Silly Poetry Gets Kids Giggling

I am not exaggerating when I say my 4-year-old will do anything for nonsense poetry. (Ok, so she will do anything for chocolate, cupcakes, suckers, Batman cartoons, and the Sunday comics as well.) She begs us most nights to read her something, and if there is a new book of silly poems, she is rabid.  Though she doesn’t always understand every word, the rhythm and the accompanying drawings are better than any dessert I can bribe her with.

We started off with the nonsense poetry king: Shel Silverstein. His simple line drawings and accompanying silly poems have the wee one in stitches. They are the perfect quick bite of night time reading as well, because you can dole out as many, or as few as you would like. Our family had checked out Where the Sidewalk Ends from the library enough times to warrant purchasing a copy for the house. But wait, there’s more!

What a great treat to have a new collection of poems to peruse. Shel Silverstein left behind enough poems and drawings in Every Thing On It to fill a robust last-hurrah that has had everyone in our house howling. The titles of the poems alone have to make you smile: Who hasn’t come across an “Apple with one bite missing” or have to field daily “Lovetobutcants” and, be honest, give me one household who hasn’t come up with “Twenty-eight uses for spaghetti”. My kids can’t help losing themselves in fits of laughter over the ever so slightly crude bathroom humor. If you’ve not yet reached this stage, try as you might, there’s little you can do to deter it. You might as well wrap it up in some poetry, my friend, and call it a bedtime story. 

Earlier:

For a different expedition into silly poems try A Little Bitty Man, and other Poems for the Very Young by Halfdan Wedel Rasmussen. A softer set of illustrations accompanies this picture-book sized collection of silly poems written originally in Danish and translated by Marilyn Nelson and Pamela Espeland.  Parents will particularly like the cautionary tale of “Peter & Patrick & Powell,” though fair warning, it could give your little listeners ideas.  And a treat for all of you who have answered “What things are for” two million times, how about a picture tutorial? You can share with your wee ones what tiptoes are for.  You likely did not know they are to snoop on, and potties? Why, they are to poop on!

And this year’s Children’s Poet Laureate, J. Patrick Lewis, has a volume that will appeal to the 4-year-old set and the language-savvy 9- to 10-year-old crowd.  The Underwear Salesman is a collection of job titles, some for which I just might apply. Take the “Bubble bath tester,” or the “Cuckoo-clock repairman.”  There is always the “Banana picker,” or the “Librarian.” (Oh wait, I have that job already!) Little listeners will probably want to spend more time looking at the pictures than listening to the poems. The window washer’s look of chagrin as the bird poop runs down the side of his face is as equally engrossing as the poem that accompanies it. Your 4th and 5th graders will be able to dissect the word play and still giggle at the drawing of the butcher: a pig dressed in white with different cuts of meat outlined on his outfit. I love when everyone takes something different from the same book. 

Serve up a slice of nonsense poetry one of these nights--they will ask for seconds, I promise.

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