simple, short phrases.

            Shel Silverstein’s illustrations are simple line drawings. They appear like they are done with just an ink pen. The thin lines appear messy and jagged. They promote action and energy that follows his poem’s themes. The pictures are detailed and made up of a lot of small parts. The illustrations are very humorous and compliment the subjects of each poem. The pictures range from small to very large pictures.  

            I think that Shel Silverstein’s poetry books would be great in older elementary classrooms. This book would be great for motivating children during poetry lessons. Teachers could pull specific poems out to use for different lessons. His poems are funny and silly, so children would enjoy them. It is also a good book to keep in the class library. Children could read them on their own and become more interested in poetry.

Years From Now

Although I cannot see your face

As you flip these poems awhile,

Somewhere from some far-off place

I hear you laughing and I smile

-Shel Silverstein