I Saw an Invisible Lion Today

February 1, 2016

Gr 3-5-Cleary's upbeat introduction to the quatrain, or four-line poem, is a forthright invitation to rhyme. A clearly stated two-page description of possible rhyme schemes is followed by 22 appealing four-liners, each with its rhyme scheme listed right under the title. Cleary makes creating and rhyming poetry seem simple. All kids need to do is choose a topic and style, decide on a rhyme scheme, and begin writing. Tackling subjects such as adjectives, lies, the outdoors, bathrooms, and a birthday, the author's own poems demonstrate that no topic is too mundane, ridiculous, or unspeakable to put into verse. Most selections in this collection have only two rhyming lines (ABCB). A one-page "Further Reading" add-on offers several titles that include tips on writing quatrains and some websites that feature the four-line poems, along with sample topics, instructions and prompts, and tips on crafting nonsense verse. Watson's colorful, whimsical cartoon characters tumble, strut, dance, and ride across the pages, adding charm to the text. VERDICT An appealing introduction to quatrains that will be useful for encouraging students to create their own poems.-Susan Scheps, formerly at Shaker Public Library, OH

Copyright 2016 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2016
Grades 1-4 More than 20 poems allow young readers to explore the quatrain through humorous verses about language, imaginary beasts, realistic adventures, and other subjects they will recognize and appreciate. Colorful cartoon illustrations provide information absent in most of the poems, offering a good balance for both visual and linguistic enjoyment. As with many such collections, this is a bit of a mixed bag, with a few poems rising to excellence, while most simply pass as average in construction and imagery. Jokey poems, such as The letters had a sleepover / with popcorn, snacks, and TV. / But drinking too much soda / made the elemeno P, will easily hook less enthusiastic readers. The featured humans are diverse in many ways, while the settings, whether realistic or fantastic, are easy for young readers to recognize. A brief foreword explains quatrain structure, and each poem is preceded by a note indicating its rhyme scheme (ABCB, ABCB, AABB, etc.). A good introduction for elementary-grade poetry sections that is also be suitable for use as writing prompts.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)