Poetry Book Review: Lee Bennett Hopkins - Anthology

Bibliography:
Hopkins, L.B. (ed.) 2005. OH,NO! WHERE ARE MY PANTS? AND OTHER DISASTERS: POEMS. Ill. by Wolf Erlbruch. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers. ISBN 0688178618.

Plot Summary: Lee Bennett Hopkins has collected 14 poems from a range of poets that speak about the traumas that occur in a child’s life. Some of the selected poets are Susan Hart Lindquist, Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Madeleine Comora, and Hopkins himself. The issues that are addressed are both silly and serious ranging from forgetting one’s pants and regret about a bad haircut to the death of a pet and friend’s moving away. The anthology is illustrated by Wolf Erlbruch who uses simple drawings to convey the emotion of the poetry. This anthology contains a variety of issues that every reader can relate.

Critical Analysis:
The issues addressed in this anthology address the problems that children face. Hopkins collects a variety of poems that range in emotional intensity from light hearted to feelings of fear and loss. Readers will be able to relate to many of the poems. Though some of the poems are stronger than others each offering presents a unique viewpoint students can relate to. The writing on the poems are straightforward, literal offerings that approach the topics in a matter-of-fact way. Rhythm, rhyme, and onomatopoeia are some of the literary devices used in the poems. This anthology is best suited for young readers.

Each poem is presented on a its own page, either centered or in two columns, allowing plenty of space to surround the writing. Across from each poem is an illustration done by Erlbruch who uses simple line drawings filled with texture to visually create the poems. One of the strongest images depicts a young girl suspend from the outline of a ferris wheel with only the moon to cast any light. A line from the accompanying poem, At The State Fair by Rebecca Kai Dotlich, is "I'm trapped on top/of the world by mistake./Kidnapped by sky,/suspended in air,/I stay very still/in this chandelier chair." The imagery of the poems and the illustrations are complimentary. Overall this is a strong collection focused on the disasters that can and do occur which would benefit any reader.

Poem Excerpt:

First Day
by Susan Hart Lindquist

This isn't the way
it was supposed to be-
You
in
Room Two.

Me
in
Room Three.

Review Excerpts:

BOOKLIST
“In this anthology, selections by popular children's poets bring other people's dilemmas close to home, and full-page, uncluttered artwork, which appears to be in ink and chalk or pastels, shows preschoolers dealing with distress and annoyance, both sad and farcical. The scenarios in words and pictures show young children that books are about them.”


SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL
“These 14 short poems all depict little moments of being human. The disasters referred to in the subtitle range from big to small, from comic. Embarrassment, shame, fear, chagrin: all of these feelings are so common in childhood that a collection of poems about them seems natural.”

Connections:
Use these poems to begin a dialogue about issues that the students have faced. If they are not comfortable discussing them allow them an opportunity to write freely - either poem or prose to begin expressing those issues.