Doodle Soup
Grade 3 Up That Ciardi loves language and delights in its subtleties and richness is clear in his new collection of poetry for children. Consistently well-written, the light verse is rousing and witty, and fairly insists on being read aloud. But perhaps the tenor of the collection can best be shown through excerpts: need, for example, "A Lesson in Manners"? "You should never be bad till you've been fed." Or insight into success? "There was a fine swimmer named Jack /Who swam ten miles outand nine back! /(What more can I tell you? That boy had style, /But in the end, he missedby a mile.)" Or, perhaps, advice on trapping moose? "My advice to you is LEAVE THEM ALONE /(Unless you are braver than you are bright)." Children will especially appreciate the mischievous surprises and naughty anecdotes as well as the author's keen perceptions about what will delight them. Nacht's pen-and-ink outlines, some with washes in shades of gray, are zany and expressive and totally in keeping with the spirit of the collection. Young or once-young, most readers will find this encounter with poetry irresistible. Lee Bock, Brown County Public Libraries, Green Bay, Wis.Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.