Poetry: Jack Prelutsky

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Prelutsky, Jack. 2000. IT'S RAINING PIGS AND NOODLES. Ill. by James Stevenson. New York: Greenwillow Books.
ISBN 0060763906

2. PLOT SUMMARY
This fourth collection of funny poems by hilarious duo, Prelutsky and Stevenson, contains more than 100 poems. Titles such as "My Underdog is Overweight", "Chocolate-Covered Salami", and "I've Turned Into a Carrot" invite young readers to romp through the pages. Included in this collection are poems about gross food, fantastical animals, and children-- both everyday and unusual.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
With perfect rhythm and rhyme, these uproarious poems beg to be read aloud by students and teachers. With smooth cadence, and sometimes nonsense words, each poem is a delight for the mouth. Prelutsky plays with typeface and shape, with such poems as infinity shaped poem, "I'm Caught Up in Infinity", and "Zigzag", which unfolds in a zigzag shape complete with backwards words. Stevenson's whimsical drawings are simple, yet they complement the poems perfectly, adding to the fun. All of the poems except two are original to this edition, and two indexes are included to aid the readers--one is listed by title, the other by first lines of the poem. Prelutsky's voice bellows through this collection of timeless poetry, which is sure to be a hit among poet enthusiasts, and even students who claim to disdain poetry.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
* PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY: "The sassy selection of nonsense rhymes and puckish poems will further endear Prelutsky to his many fans. Meanwhile, partner-in-crime Stevenson peppers the pages with his inimitably impish sketches."
* SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "The verse is fresh and catchy with sparking wordplay and unexpected rhymes, and Stevenson's line drawings project the humor with verve."
* BOOKLIST: "The words have a bouncing rhythm that's great for reading aloud, and Stevenson's small, scribbly, casual ink drawings extend the humor with character and mischief."

5. CONNECTIONS
* Have students pick their favorite poem to read aloud from the collection.
* Have students try their hand at writing a concrete poem, or a funny rhyming poem, using these poems as inspiration.
* Read other collections by Prelutsky and Stevenson, including:
SOMETHING BIG HAS BEEN HERE
0688964345
A PIZZA THE SIZE OF THE SUN
0688132359
THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK
0688022715