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Popcorn: Poems
Here is James Stevenson's follow-up to his popular poetry collection, Sweet Corn, which School Library Journal labeled in a starred review "A book to savor." Inside this volume are poems to make you laugh and poems to make you dream...and wonder ...and think. Some are exuberant and some are quirky and some are sad, but each and every one will leave you hungry for more. So open the book, dig in-and enjoy!
64 pages, Hardcover
Published April 14, 1998
3 people are currently reading
40 people want to read
About the author
James Stevenson
298 books46 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author with this name in the Goodreads databse.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 14, 2019
I thought this book was an ok book, I didn't care for it very much because it was poems about random things versus a storyline in poetry. This book was a very quick read. There was one poem that was about popcorn, so I'm not quite sure why the title is Popcorn. Maybe it was because things bounce around a lot like popcorn being made. It was really easy for me, and I needed something quick to read.
March 15, 2019
I thought this book was an ok book. I honestly just needed a quick book to read and the cover looked like it would be a good book. I am not sure why the book is called popcorn because only one poem actually talked about popcorn. I got kind of confused because it jumps around with different topics. Overall I found it boring to read but for a super quick read, it was not to bad.
October 23, 2020
First book of a sweet series of the most undemanding clever and thoughtful poetry, sold as kids books but worthy adult fare. Beautiful illustrations, Stevenson's own watercolors.
April 13, 2022
Me, as a reader, I wasn't super excited about reading this book. The illustrations are really cool to look at since they are watercolors. I am an absolute sucker for watercolors. I thought the poems were a little boring, more observational really. The topics are silly and it jumps around a lot.
As a future educator, I think this would be great to have in my library. I think these simple poems that sometimes rhyme and sometimes don't are a great way of introducing poems in general. As I said, I think a lot of them were observational but a couple of them were goofy. For example, "Romeo", a poem about a skunk wearing a tuxedo, made me giggle. I think kids would really enjoy this one.
As a future educator, I think this would be great to have in my library. I think these simple poems that sometimes rhyme and sometimes don't are a great way of introducing poems in general. As I said, I think a lot of them were observational but a couple of them were goofy. For example, "Romeo", a poem about a skunk wearing a tuxedo, made me giggle. I think kids would really enjoy this one.
February 26, 2015
Personal Reaction:
I enjoyed this book. The poems were witty and fun to read. The books are enjoyable and the illustrations relate well to the poems and provide some more insight to the poems.
Purpose:
I would use this for enjoyment for younger children because I do not think they will understand the irony in some of these poems. The different types of poems and how they are written will introduce the children to new things and help them realize that not all poems need to rhyme.
I enjoyed this book. The poems were witty and fun to read. The books are enjoyable and the illustrations relate well to the poems and provide some more insight to the poems.
Purpose:
I would use this for enjoyment for younger children because I do not think they will understand the irony in some of these poems. The different types of poems and how they are written will introduce the children to new things and help them realize that not all poems need to rhyme.
March 8, 2018
Very sweet and short book of poems. Very observational in nature. One sad poem about a dog that has dies.
September 15, 2025
Four big stars for this delightful surprise. Like some of the other reviews, seeing it was Poems by James Stevenson, I was wary it would be a tad boring. Not so! unlike other reviews. Yes, most of the poems are observational, and I like the lens through which Stevenson sees the world. Most of the poems had a slight twist that left me smiling. So enjoyable! Some of my favorite poems, short or not, are: The Bakery, Picnic Table, and Mystery. Each of them magically left me imagining more. Like The Bakery, I want to go find just what I want to eat. The Picnic Table, I'm seeing the spread of food on the table, soon to be consumed. And Mystery. I have a husband handyman who is always able to "solve" the Mystery!
These short creative plays on words left me with a "fell good" mood! Even the poem about beloved old Chelsea, the dog. It's okay if sweet memories bring tears. Well done, Mr. Stevenson!
Especially recommend for adults to read these with children for a step back to simpler times.
These short creative plays on words left me with a "fell good" mood! Even the poem about beloved old Chelsea, the dog. It's okay if sweet memories bring tears. Well done, Mr. Stevenson!
Especially recommend for adults to read these with children for a step back to simpler times.
February 10, 2019
A book on children’s poems that covers everything from popcorn to Sea Gulls. From dogs to driftwood. And, many other things in between.
December 15, 2025
Good I guess, too short though sadly
February 26, 2015
I really think that children would enjoy this books. It provides a variety of different poems in order to cater to a variety of students wants and needs. This would be a great addition to most classrooms.
Purpose:
Read aloud book for 2nd and 3rd grade poetry units
Some of these poems are lyrical rhyme poems whiles others are not. This difference in poems is good because it exposes students to a wide array of poetry and allows their creative knowledge to broaden when writing their own poetry which could be done later in the unit.
This book is most ideally placed at the beginning of a poetry unit or beginning of the school year. It will serve as a good baseline for students' needs in the realm of elementary poetry.
Purpose:
Read aloud book for 2nd and 3rd grade poetry units
Some of these poems are lyrical rhyme poems whiles others are not. This difference in poems is good because it exposes students to a wide array of poetry and allows their creative knowledge to broaden when writing their own poetry which could be done later in the unit.
This book is most ideally placed at the beginning of a poetry unit or beginning of the school year. It will serve as a good baseline for students' needs in the realm of elementary poetry.
February 24, 2015
Personal Reaction- I really like this book because it provides many types of poetry and all would be engaging for young readers. Children would love this book.
Purpose:
Read aloud to second and third grade
-enrichment and enjoyment due to the poem topics (ex. clamming, animals, boats, nature)
Curriculum: read aloud
-there are many types of poems displayed throughout this book
-some rhyme, some don't
-some list
This would be a great book to read at the beginning of a poetry unit, especially beginners.
Purpose:
Read aloud to second and third grade
-enrichment and enjoyment due to the poem topics (ex. clamming, animals, boats, nature)
Curriculum: read aloud
-there are many types of poems displayed throughout this book
-some rhyme, some don't
-some list
This would be a great book to read at the beginning of a poetry unit, especially beginners.
May 17, 2010
I enjoyed reading these humorous and clever renditions of everyday objects and occurrences and I think children would too. The illustrations are all done in watercolor and pencil and many involve just a single image. The font is changed to coincide with each poem and for the most part, I thought the chosen font complemented the text and imagery.
May 16, 2012
Recently my grown daughters and I spent an evening passing around Stevenson's delightful self-illustrated and self-composed pithy observations of collected moments. It was better than reading yearbook notes.
September 2, 2016
What do you think of when you hear the word popcorn? Well none of those thoughts have anything to do with this book. This piece is full of random poems filled with meaning. The water colored pictures with each one add a nice touch to the imagination.
December 15, 2008
a little different. the ones about his dog are very cute.
Read
December 23, 2008so simple, so great.
November 9, 2009
i love poetry books like these!
March 31, 2011
The poems in this book are whitty and fun. Humor is a big part of this poetry book. All of the poems are humorous though, but the poems in it are wonderful and kids will really enjoy them.
November 16, 2011
poignant
death of a pet poem
death of a pet poem
March 23, 2013
I never knew James Stevenson could be serious! A book of poems that are beautifully written. Short and descriptive.. perfect to use as mentor text and reading aloud.
October 28, 2013
These poems are beautifully written, short, and descriptive which makes them perfect for a read aloud. Will definitely be adding this and the rest of his work to my "buy list."
Read
April 4, 2017Book title and author/illustrator
Popcorn by James Stevenson
Opening line or sentence
Scattered along the beach today are logs, branches, tree trunks, boards, sticks, planks, and railroad ties.
Professional recommendation
Sheree Van Vreede (Children's Literature )
Popcorn is an appropriate title for this collection of poems, which consists of a wide assortment of thought-provoking "kernels." From a picnic table to the hull of the Dorothy B., to baseball fields and the ghosts in the All-Star Restaurant, these short lyrics are meant to make us "grin, think, feel, giggle, enjoy." Stevenson grasps the ordinary and makes it extraordinary. For example, his description of backyards from a train window, "Heaped with Don't-Need-It, /Where-Else-Should-We-Put-It, ... Front yards are boring. / Backyards tell stories," gives us a unique perspective. The illustrations help bring the colorful descriptions to life, making them as much a part of the poems as the words themselves.
Professional recommendation
Deborah Stevenson (The Bulletin of the Center for Children s Books, April 1998 (Vol. 51, No. 8) )
Like Sweet Corn (BCCB 3/95), this is a tidy little poetical volume, with each spread featuring one or two of Stevenson's free-verse poems accented with his casual line-and-watercolor art. The poems are mainly observations of the concrete, rather like extended formless haiku, on topics such as a sudden scent of lilacs ("May Morning"), a messy truck ("Tom's Truck"), and the mystery of inanimate denizens of the beach ("Driftwood"). The voice is friendly and confiding, and some of the imagery and concepts are clever and fresh ("A skunk ran across the road./ . . . I could swear/ He was wearing/ A tuxedo"-"Romeo"). Often, however, the poems meander prosily and the payoff is insufficient; the constantly changing typeface seems gimmicky rather than atmospheric, and the poem titles, which are appended to the page numbers like running heads, are easy to lose. These will be convenient introductions for kids just embarking on post-picture-book poetry, but for a better entree try Valerie Worth's Small Poems titles. Ad--Additional book of acceptable quality for collections needing more material in the area. Reviewed from galleys (c) Copyright 1998, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.
A brief book summary (2-3 sentences in your own words)
This book of poems has topics that range from driftwood at the beach to a skunk wearing a tuxedo. Throughout the poems, they have many themes that begin logical and then take a turn to impossible but some just explain why someone got a certain kind of ice cream.
Personal response to professional recommendations
I agree that the poem titles should be more prominent. Sometimes, they can be lost in turning the pages and it can get confusing because the reader will not know when one poem starts and another ends. The poems themselves are fun and short and more often than not leave the reader wondering and wanting more.
Thoughtful consideration of literary merit and picture book analysis using course vocabulary
This book utilizes images with every poem. It is a great way to give the reader a depiction of what the author had in mind while writing each of the poems. Each poem is not made to have a deep thought provoking meaning, instead they are meant solely for entertaining and do just that.
Description of possible instructional application.
This book should be used during a poetry lesson. There are many different types of poetry throughout this book and it would be a food follow up to the lesson to go through and try and have the children identify the types of poems throughout the book.
Popcorn by James Stevenson
Opening line or sentence
Scattered along the beach today are logs, branches, tree trunks, boards, sticks, planks, and railroad ties.
Professional recommendation
Sheree Van Vreede (Children's Literature )
Popcorn is an appropriate title for this collection of poems, which consists of a wide assortment of thought-provoking "kernels." From a picnic table to the hull of the Dorothy B., to baseball fields and the ghosts in the All-Star Restaurant, these short lyrics are meant to make us "grin, think, feel, giggle, enjoy." Stevenson grasps the ordinary and makes it extraordinary. For example, his description of backyards from a train window, "Heaped with Don't-Need-It, /Where-Else-Should-We-Put-It, ... Front yards are boring. / Backyards tell stories," gives us a unique perspective. The illustrations help bring the colorful descriptions to life, making them as much a part of the poems as the words themselves.
Professional recommendation
Deborah Stevenson (The Bulletin of the Center for Children s Books, April 1998 (Vol. 51, No. 8) )
Like Sweet Corn (BCCB 3/95), this is a tidy little poetical volume, with each spread featuring one or two of Stevenson's free-verse poems accented with his casual line-and-watercolor art. The poems are mainly observations of the concrete, rather like extended formless haiku, on topics such as a sudden scent of lilacs ("May Morning"), a messy truck ("Tom's Truck"), and the mystery of inanimate denizens of the beach ("Driftwood"). The voice is friendly and confiding, and some of the imagery and concepts are clever and fresh ("A skunk ran across the road./ . . . I could swear/ He was wearing/ A tuxedo"-"Romeo"). Often, however, the poems meander prosily and the payoff is insufficient; the constantly changing typeface seems gimmicky rather than atmospheric, and the poem titles, which are appended to the page numbers like running heads, are easy to lose. These will be convenient introductions for kids just embarking on post-picture-book poetry, but for a better entree try Valerie Worth's Small Poems titles. Ad--Additional book of acceptable quality for collections needing more material in the area. Reviewed from galleys (c) Copyright 1998, The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois.
A brief book summary (2-3 sentences in your own words)
This book of poems has topics that range from driftwood at the beach to a skunk wearing a tuxedo. Throughout the poems, they have many themes that begin logical and then take a turn to impossible but some just explain why someone got a certain kind of ice cream.
Personal response to professional recommendations
I agree that the poem titles should be more prominent. Sometimes, they can be lost in turning the pages and it can get confusing because the reader will not know when one poem starts and another ends. The poems themselves are fun and short and more often than not leave the reader wondering and wanting more.
Thoughtful consideration of literary merit and picture book analysis using course vocabulary
This book utilizes images with every poem. It is a great way to give the reader a depiction of what the author had in mind while writing each of the poems. Each poem is not made to have a deep thought provoking meaning, instead they are meant solely for entertaining and do just that.
Description of possible instructional application.
This book should be used during a poetry lesson. There are many different types of poetry throughout this book and it would be a food follow up to the lesson to go through and try and have the children identify the types of poems throughout the book.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews