Genre: Poetry (Children's?)
Subject: One long poem set in the Yukon
I am a little bit biased with this poem, as it has sentimental value to me. My grandfather, a huge poetry fan, introduced me to this one before he passed away from cancer. The poem is about exactly what the title implies, the cremation of a man named Sam McGee. The concept of this poem might not fit well with younger kids. However, the version of this poem that I read most recently had incorporated an amazing array of vivid paintings by Ted Harrison, as well as a number of historical details added into the pages. The paintings add to the mystical feel of the Yukon that Service puts in his poem, and I believe that this book in this version could still be a very nice read for slightly older children.
Genre: Children's Poetry
Subject: Cute poetry about bugs and animals
These poems are basically short, silly rhymes. The individual poems seem to have to stretch to fit the rhymes, and they don't necessarily flow well because of that. Still, this would be a good fit for very young readers. The illustrations were a bit odd but still fun. This book might work best for a read-aloud because of the visual aspect to it.
Genre: Children's Poetry
Subject: Funny, silly, and sometimes rude humor
This was the first book of poetry I ever owned, and it was given to me as a child by my mother. I've read this book over and over since then, and it never gets old. The tone of Prelutsky's poems ranges from slightly silly to humorously revolting. The rhymes generally flow quite well. A majority of the poems are about food or made-up creatures, which easily appeals to younger readers. The drawings are simple and intentionally rough, but they add an extra bit of humor to the poems. Some of the best poems from this book are, in my opinion, "Bleezer's Ice Cream," "Be Glad Your Nose Is on Your Face," "When Tillie Ate the Chili," and "Bulgy Bunne." While all of the poems in this book are entertaining, these four in particular always bring a smile to my face. I would recommend this book to anyone, child or adult, who needs to see the humor in life.
