 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
A Helpful Alphabet of Friendly Objects: Poems
- By John Updike
- Genre: Poetry
Common Sense Media says
Poetry collection could become a kids' classic.
Parents say
Kids say
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that they can rest easy: There's nothing here to worry about in terms of content. The author's poetry reflects a crisp, highly appealing writing style, and the accompanying photographs offer close-up, eye-catching views of kids, animals, and objects that young readers will love to talk about and pore over.
What's the story?
Who can see the poetry in a vacuum cleaner and a shoelace? Pulitzer Prize-winning author John Updike, and he inspires his readers to see it too. His photographer son provides page after page of kid-centered images. This collection could easily become a childhood favorite.
Is it any good?
This book is a refreshing change from typical children's alphabet or poetry fare. It assumes what most kids already know: To get their attention, you've got to appeal to their imagination and creativity. Any book that likens an icicle to "tiger teeth" and describes a vacuum cleaner as "the nosy old hummer" that "bump-rubs every corner / so every crumb / of dust and fuzz vanishes / into its hum" definitely does just that -- and more.
In addition to the music of Updike's poetry, one read-aloud group loved the photos, abundant images of kids with familiar objects that inspired discussion about the listeners' own experiences. And the endpages, which got almost as much attention as the rest of the book, feature color-block squares with alternating alphabet letters and photos from the book's main pages. At least four members of the audience made a game out of matching the letters to their corresponding objects.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the fact that the book is a collection of poems themed alphabetically from A to Z. Why did the author choose that structure? Which poem was your favorite -- and why? Parents can also challenge their kids to pick a letter from the alphabet and try to write a poem of their own about a subject that starts with that letter. For a real challenge, try Q, X or Z!
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| Author: | John Updike |
| Illustrator: | David Updike |
| Book type: | Non-Fiction |
| Genre: | Poetry |
| Publication date: | January 1, 1995 |
| Number of pages: | 40 |
| Hardcover price: | $16.00 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 4 - 7 |
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