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Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and Immature Grown-Ups
I'm Just No Good at Rhyming: And Other Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and Immature Grown-Ups
Meet Chris Harris, the 21st-century Shel Silverstein! Already lauded by critics as a worthy heir to such greats as Silverstein, Seuss, Nash and Lear, his hilarious debut poetry collection molds wit and wordplay, nonsense and oxymoron, and visual and verbal sleight-of-hand in masterful ways that make you look at the world in a whole new wonderfully upside-down way. With enthusiastic endorsements from bestselling luminaries as Lemony Snicket, Judith Viorst, Andrea Beaty, and many others, this entirely unique collection offers a surprise around every corner: from the ongoing rivalry between the author and illustrator, to the mysteriously misnumbered pages that can only be deciphered by a certain code-cracking poem, to the rhyming fact-checker in the footnotes who points out when "poetic license" gets out of hand. Adding to the fun: Lane Smith, bestselling creator of beloved hits like It's a Book and The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, has spectacularly illustrated this extraordinary collection with nearly one hundred pieces of appropriately absurd art. It's a mischievous match made in heaven!
192 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 26, 2017
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1366 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 472 reviews
January 10, 2020
A fun collection of poems and amusing epigrams that will make you giggle and may even teach you a lesson or two. Some of my favorites:
Grown-ups Are Better (I)
The Good-child Test
Alphabet Book (by the Laziest Artist in the World)
The Last Time I Ever Went Down to Breakfast Without Making My Bed
‘Tis Better…
The Little Hurts
Silly and fun, clever and creative, yet thoughtful and insightful, there’s a lot of sense rolled into this nonsense. A playful read that the whole family will enjoy.
Grown-ups Are Better (I)
The Good-child Test
Alphabet Book (by the Laziest Artist in the World)
The Last Time I Ever Went Down to Breakfast Without Making My Bed
‘Tis Better…
The Little Hurts
Silly and fun, clever and creative, yet thoughtful and insightful, there’s a lot of sense rolled into this nonsense. A playful read that the whole family will enjoy.
November 10, 2017
What exactly constitutes a celebrity children’s book these days? See, it all used to be so simple when it was just actors and musicians inflicting their words on our young. In the good old days you could count on a book by Madonna to be crummy, Jay Leno to be offensive, and Mario Lopez to be . . . well, you can probably figure that one out on your own. They were schlock, one and all, and while you might get the occasional decent book by John Lithgow or Jamie Lee Curtis, by and large celebrity picture books were a bane on the marketplace and that’s that. Then came the writers. That hurt. It was odd enough when you had artsy musicians like Colin Meloy writing full-blown novels alongside guys like Jason Segal and Chris Colfer, but when the screenwriters started getting in on the act things got weird. Look! There’s B.J. Novak knocking it out of the park with his The Book With No Pictures. Daily Show writer Josh Lieb didn’t do too badly when he wrote the middle grade novel, I Am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to Be Your Class President. But by far, the best book to come out of that cesspool of mediocre dribble known as Hollywood has got to be I’m Just No Good at Rhyming by writer and producer Chris Harris. It just chaps my hide. Where does this guy get off not only writing a funny book of middle grade poetry but writing it so bloody WELL? Funniest book of the year for kids? Gosh, there’s a lot of competition out there but. . . . YES, YES, ALL RIGHT, YOU GOT ME! This is probably the funniest book of 2017 for kids. And believe you me, I say this under duress. Doggone talented writer people.
“Do You Love Dinosaurs? Well, tough luck! There are NO DINOSAURS in this ENTIRE BOOK.” I don’t usually quote the inside book flap of a book when I summarize a collection of poetry, but I think that sets the tone for “I’m Just No Good at Rhyming” by Chris Harris pretty darn well. Irreverent? You don’t know the half of it. Chris Harris pulls together ribald, funny poems with such titles as “Just Because I’m a Turkey Sandwich and Some Chips Doesn’t Mean I Don’t Have Feelings Too, You Know!”, “The Island Where Everyone’s Toby” and “The Nursery Rhyme ‘Little Boy Blue,’ With Some Words Replaced by Delicious Greek Food.” In the course of the poetry, of course, illustrator Lane Smith and Harris knock heads, even as the poems veer between gentle/sweet and wackadoodle/goofy. But that’s okay. If it means watching a kid laugh out loud over a poem, you can bet it’s all worth it.
Librarians, booksellers, independent reviewers like myself, we all adhere to a code of unspoken rules. Here’s one of my favorites: Thou shalt not compare a new children’s book to a classic author, illustrator, or title every time you happen to like what it’s doing. One good example: Shel Silverstein. The fellow who wrote A Light in the Attic and Where the Sidewalk Ends. For my generation the man basically redefined what funny poetry could do. And sure, you can go back in time as far as Edward Lear if you really wanted to establish some early funny children’s poetry (has anyone ever released Lear’s poetry in a Silverstein-esque style, by the way?) but it was Shel that made it cool for late 20th century kids like myself. Heck, without him we never would have gotten all those Jack Prelutsky collections. Many have tried to imitate the man, but the thing about Shel was that he didn’t rely on the old standards. He was new and disgusting and captivating. You read his books partly out of a desire to be amused and partly because you were too terrified to stop. Now I’ve looked into this Chris Harris fellow. He appears to be a little bit older than me but not by much. Prime Silverstein fandom age. And though I am aware that I am breaking my own cardinal rule by saying this, it cannot be left unsaid: The man is as funny as Silverstein. There. I said it. Run me out of town on a rail, but it’s true. Harris has “it”.
A book of collected poems for children can go one of two directions. It can either remain a random assortment of poetry, unlinked items floating freely on 220+ pages OR it can had some sort of form and function and purpose and (dare I mention it?) plot! Shel sort of eschewed this method, but I like it. For this reason, Harris loads his book down with callbacks, running gags, and a storyline involving the antipathy between Harris and his illustrator that ultimately culminates in the author images and bios at the back of the book. What this does is reward those readers that systematically read the poetry in the correct order, front to back. Which, when you think about it, sort of goes against the spontaneous feel of the book itself. For a collection of lightly controlled anarchy, it’s weird that the kids that duly read every page from beginning to end will have a distinct advantage over those kids that prefer to dip in and out. Them’s the breaks, I guess. Let that be a lesson to you, children. Never dip.
But you can’t be funny all of the time. Not really. Because that’s the problem with these fancy writerly types. They actually seem to want to “write”. It’s the worst! You think you’re safe with the usual fare involving Cyclops wearing glasses and the like and then out of nowhere you get a poem like “The World’s Best Offer” which is actually quite sweet and warm and affectionate towards fathers. Don’t be too surprised. Silverstein would do the same thing. Remember his poem “Hug-a-War”? No? Then you’re lucky. It is fortunate for all of us that Harris is much better at drawing meaning out of his poems than Shel ever was. The proof is in the pudding. Which is to say, in the last long poem in the book. It’s called “Let’s Meet Right Here in Twenty-Five Years” and it has the distinct pleasure of only letting you in on the joke after a while. The poem is written by this book itself, urging the young reader to come back in twenty-five years to pick this book up one last time. I’ll admit it. It kind of made me tear up a little. Because while “I’m Just No Good at Rhyming” relies on silly jokes to get the kids reading in the first place, poems like this one give young readers something to think about long after the pages have closed.
There are occasional misfires, but that comes with any anthology, whether it’s short stories or poems or collected comics. The question is not whether the book is a pristine work of perfection, gleaming with an inner light of untainted glory. Rather, it’s a question of ratios. What is the ratio of good stuff to bad in this book? I’d say Harris bats around a (quickly does research to find out what a good batting average might sound like) .275. He knocks it out of the park (I’m sticking with this baseball metaphor for some reason) more often than not. So, for every “Mummy’s Lament” (a tired series of movie monster and old person clichés) you’ll get ten “Infinity Poem”s. And I’ll be the first to admit that humor is subjective and what you find funny I may not find amusing at all, and vice versa. That said, I’ve yet to find anyone who read through this book and didn’t feel a deep and abiding affection for it afterwards. Misfires and quirks aside.
Imagine for a moment that you are the editor that finds this manuscript on their desk. Your job, after acquiring it, is to find it just the right illustrator. You’re going to want someone cool. There are lots of folks out there that are more than willing to illustrate poetry, but are they cool enough? A book of this sort demands art that complements the work and doesn’t detract from it BUT is funny in its own right. You see the problem? There are loads of good artists out there, but could any of them contribute the sheer number of illustrations this kind of a book might require? As the editor on this, I would probably have tried Jon Klassen, toyed with the notion of Bob Staake, considered Christian Robinson, and perhaps even begged Kate Beaton for a moment or two. Lane Smith, I hate to say it, was an inspired choice. Cool? Yeah. He’s cool. Funny? Well you pick up The Stinky Cheese Man and tell me what YOU think, eh? If a guy can illustrate Math Curse then he can certainly come up with something adequate for a poem about a one-legged centipede called “The Unipede”. And while every part of this book (the dedications, index, book flaps, cover behind the jacket, etc.) is open to silliness, Smith’s description of his process on the publication page is anything but ribald. In all seriousness we learn that the pictures here were created “with India ink on vellum, which was pressed onto watercolor paper to create a blotted line effect. The color, painted in oil over gesso, was scanned and added digitally on a secondary layer under the ink-line.” You get all that? The color palette is subdued, mostly browns and grays with the occasional pink or blue or green for spice. Again, it means your attention goes primarily to the words, which is both good and bad. Good, because these are some great words at work here. Bad, because the art’s pretty great and worth considering as well.
I’m not going to tell you what age to read this book to your kids, because it’s going to be different for every kid. Some 10-12 year olds will find it on their own (particularly the ones who ask their librarians for more funny stuff “like A Light in the Attic”). Other kids might prove older, or even younger. My six-year-old and three-year-old are VERY fond of “The Sweetest Lullaby Ever (For Parents to Tell Their Children)”. So am I, for that matter. That’s the problem with Chris Harris. He makes you love his work, even when you’re trying desperately to find something wrong with it. I will say this much then: If Mr. Harris thinks his job here is done then he’s got another thing coming. Oh sure, the life of a fancypants television producer probably makes mad bank, but Mr. Harris, we need more of this kind of stuff. Not necessarily poetry, mind you. Just this kind of hilarious, gut-busting writing with a smidgen of hopeful meaning stirred in there for spice. This is the kind of book that reminds people that poetry for kids shouldn't just be relegated to the month of April. Read a smattering of this to a room of reluctant readers and watch as they fight, tooth and claw, to get their hands on a copy. Please, sir. We’d like some more.
For ages 7 and up.
“Do You Love Dinosaurs? Well, tough luck! There are NO DINOSAURS in this ENTIRE BOOK.” I don’t usually quote the inside book flap of a book when I summarize a collection of poetry, but I think that sets the tone for “I’m Just No Good at Rhyming” by Chris Harris pretty darn well. Irreverent? You don’t know the half of it. Chris Harris pulls together ribald, funny poems with such titles as “Just Because I’m a Turkey Sandwich and Some Chips Doesn’t Mean I Don’t Have Feelings Too, You Know!”, “The Island Where Everyone’s Toby” and “The Nursery Rhyme ‘Little Boy Blue,’ With Some Words Replaced by Delicious Greek Food.” In the course of the poetry, of course, illustrator Lane Smith and Harris knock heads, even as the poems veer between gentle/sweet and wackadoodle/goofy. But that’s okay. If it means watching a kid laugh out loud over a poem, you can bet it’s all worth it.
Librarians, booksellers, independent reviewers like myself, we all adhere to a code of unspoken rules. Here’s one of my favorites: Thou shalt not compare a new children’s book to a classic author, illustrator, or title every time you happen to like what it’s doing. One good example: Shel Silverstein. The fellow who wrote A Light in the Attic and Where the Sidewalk Ends. For my generation the man basically redefined what funny poetry could do. And sure, you can go back in time as far as Edward Lear if you really wanted to establish some early funny children’s poetry (has anyone ever released Lear’s poetry in a Silverstein-esque style, by the way?) but it was Shel that made it cool for late 20th century kids like myself. Heck, without him we never would have gotten all those Jack Prelutsky collections. Many have tried to imitate the man, but the thing about Shel was that he didn’t rely on the old standards. He was new and disgusting and captivating. You read his books partly out of a desire to be amused and partly because you were too terrified to stop. Now I’ve looked into this Chris Harris fellow. He appears to be a little bit older than me but not by much. Prime Silverstein fandom age. And though I am aware that I am breaking my own cardinal rule by saying this, it cannot be left unsaid: The man is as funny as Silverstein. There. I said it. Run me out of town on a rail, but it’s true. Harris has “it”.
A book of collected poems for children can go one of two directions. It can either remain a random assortment of poetry, unlinked items floating freely on 220+ pages OR it can had some sort of form and function and purpose and (dare I mention it?) plot! Shel sort of eschewed this method, but I like it. For this reason, Harris loads his book down with callbacks, running gags, and a storyline involving the antipathy between Harris and his illustrator that ultimately culminates in the author images and bios at the back of the book. What this does is reward those readers that systematically read the poetry in the correct order, front to back. Which, when you think about it, sort of goes against the spontaneous feel of the book itself. For a collection of lightly controlled anarchy, it’s weird that the kids that duly read every page from beginning to end will have a distinct advantage over those kids that prefer to dip in and out. Them’s the breaks, I guess. Let that be a lesson to you, children. Never dip.
But you can’t be funny all of the time. Not really. Because that’s the problem with these fancy writerly types. They actually seem to want to “write”. It’s the worst! You think you’re safe with the usual fare involving Cyclops wearing glasses and the like and then out of nowhere you get a poem like “The World’s Best Offer” which is actually quite sweet and warm and affectionate towards fathers. Don’t be too surprised. Silverstein would do the same thing. Remember his poem “Hug-a-War”? No? Then you’re lucky. It is fortunate for all of us that Harris is much better at drawing meaning out of his poems than Shel ever was. The proof is in the pudding. Which is to say, in the last long poem in the book. It’s called “Let’s Meet Right Here in Twenty-Five Years” and it has the distinct pleasure of only letting you in on the joke after a while. The poem is written by this book itself, urging the young reader to come back in twenty-five years to pick this book up one last time. I’ll admit it. It kind of made me tear up a little. Because while “I’m Just No Good at Rhyming” relies on silly jokes to get the kids reading in the first place, poems like this one give young readers something to think about long after the pages have closed.
There are occasional misfires, but that comes with any anthology, whether it’s short stories or poems or collected comics. The question is not whether the book is a pristine work of perfection, gleaming with an inner light of untainted glory. Rather, it’s a question of ratios. What is the ratio of good stuff to bad in this book? I’d say Harris bats around a (quickly does research to find out what a good batting average might sound like) .275. He knocks it out of the park (I’m sticking with this baseball metaphor for some reason) more often than not. So, for every “Mummy’s Lament” (a tired series of movie monster and old person clichés) you’ll get ten “Infinity Poem”s. And I’ll be the first to admit that humor is subjective and what you find funny I may not find amusing at all, and vice versa. That said, I’ve yet to find anyone who read through this book and didn’t feel a deep and abiding affection for it afterwards. Misfires and quirks aside.
Imagine for a moment that you are the editor that finds this manuscript on their desk. Your job, after acquiring it, is to find it just the right illustrator. You’re going to want someone cool. There are lots of folks out there that are more than willing to illustrate poetry, but are they cool enough? A book of this sort demands art that complements the work and doesn’t detract from it BUT is funny in its own right. You see the problem? There are loads of good artists out there, but could any of them contribute the sheer number of illustrations this kind of a book might require? As the editor on this, I would probably have tried Jon Klassen, toyed with the notion of Bob Staake, considered Christian Robinson, and perhaps even begged Kate Beaton for a moment or two. Lane Smith, I hate to say it, was an inspired choice. Cool? Yeah. He’s cool. Funny? Well you pick up The Stinky Cheese Man and tell me what YOU think, eh? If a guy can illustrate Math Curse then he can certainly come up with something adequate for a poem about a one-legged centipede called “The Unipede”. And while every part of this book (the dedications, index, book flaps, cover behind the jacket, etc.) is open to silliness, Smith’s description of his process on the publication page is anything but ribald. In all seriousness we learn that the pictures here were created “with India ink on vellum, which was pressed onto watercolor paper to create a blotted line effect. The color, painted in oil over gesso, was scanned and added digitally on a secondary layer under the ink-line.” You get all that? The color palette is subdued, mostly browns and grays with the occasional pink or blue or green for spice. Again, it means your attention goes primarily to the words, which is both good and bad. Good, because these are some great words at work here. Bad, because the art’s pretty great and worth considering as well.
I’m not going to tell you what age to read this book to your kids, because it’s going to be different for every kid. Some 10-12 year olds will find it on their own (particularly the ones who ask their librarians for more funny stuff “like A Light in the Attic”). Other kids might prove older, or even younger. My six-year-old and three-year-old are VERY fond of “The Sweetest Lullaby Ever (For Parents to Tell Their Children)”. So am I, for that matter. That’s the problem with Chris Harris. He makes you love his work, even when you’re trying desperately to find something wrong with it. I will say this much then: If Mr. Harris thinks his job here is done then he’s got another thing coming. Oh sure, the life of a fancypants television producer probably makes mad bank, but Mr. Harris, we need more of this kind of stuff. Not necessarily poetry, mind you. Just this kind of hilarious, gut-busting writing with a smidgen of hopeful meaning stirred in there for spice. This is the kind of book that reminds people that poetry for kids shouldn't just be relegated to the month of April. Read a smattering of this to a room of reluctant readers and watch as they fight, tooth and claw, to get their hands on a copy. Please, sir. We’d like some more.
For ages 7 and up.
November 10, 2018
I'm Just No Good at Rhyming reminds me of some of Shel Silverstein's collections of poetry. Some poems are goofy, some are quite deep, others are kind of stupid... but, overall, this is a nice collection that children will probably enjoy. I'm not sure if it's suitable for very young children (some of the poems use rather difficult words, and there are a few concepts that might go over little ones' heads), but if a child can read this book to themselves, they'll probably get quite a bit out of it.
There's a tongue-in-cheek feel to the whole thing. Certain poems are referenced later in the book, there are jokes about the author and illustrator, and there's even a list of poems that didn't make the final cut (which is entertaining in itself). There are a few poems that utilize unique formatting to add another element of interest. The illustrations are heavily stylized and simple, but they add just enough interest and don't detract from the poems themselves.
I kept bookmarking my favourites as I went through. There were even some that made me laugh out loud. Some of the best ones (in my opinion) were: "Toasted Knight for Lunch Again?" (see below), "The Duel", "The Frog Race", "Somebody Stole My Bagel's Hole", "Re-Verse", "Deep in the Land of Ca'Narot", "Live Each Day Like It's Your Last", "I'm Shy on the Outside", "Two Roads", "Jack Sprat (Updated)", "Good Things", and "I Am Not Even Going to Talk About This Next Thing".
This book was a lot of fun to read, and it would be fun to read aloud, too. If you like Shel Silverstein's poetry books, you might like this collection.
Quotable moment:
There's a tongue-in-cheek feel to the whole thing. Certain poems are referenced later in the book, there are jokes about the author and illustrator, and there's even a list of poems that didn't make the final cut (which is entertaining in itself). There are a few poems that utilize unique formatting to add another element of interest. The illustrations are heavily stylized and simple, but they add just enough interest and don't detract from the poems themselves.
I kept bookmarking my favourites as I went through. There were even some that made me laugh out loud. Some of the best ones (in my opinion) were: "Toasted Knight for Lunch Again?" (see below), "The Duel", "The Frog Race", "Somebody Stole My Bagel's Hole", "Re-Verse", "Deep in the Land of Ca'Narot", "Live Each Day Like It's Your Last", "I'm Shy on the Outside", "Two Roads", "Jack Sprat (Updated)", "Good Things", and "I Am Not Even Going to Talk About This Next Thing".
This book was a lot of fun to read, and it would be fun to read aloud, too. If you like Shel Silverstein's poetry books, you might like this collection.
Quotable moment:
Toasted Knight for Lunch Again?
Mama Dragon
Ate Sir Tom,
And gave her child
Sir Gustav.
Baby said,
"No armor, Mom--
I want him
With the crust off!"
October 30, 2017
As an immature grown up, this was an amazing read and I laughed out loud. And I don't usually like poetry. I cannot wait to share it with kids.
April 12, 2018
Roses are red,
Violets are blue,
This book is great fun,
And that's my opinion.
Violets are blue,
This book is great fun,
And that's my opinion.
November 11, 2017
This poetry book is so incredibly funny I can hardly stand it. The kids are going to go nuts for this one. Choosing Lane Smith to illustrate was pure genius. I hope I'm No Good at Rhyming... is hand sold by booksellers etc. across the country this holiday season. It will be a most welcome holiday or any day gift. Librarians have probably already discovered its greatness. Recommendations should abound with that group, too. Truly one of the best children's poetry books I have ever read.
January 14, 2018
I originally checked this book out to read with my children, but after reading a bit with them, I read it cover to cover by myself. This book is a lot like Shel Silverstein...but so much better! I literally laughed and cried during this book. There are lots of silly poems, but some poignant ones too, that made me think. Everything a poetry book should be.
October 19, 2017
Love this book. Chris Harris is a worthy heir to Lewis Carroll, Edward Lear, A. A. Milne, Ogden Nash, and more I can't think of right now. Finished it on my own, but best has been reading it aloud to my 4th graders (and...er..the poem for 4th graders?), a few every morning. Outstanding!
October 19, 2017
Laugh-out-loud funny poems! Loved the combination of poet and illustrator! They play well with each other! There's a lot of cleverness in this book. Definitely one that you can read over and over again and appreciate more and more. This would appeal to kids and grow-up kids alike!
January 29, 2018
Sure to fly off the 811 shelves along with the evergreen Silverstein
December 13, 2017
My kid cackles when he reads this wonderful book!
December 4, 2018
How often do you see a substantial children's collection of poetry by one author? Last I recall would indeed be *A Light in the Attic*, which does bear a passing resemblance to this. It's a different experience to read this instead of an anthology.
Smith's illustrations are different than his usual style, too. Much more subtle and palatable....
Good book design... lots of little things make a fan want a copy of her own, instead of just reading the library's. For example, the jacket has one inviting design, but printed on the hardback itself is a quite different and also intriguing design.
Most poems here are nonsense, even one-line jokes. But once in a while there's something interesting like:
The Valleys Shape the Mountains
The valleys shape the mountains,
The shadow shapes the crescent moon,
The chill of late December
Shapes the warmth we feel in June.
So next time that you're crying,
Just remember this small rhyme;
Your sadness shapes the happiness
You'll feel again in time.
Or:
(from) The Remarkable Age
...
Right now you're the oldest that you've ever been--
And yet, you will never be this young again....
And then there are concrete poems. I always knew that MOM upside-down is WOW.
But until I read "Out on the Farm on a Saturday Night" I didn't realize what an upside-down cow says... or a sideways cow... or who is upside down... .
I highly recommend this book to all kids, and to most educators and libraries.
Smith's illustrations are different than his usual style, too. Much more subtle and palatable....
Good book design... lots of little things make a fan want a copy of her own, instead of just reading the library's. For example, the jacket has one inviting design, but printed on the hardback itself is a quite different and also intriguing design.
Most poems here are nonsense, even one-line jokes. But once in a while there's something interesting like:
The Valleys Shape the Mountains
The valleys shape the mountains,
The shadow shapes the crescent moon,
The chill of late December
Shapes the warmth we feel in June.
So next time that you're crying,
Just remember this small rhyme;
Your sadness shapes the happiness
You'll feel again in time.
Or:
(from) The Remarkable Age
...
Right now you're the oldest that you've ever been--
And yet, you will never be this young again....
And then there are concrete poems. I always knew that MOM upside-down is WOW.
But until I read "Out on the Farm on a Saturday Night" I didn't realize what an upside-down cow says... or a sideways cow... or who is upside down... .
I highly recommend this book to all kids, and to most educators and libraries.
January 24, 2018
When you open a book that Lane Smith has been a part of, and then even the dedication is incredibly amusing, you KNOW it's gonna be awesome. It's kid-friendly and full of many types of poems that will make you laugh and smile. Kids will just LOVE it. Some are silly, some are just adorable.
If you have room for a new book of poetry, let this be it.
If you have room for a new book of poetry, let this be it.
February 7, 2018
I really liked this, although it was so similar to books by Shel Silverstein. Some of the poems were funny, but a lot of them just didn't make me laugh. It was neat how the included all of these little details in the book, like a table of contents with the poems in the wrong order. I'd recommend this to anyone who likes poetry, especially poems by Shel Silverstein.
July 6, 2022
90% hilarious and fun. 10% crickets or slightly inappropriate language that my children should not hear their mother speak aloud. Overall, worth it and brought some fun to poetry in morning time. I think now we'll go read some Emily Dickinson 😅
March 16, 2018
Had a lot of fun reading this one - took it to dinner with my family and we enjoyed flipping through to find favorites. I even got my mom to perform the avocado poem. A little uneven in places, but overall very good. Lane Smith's art is an equal partner in conveying the humor and tone and is well-suited to the zaniness of the verse.
September 29, 2017
Such a fun, silly book!! Loved it! And definitely reminded me of Shel Silverstein. So many different poems it would be a great introduction or tool to use for poetry programs
December 16, 2017
Scott Simon’s ear for dialogue rewards his listeners every Saturday morning. I’m Just No Good At Rhyming serves as a terrific example.
Simon and Chris Harris, the author, talked about the book and its inspiration before reading three of the pieces, including “The Argument” and the two-page namesake poem before closing on a tender note for kid and Dad in “The World’s Best Offer.”
Other fun in here includes "My Dessert Tummy," a four-page spread. Oh, and then there’s another favorite, “I’m Shy on the Outside.”
Enjoy and savor this fun book with the little people in your life or with the big silly people in your life.
Poetry For Kids Who Are 'Just No Good At Rhyming.’ Weekend Edition with Scott Simon. http://www.npr.org/2017/09/23/5531150...
"I remember reading and seeing some of the most formative books and TV shows and movies when I was growing up, things like 'The Phantom Tollbooth' and even Monty Python and thinking, oh, my gosh, I never knew that I could do that,” said Chris Harris. "I never knew that someone could do that.”
New York Times Book Review. Your Kids Need a Laugh? Try the Short, Quirky Poems in This Book https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/15/bo...
This book pairs well with Feg: Ridiculous Poems for Intelligent Children. Bring on the silliness.
Simon and Chris Harris, the author, talked about the book and its inspiration before reading three of the pieces, including “The Argument” and the two-page namesake poem before closing on a tender note for kid and Dad in “The World’s Best Offer.”
Other fun in here includes "My Dessert Tummy," a four-page spread. Oh, and then there’s another favorite, “I’m Shy on the Outside.”
Enjoy and savor this fun book with the little people in your life or with the big silly people in your life.
Poetry For Kids Who Are 'Just No Good At Rhyming.’ Weekend Edition with Scott Simon. http://www.npr.org/2017/09/23/5531150...
"I remember reading and seeing some of the most formative books and TV shows and movies when I was growing up, things like 'The Phantom Tollbooth' and even Monty Python and thinking, oh, my gosh, I never knew that I could do that,” said Chris Harris. "I never knew that someone could do that.”
New York Times Book Review. Your Kids Need a Laugh? Try the Short, Quirky Poems in This Book https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/15/bo...
This book pairs well with Feg: Ridiculous Poems for Intelligent Children. Bring on the silliness.
February 2, 2018
This was a very funny poetry book, aimed at 10-year-old children. But, to add to the silliness, there was one poem that was repeated about 3 times throughout the book, adding more and more lines each time. One of the poems is about a boy whose parents forgot to teach him the number "8." To stretch this silliness, the book itself has no page number with an "8" in it--the pages go from "7" to "9," "27" to "29," etc. all the way through the book. A few of my favorites: "The Last Time I Ever Went Down to Breakfast Without Making My Bed," "A Short Saga" (in the vein of that silly poem that starts "One bright day in the middle of night..."), "Yesterday's Tomorrow," "Chocolate for Breakfast," and "What Happened To Us Monsters (A Mummy's Lament)." All of the poems will appeal to the intended audience, and even to adults who can get down and silly once in a while. The wacky illustrations by Lane Smith also add a lot more silliness to the poems and book. His portrait of the author, Chris Harris, is especially fun.
January 24, 2018
One of the funniest poetry collections I have read ever--I like it better than Shel Silverstein or Dr. Seuss. Hilarious poems with wonderful rhythm. Enthralling for kids and adults. My 6-year-old loved it, and I think up children up to middle school would enjoy it.
November 9, 2018
Great books of fun and funny poems and drawings for kids and adults. Reminds me of Shel Silverstein.
November 2, 2017
This clever book of poetry made me think, laugh out loud (several times!), and consider who I could gift it to. I love that the poems are written for kids and their parents to enjoy together; my seven-year-old was in stitches over "Hey, Kids! Get Your Parents to Read You This Poem!" and my four-year-old giggled all the way through "If You Ever Have to Memorize a Poem of Twenty Lines or Longer and Deliver It to Your Class, Then This Is a Pretty Good Choice." Interspersed with all that silliness are some really touching and beautiful poems, like "The Valleys Shape the Mountains":
The valleys shape the mountains.
The shadow shapes the crescent moon.
The chill of late December
Shapes the warmth we feel in June.
So next time that you're crying,
Just remember this small rhyme;
Your sadness shapes the happiness
You'll feel again in time.
I think the balance is perfect. The serious poems don't get overly didactic, and the kids will actually think they're getting away with something (there IS a little bit of name-calling in this book between the author and illustrator). Mostly, though, this book doesn't moralize; it's just silly and creative and fun.
As an adult, I was just delighted by this book, and I could tell my kids really enjoyed it, too. Rarely do I see a book that is a genuine hit for all ages, but this one really is.
The valleys shape the mountains.
The shadow shapes the crescent moon.
The chill of late December
Shapes the warmth we feel in June.
So next time that you're crying,
Just remember this small rhyme;
Your sadness shapes the happiness
You'll feel again in time.
I think the balance is perfect. The serious poems don't get overly didactic, and the kids will actually think they're getting away with something (there IS a little bit of name-calling in this book between the author and illustrator). Mostly, though, this book doesn't moralize; it's just silly and creative and fun.
As an adult, I was just delighted by this book, and I could tell my kids really enjoyed it, too. Rarely do I see a book that is a genuine hit for all ages, but this one really is.
February 2, 2018
I may be the perfect reader for I’m Just No Good at Rhyming since ‘Books for Mischievous Kids and Immature Grown-Ups’ is probably one of my favorite genres. Needless to say, I loved this book. Loved it. I loved the clever wordplay. I loved the silly rhymes. I loved the hilarious jokes. I loved the amazing illustrations. I loved the ridiculous nonsense. I loved everything about it, from the dust jacket and the index to the author bios and the outdex. I even enjoyed the pagination. (How many books can you say that about?) I’m Just No Good at Rhyming is the best book ever.
But you don’t have to take my word for it. I brought it home to my 8-year-old and he loved it. He giggled and guffawed and read passages aloud to anyone who would listen. I bought a copy as a gift for my friend’s family and they all loved it. One of my colleagues read a few of the poems to a classroom of fourth graders and they also loved it. Resistance is futile. You will love I’m Just No Good at Rhyming. If you don’t, I’m sure Chris Harris will gladly refund your money.
-John D.
Click here to find the book at the Prince William County Public Library System.
But you don’t have to take my word for it. I brought it home to my 8-year-old and he loved it. He giggled and guffawed and read passages aloud to anyone who would listen. I bought a copy as a gift for my friend’s family and they all loved it. One of my colleagues read a few of the poems to a classroom of fourth graders and they also loved it. Resistance is futile. You will love I’m Just No Good at Rhyming. If you don’t, I’m sure Chris Harris will gladly refund your money.
-John D.
Click here to find the book at the Prince William County Public Library System.
April 2, 2018
This was sublime. It deserves a spot next to Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky. (Sidebar: The realm of silly children's poetry is awfully white and male. I'd love to see that change. Although I will give plenty of credit to Lane Smith for including a diverse cast of children in his illustrations!)
Chris Harris has written page after page of ridiculous poetry. It goes from absurd to icky to sweet to philosophical and back to absurd again. Contrary to the title, there are some truly wonderful rhymes. There's even an "outdex" of titles that didn't make it into the book. I would have eaten this up with a spoon as a kid and I'm a little jealous that I didn't get to read back then. Instead, I will hand it to every single kid who comes into the library.
A short sampler...
Two Roads
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by...
Since then I've been completely lost.
Thanks for nothing, Robert Frost!
The Gecko
If I ever find myself holding a gecko...
I'll lecko.
The Good Child Test
I used special ink of this poem's last line
That some children see and some don't.
If you're a good child, then you read it just fine--
Chris Harris has written page after page of ridiculous poetry. It goes from absurd to icky to sweet to philosophical and back to absurd again. Contrary to the title, there are some truly wonderful rhymes. There's even an "outdex" of titles that didn't make it into the book. I would have eaten this up with a spoon as a kid and I'm a little jealous that I didn't get to read back then. Instead, I will hand it to every single kid who comes into the library.
A short sampler...
Two Roads
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by...
Since then I've been completely lost.
Thanks for nothing, Robert Frost!
The Gecko
If I ever find myself holding a gecko...
I'll lecko.
The Good Child Test
I used special ink of this poem's last line
That some children see and some don't.
If you're a good child, then you read it just fine--
March 6, 2018
Winner of this year's Cybils Poetry Award! What I Liked: The clever threads that keep repeating and enticing readers to read on. There are “doors” to open, then hippos jumping on the bed, then a sweet poem about loving the room, but, oh my, the bed is broken “Let’s go get those hippos” - now I wonder where that’s going? If that doesn’t make much sense to you now, it will when you read the book, follow the fun paths that have been created.
Also, there is a sentimental quality to the writing spread among the poems. The final “long” poem is lovely, then he laughs at himself and adds a few more “really, really” final ones.
I like that this is a fresh bounce from the Silverstein books, has a bit of their flavor, yet is so different and new. It made me want to re-read it and I did.
Also, there is a sentimental quality to the writing spread among the poems. The final “long” poem is lovely, then he laughs at himself and adds a few more “really, really” final ones.
I like that this is a fresh bounce from the Silverstein books, has a bit of their flavor, yet is so different and new. It made me want to re-read it and I did.
April 7, 2018
I am so glad that I am not 11 1/2 years old. I can't imagine being denied the pleasure of reading this book. Growing up with Shel Silverstein, Chris Harris reminded me of my youth. The joy of fun rhymes and humorous words. Not every poem is meant to be read out loud. Several of the poems need to be seen to have the full effect. However, many of the poems will make a great read aloud. And what a wonderful way to introduce children to the wonders of poetry. From the front flap copy of the dust jacket to the acknowledgments of people who are "not very grateful at all," get ready for a literary adventure. With the welcoming of "The Door" to finding out about the eights, this book is becoming a favorite of mine.
October 30, 2017
Irreverent poems with sometimes a quieter one sneaking in. Very fun to read and Lane Smith's ink drawings pairs wonderfully. For example, the poem "Sometimes I don't want to share" is all about a chocolate chip cookie and the horror of having to break it in half to share. The accompanying art includes a takeoff of The Scream with cookies being the eyes and mouth. Even the back of the book adds to the fun with poems he didn't write as well as a hint to lift the dust jacket to see what's underneath. And don't forget the author's note at the beginning about the page numbers. You won't get it immediately, but it's a fun inside joke (and a running joke too -- it's referred to in the index as well).
December 18, 2017
Brilliantly funny! Chris Harris's poems with Lane Smith's illustrations are fantastic and a match made in heaven. I loved the interaction between the two throughout the book. I also really enjoyed the surprises you will find if you read the book from cover to cover: like the page numbering and the poem that continues. Some of these poems beg to be read aloud and I did so. My cats thoroughly enjoyed them and are now demanding I read to them nightly. Thanks Chris and Lane!
December 21, 2017
This is such a wonderful book. It shot me right back to being a kid reading Where The Sidewalk Ends over and over again, laughing at butt illustrations and developing my sense of humor.
While Harris's book lacks Silverstein's butt drawings, the subversive goofiness, clever style, touching moments, and honest life lessons are all here. I can't wait to read this to my boys over the years and I hope it becomes their special book of poetry to carry into adulthood. I think it's that good.
While Harris's book lacks Silverstein's butt drawings, the subversive goofiness, clever style, touching moments, and honest life lessons are all here. I can't wait to read this to my boys over the years and I hope it becomes their special book of poetry to carry into adulthood. I think it's that good.
February 17, 2018
This is so cute! I laughed as much as (okay probably more than) my 5-year-old. He loved me reading it to him and definitely had a handful of favorites he asked me to read many times. Even my 2-year-old was walking around saying “avocado? Avocado!” Highly recommend but probably for kiddos older than mine (I had to skip a few that weren’t age-appropriate). Or I’d recommend it for you; It’s hilarious.
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