Bananas in My Ears: A Collection of Nonsense Stories, Poems, Riddles, & Rhymes
Starting with the title and cover images, this collection of nonsense verse will delight young children—and those who read to them—with the sounds of the words, and the wry small ink-and-watercolor illustrations that show uproarious scenarios in daily life. The entries are divided into four sections: Breakfast (“What if hard-boiled eggs turned into hard-boiled legs?”); Seaside (“Smelly Jelly Smelly Fish”); Doctor (showcasing the dreariness of the waiting room); and Under the Bed (“in here after dark, curtains shake and closets creak”). The wordplay and silly noises are a big part of the fun, and grown-ups, too, will appreciate the diagnosis of what’s wrong with the doctor (“Spollyollydiddlytiddlyitis”). Occasionally, Rosen deviates from silliness, as on one beautiful double-page spread that depicts the physical sound, sight, and touch of walking on the beach (“over my toes / goes / the soft sea wash”). Kids will recognize the universal situations and emotions, as in “Things You Say”: “He started it.” Once again, Rosen and Blake—both British Children’s Laureates—have created a title with long-lasting appeal. Grades 1-3. --Hazel Rochman