Poetry
Sara Grajek
September 23, 2007

Ask a third grader and chances are they can tell you all about Where the Sidewalk Ends. They can tell you about being eaten by a boa constrictor, the recipe for a hippopotamus sandwich, and how everyone who is a "dreamer, a wisher, a liar, a hope-er, a pray-er, a magic bean buyer...." is invited to come sit by Shel Silverstein's fire and listen to his book of poetry. Where the Sidewalk Ends might be one of the best-known works of children's poetry, and it is certainly one of the most popular at Rowan Public Library. On the shelves surrounding Shel Silverstein's classic book are his other collections of poetry as well as those by other poets. Stop by the library someday and check them out.

One of my personal favorites, Please Bury me in the Library by J. Patrick Lewis, is a collection of poems with a literary theme. Selections are titled, "Reading in the Dark," What if Books Had Different Names," and "Summer Reading at the Beach." Full- page illustrations accompany each poem to further enhance them. Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow, by Joyce Sidman offers a science lesson cleverly disguised as a poetry riddle. Moving throughout the day, from morning to night, this book takes the reader on an adventure through the meadows with poems about grasshoppers, hawks, rabbits, and even a fox.

If you are very brave, you can check out Big, Bad and Scary: Poems that Bite Back illustrated by Wade Zahares. This is a collection of poems by well known authors and poets, with one thing in common; creatures featured in this book all slither, stalk, swoop or bite! Snakes, alligators, lions, bats and sharks are stars of this book and Zahares has done a great job illustrating them. For those seeking a bit of humor, try Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich by Adam Rex. Filled with poems about classic movie monsters, Frankenstein is joined by Count Dracula, the Mummy, and Godzilla. Except, they don't quite act as expected in this collection of tales; the "Invisible Man Gets a Haircut," "Count Dracula Doesn't Know He's Been Walking Around All Night With Spinach in His Teeth" and of course, "Frankenstein Makes a Sandwich."

If reading all of these poems inspires your children to try writing their own and you'd like some advice, read Wishes, Lies and Dreams: Teaching Children to Write Poetry by Kenneth Koch. And don't forget the timeless words of Shel Silverstein, "if you are a dreamer, come in." That is what poetry is all about, and Rowan Public Library's poetry collection can keep you dreaming for as long as you want. So come on in.