J. Patrick Lewis and Keith Graves bring together short snappy poems, wacky illustrations, and world records in The World's Greatest: Poems. This delightful and--dare I say it--fun volume of verse pays homage to those Guinness-like records children love so much, with poems and colorful illustrations devoted to things like "The Kookiest Hat" and "The Most Plates Spinning."
It's clear that J. Patrick Lewis understands children based on his selection of poem topics which range from silly ("The Biggest Potato") to cool ("The Highest Air on a Skateboard") to yuck ("The Most Live Scorpions Eaten by a Human"). Lewis's verse complements his subjects beautifully, whether the subject is wistful ("The Longest Time a Message Was in a Bottle at Sea") or silly (The Dumbest Dinosaur"). Keith Graves's illustrations are humorous, colorful, and kid friendly.
The World's Greatest: Poems is best suited for children ages five to eleven when they are at the height of their bragging prowess and when the world's greatest everything most interests them.
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Today's Poetry Friday entry is a poem from The World's Greatest: Poems, which is posted here with J. Patrick Lewis's permission:
"The Tallest Roller Coaster"
You're swerving north,
You're curving south,
Your stomach sits
Inside your mouth.
You hold your breath,
You lose your nerve,
You're scared to death
At every curve.
You're feeling very
Sick, but then
You tell your Dad,
"Let's go again!"
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Other Blog Reviews:
The Miss Rumphius Effect
A Year of Reading
Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast
Curled Up Kids
Children's Book Page
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Becky of Becky's Book Reviews is on the round up!
