FEG: Ridiculous Stupid Poems for Intelligent Children

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About FEG: Ridiculous Stupid Poems For Intelligent Children

Product Description A witty and wise collection of twenty-three poems is accompanied by educational and entertaining explanatory notes, inviting readers to discover the joy of language. From Publishers Weekly In an arch, sophisticated display of literary agility, Hirsch (Last Dance at the Hotel Kempinski) offers a silly array of poems for youthful (and not so youthful) philologists and word sleuths. From palindromes and spoonerisms ("Dr. Spooner Writes the Menu" serves up such treats as "a chilled grease sandwich" and "brightly leaded chalk pops") to alliteration, haiku, onomatopoeia and more, he commits flagrantly nimble wordplay, tongue firmly planted in cheek. Hirsch is in splendid form, whether penning a sonnet to his son ("Nay, thou art more precious than a Snickers Barre") that does double duty as an acrostic or yielding to the siren song of puns with a poem entitled "Eye Rhyme" ("Underneath a shady bough I'm startled by a sudden cough"), followed by one entitled "Ewe Rhyme" ("There once was a man whose name was Lou Whose favorite dish was lamb ragout He liked nothing better than a stew" even author Annie Proulx makes an appearance). Although the running commentary comes off as a tad solipsistic ("We made up `Ewe Rhyme' as a companion for `Eye Rhyme.' We managed to come up with 21 different ways of spelling the same sound"), and the pages grow crowded with these fussy footnotes packed with definitions and etymological roots, the asides are often witty ("All work and no plagiarism is no fun at all") and discerning readers will discover plenty to appreciate. Debut children's illustrator Ha's frolicsome computer-generated graphics keep pace with the verbal acrobatics, and the energy he brings to the pages with his shapes and squiggles displays a certain Chris Raschka-esque flair. Could the title be a play on "effigy" (the titular poem suggests it may be)? Ages 10-up. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From School Library Journal Grades 5-8--Hirsch, two of his children, and an imaginative illustrator have come up with an unusual book that is sure to inspire wordplay in language-loving readers. The first poem, "F*E*G," is a variant of the ABC rhyme every child learns: "Abie's seedy effigy-." Puns, palindromes, acrostics, and literary references of all sorts abound in the selections that follow, but the sense of fun and experimentation is never forgotten. "Eye Rhyme" goes like this: "Underneath a shady bough/I'm startled by a sudden cough/I fear that someone wants my dough/And figure that I've had enough." A footnote explains that in an eye rhyme, the poem rhymes to the eye but not the ear. Almost every selection has a lively and interesting note and some are lengthy. Generous white space breaks up the pages in a wonderful design in which the graceful and dynamic pictures are a perfect match for the sly humor of the text. Ha's computer art has a casual and sophisticated look that will appeal to older children. Certainly not every reader will take to this, but some will love it, and clever teachers may find this volume a great way to create enthusiasm for poetry. Lauralyn Persson, Wilmette Public Library, IL Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. From Booklist Gr. 5-7. In his General Noncritical Tragical-Comical-Historical-Pastoral Introduction, Hirsch (an author, performer, and producer, who also runs a restaurant) writes, "these poems are all the result of fooling around." The foolers are Hirsch and his two young sons, and, clearly, they've had a field day playing with words. The results are a gallimaufry of verses packed with puns (both visual and auditory), onomatopoeia, alliteration, palindromes, spoonerisms, and various and sundry other amusing devices. Most are accompanied by occasionally self-conscious footnotes that explain references, comment on the devices, and define the terms. Further definitions are offered in an appended glossary. Illustrator Ha's computer-assisted graphi