Poem Depot: Aisles of Smiles
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The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that author, poet, and illustrator Douglas Florian's Poem Depot: Aisles of Smiles is a kid-friendly, rhyming poetry collection that totally delivers on its subtitle -- it's virtually guaranteed to give smiles and in some cases belly laughs. Each of the 170 clever, often absurdist nonsense poems is illustrated by an inviting, kid-like line drawing. This entertaining collection's great for hooking reluctant readers or anyone with a sense of humor!
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What's the story?
POEM DEPOT: AISLES OF SMILES features short, funny rhyming poems arranged in the "aisles" of a virtual store under labels such as "Wit & Whimsy," "Jests & Jives," and "Tons of Puns." The entertaining poems reflect a kid's-eye view of the world with funny observations about real life (having to clean your room, getting a cold) and crazy, absurdist imaginings about such things as: having a talking dog, being eaten by an alligator, swimming from Japan to Australia, a girl waking up and noticing her nose and mouth are missing and her toes are where her ears are supposed to be, a boy losing his appetite and looking for it everywhere, and a nose that's running -- literally.
Is it any good?
The poems in Poem Depot: Aisles of Smiles are perfect for kids: They're short, funny, silly, and easy to gobble up quickly or savor bit by bit. Each one has a good comic punch, and the kid-like line drawings that accompany each are inviting and often amplify the joke.
Talk to your kids about ...
What's cool about poetry? How is it different from prose writing?
Does poetry always have to rhyme? Have you read poems that don't rhyme (called free verse)?
Try writing a funny poem about something in real life. Then write one about something crazy that doesn't really exist!
Book details
- Author: Douglas Florian
- Illustrator: Douglas Florian
- Genre: Poetry
- Topics: Magic and Fantasy, Cats, Dogs, and Mice, Friendship, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires, Robots, Wild Animals
- Book type: Non-Fiction
- Publisher: Dial
- Publication date: March 20, 2014
- Publisher's recommended age(s): 9 - 11
- Number of pages: 154
- Available on: Nook, Hardback, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: February 15, 2019
Our editors recommend
For kids who love poetry and writing
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