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It's raining pigs & noodles: Poems

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The poet laureate of the young set is back, with his artist laureate collaborator, to "take another swipe at stuffiness."- Here are more than one hundred poems bursting to be read, chanted, laughed over, and remembered.It would be hard to find a schoolage kid who has not read or heard a Prelutsky poem and who does not want to hear another. He plays with the language and encourages readers to revel in the game. Puns, jokes, wordplay and shape play, wit, silliness, slapstick, and joy abound. Some of the poems are about people, some are about animals. And some are about things that never were (and that one hopes never will be). Be Read a poem once and you will love it. Read it several times and it will be part of you forever.

159 pages, Paperback

First published August 22, 2000

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680 people want to read

About the author

Jack Prelutsky

148 books233 followers
Jack Prelutsky is an American poet. He attended New York public schools, and later the High School of Music and Art and Hunter College. Prelutsky, who has also worked as a busboy, furniture mover, folk singer, and cab driver, claims that he hated poetry in grade school because of the way it was taught. He is the author of more than 30 poetry collections including Nightmares: Poems to Trouble Your Sleep< and A Pizza the Size of the Sun. He has also compiled countless children's anthologies comprised of poems of others'. Jack Prelutsky was married to Von Tre Venefue, a woman he had met in France. They divorced in 1995, but Jack remarried. He currently lives in Washington state with his wife, Carolyn. He befriended a gay poet named Espiritu Salamanca in 1997 and both now work together in writing poems and stories for children and adults alike.

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5 stars
421 (43%)
4 stars
339 (34%)
3 stars
179 (18%)
2 stars
22 (2%)
1 star
11 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews
Profile Image for MissDziura.
65 reviews
March 14, 2010
I have always been a fan of Jack Prelutsky's poetry and It's Raining Pigs & Noodles does not dissapoint. There are poems in here that are appropriate for readers aged 6-60. His poetry is all very humorous and light-hearted, and range from the traditional to the unique. My favorite poem, "I'm Ironing my Rhinoceros" is a delightful poem about a girl who wants to get her rhinoceros "smooth and sublime." One of the great features of Prelutsky's poetry is that he is not afraid to use some complex vocabulary interspersed within more simpler language as a way to expose readers to a wider bredth of vocabulary. I think as a language arts resource Prelutsky's poems can serve as excellent examples for students working on a poetry unit. I think that his poems open students up to being funny and creative in their work. I highly recommend all of Prelutsky's titles to be part of any language arts or elementary classroom library.
Profile Image for Bri Caraker.
16 reviews
October 25, 2021
It’s Raining Pigs and Noodles by author Jack Prelutsky is a collection of poems, some written in prose but most in verse. These witty masterpieces make for a hilarious and engaging read. Despite untraditional formatting for some, the poems were edited very well as to not get cut off in the gutter. Many of these poems have a narrative quality to them, making them familiar and accessible to young readers just getting into poetry. This book was genuinely fun to read, despite having to watch out for noodles from the sky!
Profile Image for Kennedy Fiscus.
16 reviews
October 19, 2021
Yet another amazing verse collection by author Jack Prelutsky. A great book for young readers getting started in poetry, as the rhyming from stanza to stanza makes the words flow and easy to understand. Illustrator James Stevenson does a wonderful job creating illustrations to accompany the poems. These humorous poems are great for readers of all ages. I highly recommend this collection and anything by Jack Prelutsky!
Profile Image for Amber Goebel.
38 reviews3 followers
February 12, 2017
Jack Prelutsky is famous for his zany, silly poems. If you like this kind of humor, then you will love this book. The poems are not too long and often rhyme, which I think makes them appeal to young children. They are also often absurd, so again, hilarious to kids. The illustrations are just as goofy as the text. I think the poems from this collection would be a fun way to introduce children to poetry in a way that is playful. They would also be good for a brain break in the classroom!
Profile Image for Dawn Feicht.
58 reviews1 follower
October 6, 2020
This book is filled with children's poems that are meant for the fourth grade level. As an adult, I enjoyed this book! I thought the poems were cute, funny and engaging. I think it will be a great addition to teacher classrooms.
Profile Image for Ryk Stanton.
1,725 reviews16 followers
May 13, 2015
I really enjoy Jack Prelutsky's poetry. I haven't managed to get my kids to sit still to listen to much of it, but I'm getting poems into their heads here and there. I don't have anything new to say about this one that I did not say about the previous one I read, but if you haven't read JP (and especially if you have kids of any age) then you definitely should.
Profile Image for James Biser.
3,795 reviews20 followers
July 17, 2021
This is a fun collection of poems. The audiobook is accompanied with a band and sung. It is a great, fun listen.
20 reviews1 follower
December 5, 2018
Two of my favorite poems are in this book. I Ate a Tooth this Morning, and I'm Stuck Inside a Seashell.

Summary: I Ate a Tooth this Morning is about a girl who sat down for breakfast and her tooth fell out. It pooped into her cereal by accident and she ate it. She is sad to say that she will never see her tooth again.

Review: I love the poem I Ate a Tooth this Morning because as a kid I was always nervous that I might also loose a tooth inside of something I was eating. I think this poem is very relatable for children. I also think that the little illustration at the bottom matches very well, as you can see the nervousness in the girls face.

I might pair this poem with any other poems in this collection of poems, as all of these poems have humor and rhythm.

Juicy Quote: "I'm sorry that is happened, and I'm sorrier to say that I will never see again that tooth I ate today." This quote is a good quote as you can hear the rhythm and pacing with this line of the poem, so it can be used to teach those thing about poetry to young students.

Summary: I'm Stuck Inside a Seashell is about someone who got stuck inside of a seashell. The person went into the seashell and just kept going further in until they got lost. The person is nervous that he or she will never get out and there is no where left to go.

Review: I love the poem I'm Stuck Inside a Seashell mostly because it is a concrete poem. The poem is shaped like the spiral of a seashell. I love this poem also because I love the beach and I have often wondered what it must be like for the animals that live inside seashells.

I would pair this poem with other concrete poems to help teach students about creating that type of poem. In a Twist is another example of a concrete poem.

Juicy Quote: "I am winding winding winding through this narrow spiral shape, and I'm sorry that I entered, for it seems there's no escape." This is a good quote from the poem because it matches the concrete picture of the poem. The students can visualize what it must be like for the person stuck inside the shell.
Profile Image for Alyssa Clark.
60 reviews1 follower
November 14, 2017
1. This book has won three awards. The Parents' Choice Gold Award, the IRA/CBC Teachers' Choice, and the IRA/CBC Children's Choice.
2. I would recommend this book for preschool through first grade.
3. In this silly poetry book, it is raining; however, it isn't just ordinary rain. Pigs, noodle, chrysanthemums, and noodles are pouring from the sky. Isn't that more fun than ordinary rain?
4. I like this poetry book because the rhymes are a lot of fun. Like in the book Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, I think students would enjoy the creativity of this author and imagining different objects, animals, and food falling from the sky. This poetry book invites readers to use their imagination.
5. Like Jack Prelutsky, I would try to do something creative with this poetry book. One thing I might do in class is have students add to the poem. What animals, foods, and objects would they add on to the poem? Another activity I would do is have the students draw their favorite line from the poem. Also, I could relate this poem back to Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs by Judi Barrett. I could have older students use a venn diagram and compare and contrast the two books.
5 reviews
February 27, 2018
It’s Raining Pigs and Noodles is a book people of all ages would enjoy. When first getting this book of poems I was very reluctant due to the title, but it was fantastic grab! This book is full of small poems that are all hilarious. Some of the poems have very complicated words that would be harder for the younger ages to understand, while other poems have very simple words for the younger ages. The poems in this book leave a lot of room for imagination and creativity. “I am Winding Through a Maze” was one of my favorites being that it was in the shape of a maze and made reading the poem entertaining.
No matter what subject I teach, this is a book I would bring out to read to my students after a tough day of testing or to bring the students back into the lesson after recess. With many of the poems in this book, conversations can be had with the class for text to self, world, or even other texts. Along with that, the students would also be able to critically think with a partner as to what the pome truly means. After reading these poems, students will have a better understanding of how poems are to be written, allowing them to create their own.
26 reviews
November 30, 2020
1. Awards the book has received (if any): The Parents' Choice Gold Award, the IRA/CBC Children's Choice, the IRA/CBC Teacher's Choice

2. Appropriate grade level(s): Pre-K-2

3. Original 3-line summary: This book is filled with lots of silly, fun poems, beginning with one named after the title, 'It's Raining Pigs and Noodles'. Some are short while others are lengthy, and a few are actually in an unconventional format. For example, one is in the shape of a star, and another in the shape of an infinity sign.

4. Original 3-line review: Every one of these poems has a comical twist and are so whimsical. They are fun to read and do not have to be read in any specific order. Scrolling through these pages is just so entertaining. And the rhyme is extremely catchy, almost like they can be songs.

5. 2-3 possible in-class uses: After reading some of these poems as a class, the students can go off on their own, and try to write their own. It can be as silly as they want, but should contain a steady rhyme. They can also create illustrations to go with the poems by using some creativity. Either of these would be fun for early elementary students.
26 reviews
December 8, 2018
Award: Parent’s Choice Gold Award
Grade Levels = Pre-K, 1-2, 3-5

Summary:
Book filled with poems ranging from all sorts of silliness, play on words and funny jokes. There was a poem about food getting old in the fridge and another about gummies invading the world. This collection of poems are creative and are made with different types of styles.

Review:
Children are gonna love the way each poem is different from the next. Each poem has its own silly story and way of representing themselves. There was a poem about stars so the words took the form of a star. Students can be creative when they write and this book would be a huge inspiration.

Possible Lesson Plans:
Students can write their own silly poem and they too can write it in different styles. Students can learn how to incorporate alliteration and other literary styles into their writing. Teachers can ask students to pick a poem and try to find their favorite parts in those poems and expand the line/stanza into their own writing.
54 reviews1 follower
November 29, 2017
Grade level: Preschool- Second grade
Awards: Parents' Choice Gold Award, IRA/CBC Teachers' Choice, and IRA/CBC Children's Choice Award
Summary: It's Raining Pigs and Noodles by Jack Prelutsky is a collection of poems that all ages could enjoy. These poems are witty, silly, and absurd. The poems are short and appealing to young readers.
Review: These poems are so funny and appealing to all readers. I will definitely be buying a copy to keep in my classroom. The poems capture the imagination and creativity of everyone who reads them. Once you read one of Prelutsky's poems you will recite them over and over again. The illustrations are just as silly as the poems themselves.
Classroom uses: This book could be used in the classroom to teach rhyme, rhythm, new vocabulary words, etc. As an activity students could be encouraged to write their own silly poems and share them with their classmates.
Profile Image for McKenzie Richardson.
Author 68 books67 followers
October 14, 2022
For more bookish thoughts, see my blog: Craft-Cycle

Another fun collection from Prelutsky, complete with wonderful illustrations from James Stevenson. Filled with silly tales told with Prelutsky's characteristic wit, wordplay, and flowing style.

I especially enjoyed the visual poems such as the spiral formation of "I Am Stuck Inside a Seashell", the fading text of "Hello and Good-Bye", the back and forth pattern of "Zigzag", and "I Am Winding Through a Maze", which does just that. Others make use of different font sizes and styles, which add a fun element to reading. Perfect for anyone who thinks they don't like poetry.

A great collection for young readings and those who enjoy life's silliness. Prelutsky brings humor to household chores, the animal kingdom, food, and growing up.
Profile Image for Kirsten Himmerich.
28 reviews1 follower
December 10, 2019
Book Title: It's Raining Pigs & Noodles
Author/Illustrator: Jack Prelutsky/ James Stevenson
Reading Level: MG
Book Level: 6.0
Book Summary: This book of poetry is a great way to introduce students to what poems can be about as well as how creative you can be with poems visually.
Bookshelf Mentor Writing Traits: For this mentor text I chose presentation writing trait because it does a fantastic job of modeling how you can make good use of the white space. I would encourage students to come up with creative ways to write their poems that makes good use of the white space on a page. Another writing trait for this text is sentence- fluency. It is a great mentor text for any unit or introduction to poetry and shows how some poems flow while others seem to break that sense in order to actually flow.
Profile Image for Dixie Maier.
20 reviews1 follower
November 8, 2018
“It’s Raining Pigs and Noodles” is a collection of poetry intended for children 7 to 12 years old.

Jack Prelutsky’s “It’s Raining Pigs and Noodles” is a collection of poetry that is hilariously funny
and completely unexpected.

I gave this book a 5-star rating. This is one of the funniest collections of poetry that I’ve read
It has the ability to make anyone laugh, especially children who laugh at almost everything.
While the language in these poems may be advanced, I believe that children will understand the message and story of each poem. The illustrations that come along with each poem truly captures the main idea of each poem, as well as serving as a comedic element. Overall, this collection of poetry is hilariously funny and anyone with a sense of humor will laugh.
Profile Image for Cara LoPresti.
27 reviews
November 30, 2018
1. This book has not won any awards
2. It is appropriate for 1st- 5th grade
3. This book is full of poems that are unique in context as well as shape.
4. This book is super creative and not like anything you have heard before. It contains silly, yet well thought out poems that leaves children begging you to read more.
5. This book can be used in a classroom to talk about different forms that poems can be written in. Some of the poems in the book are longer or shorter than the others, they also come in various forms. This book can also be used in the classroom to have students listen to the story and pick one line to draw. It can help students with descriptive writing as well as listening skills.
16 reviews
October 28, 2021
This poetry book is a series of poems beginning with "It's Raining Pigs & Noodles", which is on the title page. These silly poems are hilarious and will have your kids laughing their bodies out of their chairs. The poems are about people, animals, and unrealistic things. The language used is entertaining with the use of puns and wordplay. The illustrations are in black and white coloring and very delicately drawn; however, the title page is colored in calm pastel colors. seeing the title page colored and illustrated in this way made me think the poetry was going to be funny and adorable. My thoughts were not wrong because I was laughing reading this to 4-year-olds. I would shelf this book as poetry.
Profile Image for BunnyMoustache.
15 reviews
June 8, 2023
I found this book on a bottom shelf at my school library when I was in third grade.

A rainy day called for an indoor recess, and bored out of my mind, I went down to the furthest corner of the library and started to skim the shelves - when I came across this book.

“It’s raining PIGS AND NOODLES??”

This book was so funny - it gave me and my friends a very good laugh. We finished around four of the poems right there on the library floor before we could bear to stop reading and get it signed out before the end of recess.

We all ended up picking proms from this specific book for our poetry read aloud assignment a few months after - our teacher was not disappointed!

A hilarious collection of poetry that’s just perfect for brightening up your day - worth reading!
19 reviews
December 12, 2023
This is a poetry book. This book has won several awards. They are awarded the Parents’ Choice Gold Award, IRA/CBC Teachers’ Choice, and IRA/CBC Children’s Choice. This book is for kid five and up. The poems feature a variety of topics ranging from animals to food to everyday objects though out the poems. The poems are whimsical and imaginative nature, with many of them featuring animals, food, and weather. The author use language that is simple and easy to understand for younger kids. which makes it an excellent choice for young readers. Some of the themes in the book are nature, humor, and absurdity. The poems are written in a variety of styles. for example, including rhyming couplets, free verse, and haiku. I think kids would love this book.

12/12/2023
9 reviews
April 4, 2019
It's Raining Pigs and Noodles is full of hilarious, off the wall poems that both children and adults can enjoy. The poems are fun and creative, keeping the reader engaged and entertained. I think anyone could find a poem here that they enjoy no matter their age. I think this would be a great source for Kindergarten through third grade. These poems could be used as a way to hook students and grab their attention at the beginning of a poetry unit. These silly poems would be a great way to engage students attention. These poems can also be used in the classroom as a great source to help teach students about rhyming and rhyming patterns. This would also be a great book for read alouds.
33 reviews1 follower
October 28, 2021
It’s Raining Pigs and Noodles is a Children’s Poetry Book written by Jack Prelusky and illustrated by James Stevenson. Prelusky’s poetry is lighthearted silliness with lots of rhyming and wordplay. The illustrations are in black and white while the art style for some characters has this comic-strip-like appearance. This book could be recommended to grades 1-4 but mostly for kids that are into poetry. Some of the writing on the poems can seem a bit advanced but there are simple poems in this book. Children can enjoy the silly humor from this book as it can teach them about rhyming and creating their poems.
Profile Image for Melanie Duvic.
83 reviews
April 20, 2023
Children and adults will both find the poetry in It's Raining Pigs and Noodles to be funny and outrageous. As a result of the poetry' creativity and enjoyment, the reader will be amused throughout. Anybody, regardless of age, I believe, may find a poem here that they like. For grades K through 3, I believe this would be a terrific book. At the start of a poetry unit, these poems could be utilized as a hook to draw students in and keep their interest. The students'  attention would be captured beautifully by these hilarious poems. These poems are also an excellent resource for teaching students about rhyme schemes and rhyming. An excellent read-aloud option might be this book.
Profile Image for Paige Hirsch.
22 reviews
June 13, 2017
1. The book "It's Raining Pigs and Noodles" by Jack Prelutsky is a compilation of humerus poems for young children. Children can enjoy the use of poetry and of word play.

2. This book is great to make students laugh and enjoy poetry from the start. It can be part of a poetry unit showing the different styles of authors. Students can role play and pretend to be part of these poems.

3. I would pair this book with "A Pocketful of Poems" by Nikki Grimes.

4. "It's raining pigs and noodles, It's pouring frogs and hats, chrysanthemum and poodles, bananas, brooms and cats."
24 reviews
June 21, 2018
Summary:
This is a series of poems. Jack is a person who is very silly so he needs his fill of silliness every day. All of the poems are humorous and it will draw students in. Sometimes, students do not want to read poetry because they think it i s boring. Having humorous poems will help appeal to students more.

Review:
I like that the poems are humorous. I like the fact that they show you can be serious and silly, but you just need a balance. This can teach literary elements in poetry while entertaining students. They won't find it boring and may actually enjoy analyzing poetry.






103 reviews2 followers
October 4, 2018
Jack Prelutsky is a great poet and this is just another example of his work. The poems in this book are so clever and can easily keep the attention of an elementary student to read. This book contains poems that cover all sorts of topics - from animals to people and life, basically anything you can think of, there is probably a poem for it in this book. Along with poems, there is usually some type of image on the page with the poem. This would be a great book to read to your class or also just to have in your class library for access.
Profile Image for Amanda Badgett.
22 reviews
February 3, 2020
Jack Prelutsky is famous for his silly poems. If you like this kind of humor, then you will love this book. The poems are not too long and often rhyme, which I think makes them appeal to young children. This type of humor is not really my style but most kids find this humor hilarious. The illustrations are just as goofy as the text. I think the poems from this collection would be a fun way to introduce children to poetry in a way that is playful. They would also be good for a brain break in the classroom!
20 reviews
November 6, 2020
The genre of this book is poetry. This is one of my favorite series of poems, I remember reading these when I was a child in elementary school. I specifically love these poems because they are all a combination of humor and rhyme that creates a fun and engaging beat to the words. I would definitely use this in my classroom as a book for students to chose for independent reading if they want to read poetry. This book would also be a great text for teaching simple rhyming through read aloud. This would be a fun text for children to read out loud with the teacher and follow along.
Profile Image for AFIFA ALAM RAISA.
90 reviews4 followers
January 21, 2022
A collection of over a hundred hilarious poems suitable for juvenile readers. It is not difficult to assume from the unusual and captivating title that the poems are the wild output of a brilliant mind. From ironing a rhinoceros to shaving a teddy bear, the book contains all sorts of crazy ideas in the form of rhyming poems. To make things more unique and fun, some of the poems appear in interesting shapes and structures.

Although it is primarily for children, anyone looking for a good laugh or a light read can dive into the book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 181 reviews

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