Common Sense Media Review
By Jasmine Baten
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Funny, entertaining poems with lots of middle-school humor.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
HOLES IN MY UNDERWEAR is a collection of poems written by a teacher who wanted his students to be interested in studying poetry. Many types of poems are included from free verse, to rhyming, to imperfect rhymes, to narrative poems, and more. The poems cover a lot of ground, from believing in yourself to pulling pranks on your brother to yes, holes in your underwear.
Is It Any Good?
Matt Eicheldinger's hilarious and irreverent poems will have students giggling their way through English class instead of falling asleep. Holes in My Underwear is full of modern, silly, even a few thoughtful poems that are tried-and-true for today's elementary and middle schoolers. While the bathroom humor may be a bit over the top for some readers, and several poems fall flat in the execution, there's something in here for everyone.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why the author chose to use bathroom humor so often in his poems. Why do you think he wrote poems about these topics?
There aren't really main characters in these poems, even in the illustrations. Most of the poems are in first person "I" or addressed to "you" (the reader). Why do you think the author chose to do this?
The author talks about writing these poems for his students to study in class. What can we learn about poems that have been written by teachers?
Poetry is form of communication. Do you like to express your ideas in poetry? Do you like reading it? Why or why not?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Matthew Eicheldinger
- Genre : Poetry
- Topics : Family Stories ( Dads , Moms , Siblings ) , Friendship , School ( Elementary School , Middle School )
- Character Strengths : Communication , Curiosity
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC
- Publication date : September 9, 2025
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 10
- Number of pages : 176
- Available on : Paperback, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 19, 2025
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