The Butterfly Jar
Grade 2-6 --In the tradition of Shel Silverstein's Where the Sidewalk Ends (Harper, 1974) and Jack Prelutsky's New Kid on the Block (Greenwillow, 1984), Moss presents another slightly wacky, fun-to-read collection of original poems. Although the pen-and-ink illustrations and the stark white cover seem a little too closely styled after Silverstein's books, the 80-plus poems can stand on their own merit. Some are just a few lines ("If the moon were made of cheese/ I would reach into the sky/ for a late-night snacking sandwich/of ham and moon on rye"), while others stretch to two full pages. In most cases, Moss describes common childhood adventures and misadventures with a fresh slant. Demarest's cartoonlike sketches complement the verses and are subtly humorous. A book that should achieve quick popularity. --Barbara S. McGinn, Oak Hill Elementary School, Severna Park, MDCopyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.