Summary: Have you laughed at a good poem lately? Can poems be deliberately funny? Of course they can. Poems can be of love, of sadness, and, in case you weren't expecting it, they can be of humor, too. Rolling in the Aisles is a book of poems that, as the title suggests, leaves you intentionally laughing. The poems cover a variety of topics that may be aimed for kids, but these are poems that many people would find funny. From family, school, hygiene, and even pets, no topic is off base and each poem is heart-warming and funny. This book is a pleasure to read from page to page, giving credence to the notion that poems can be light-hearted and unpredictable.
Reference: Lansky, B. (2011). Rolling in the aisles: A collection of laugh-out-loud poems. New York, NY. Meadowbrook Press.
Impressions: I wasn't always a fan of poetry from my school experiences and it wasn't until later when I became a high school teacher that I learned that poetry can be fun. This book was an example of that fun and a great source that teachers can use to create fun poetry activities. I know I would have enjoyed this book when I was a teacher and I hope to add it to my library collection with the intention of introducing it to my school's English teachers. It's a great way to teach poetry and the examples can definitely motivate the most reluctant of students. This is a must-buy for all librarians, not just for the school libraries, but personal ones also.
Professional Review: Love children's poetry? Love to share it with your child? Love to laugh? Love to laugh with your child? Here is the perfect way to do all of that. A compilation of the funniest poems by premier contemporary children's poets, such as Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky, and even by some up-and-comers, such as Dave Crawley and Kenn Nesbitt, this book is sure to provide tons of laughter and hours of silliness through the wonderful art of poetry. Poems with titles like "What I'd Like to Ask My Grandma" by Trevor Harvey and "My Dog Has Got No Manners" by Lansky capture some of the fun and laughter that this anthology brings. Perhaps the most endearing part about this book, however, is that the poems were chosen by almost 6000 schoolchildren and teachers who picked the ones that made them laugh the most. So if you answered "yes" to all the questions above, this collection is a "must-have" for you and your child.
Van Vreede, S. (2004). [Review of Rolling in the aisles: A collection of laugh out loud poems]. Children's Literature. Children's Literature Comprehensive Database. Retrieved from http://libproxy.library.unt.edu:4639/index.php/jbookdetail/jqbookdetail?page=1&pos=11&isbn=0881664731.
Library Use: This anthology of poems would be great for the month of April, since it's poetry month. Having a quasi-poetry slam but with humor would be a creative venture. This could be done for all grade levels with poems from Lansky's book as examples or to start off the humor slam. Elementary language arts or secondary English classes could have assignments to begin the entries, which could be whittled down to volunteers or top choices. Regardless, I think Rolling in the Aisles would work great with April's poetry month.
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