Lewis, J. Patrick. If You Were A Chocolate Mustache.

Lewis, J. Patrick.  If You Were A Chocolate Mustache.  Boyd's Mills/Word Song  2012 158p  $18.95  978-1-59078-927-8      elm/ms      Misc. VG-BNe    

Poet laureate J. Patrick Lewis’s book of children’s poems includes creative illustrations with each poem.  There are concrete poems, limericks, tongue twisters, riddles and plays on words.  Topics are varied.  With something for all young readers, this book is sure to entertain!  The topics of the selected poems range from school, zoos and roller coasters to animals, food and ghosts.  Illustrator Matthew Cordell aptly designs a visual aid that supports the text of each poem!  Humor abounds, especially in such poems as “Spotted Park Bench”, in which Lewis says, “I am a park bench.  Ordinary words cannot express my thoughts on birds.”  On a two-page spread, the reader sees a flock of birds “doing their thing” on a park bench!  In another, “Tuna-on-a-Roll,” a live tuna is driving down the beach, talking about how, even though his license is invalid, it beats being in someone’s salad!  Universagrams are both thought-provoking and clever, and baseball-o-grams are equally so.  “Limb-ericks” takes limericks to a new level in that they are all about body parts!  If a teacher hopes to interest young readers in poetry, this book is a must-have!  If a teacher hopes to find a new idea for promoting poetry-writing in class, this book will fit the bill!   Last, but not least, the book is one that can be read over and over again, and this makes it worth the price.       

Poetry, Word play                                    --Martha Squaresky