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I Met a Man
A collection of verse for the young reader about strange and familiar creatures
80 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 1961
15 people want to read
About the author
John Ciardi
150 books31 followersJohn Anthony Ciardi was an American poet, translator, editor, writer and etymologist.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 22, 2017
I hated this book. My mother was an English teacher and I think she thought this would be educational and enlightening. I had it read to me many many many times when I was a child in the early 60’s, shortly after its publication. I didn’t understand it then, found it scary and creepy and weird, and the riddles were unsolvable. Please, a potato?
Plus the bits about spankings and angry fathers were off putting. Finally, I was little girl. Why the hell would I want to meet any of these old men in the book? No relatability for a kid.
This was a vanity project for a famous male poet who had no sense for a child’s point of view. I do not recommend it for any child.
Plus the bits about spankings and angry fathers were off putting. Finally, I was little girl. Why the hell would I want to meet any of these old men in the book? No relatability for a kid.
This was a vanity project for a famous male poet who had no sense for a child’s point of view. I do not recommend it for any child.
February 10, 2014
John Ciardi was determined to be the first author his daughter read when when she learned to read way back in the early 1960's.
Ciardi uses a few more than 400 words with vocabulary words that are familiar to the first grade reader.
He uses poetry to do this. And he uses clever riddles to keep the student entertained, "I met a man that was all head. He was fat as the moon but redder than red. He had no ears, He had no chin. And the rest of him was so long and thin That it looked to me like nothing but string..."
Another great thing about this book is that it gets progressively more difficult with the idea that as a child's reading improves he can tackle harder words
Ciardi uses a few more than 400 words with vocabulary words that are familiar to the first grade reader.
He uses poetry to do this. And he uses clever riddles to keep the student entertained, "I met a man that was all head. He was fat as the moon but redder than red. He had no ears, He had no chin. And the rest of him was so long and thin That it looked to me like nothing but string..."
Another great thing about this book is that it gets progressively more difficult with the idea that as a child's reading improves he can tackle harder words
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December 7, 2010At first I was afraid of what this book may actually be about but it did turn out to be educational. Rhyiming words and math were involved. Whew!
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December 5, 2010Great book for rhyming
April 10, 2017
A timeless, happily lively approach to short poems using minimal early vocabulary to express enormous ideas. The rhythms and rhyming patterns beg to be reread multiple times, quickly becoming "rote" recitations that tickle the ear and the heart.
This has been a wonder and a winner since published in early 1960s.
This has been a wonder and a winner since published in early 1960s.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews