My Dog May Be a Genius
by Jack Prelutsky
illustrated by James Stevenson
When we were given this assignment, of course my first thought of which author’s poems I wanted to read was my childhood favorite, Shel Silverstein. I grabbed A Light in the Attic off the shelf at the library, and was about to check it out, when I was distracted by this one instead: My Dog Might Be a Genius, by Jack Prelutsky. I knew that I had seen random other Prelutsky poems growing up, but I was intrigued by the fun red cover and the big gold sticker reading “Children’s Poet Laureate” on the front. I thought I would delve into something new, and I haven’t looked back since! Prelutsky claims that in school he “developed a healthy dislike for poetry due to a teacher who ‘left me with the impression that poetry was the literary equivalent of liver. I was told it was good for me, but I wasn’t convinced.’” This collection makes it very clear that Prelutsky has since turned poetry around for children and made it fun, enticing, and even addicting to the point where you can’t put down the book!
Upon opening My Dog May Be a Genius, you are captivated by the first poem (appropriately, “My Dog May Be a Genius”). The rhythm and flow of the poem is whimsical and playful, and you soon learn that all of his poems in this book are like that! They are bouncy and so much fun to read (especially out loud!). Actually, the third poem, “The Underwater Marching Band,” just naturally caused a tune to form in my head to which the entire poem could be sung! Not even a tune I’d heard before, but a completely new one that surfaced in my brain on its own.
Stevenson’s black and white illustrations seem very freehand, childlike, and carefree. Using pen and ink, he draws the figures, then inks them in without being afraid to color outside the lines a little bit, which I highly appreciate in an adult artist!
The first few poems seem pretty normal and believable content-wise, but then appears the “Zeenaleens” and a “Blue-bean-bonking bupple,” and we know there must be many fantastical elements incorporated here! I love how Prelutsky stretches the imaginations of children, but also includes relatable experiences too, all while using such succulent language: my favorite line so far is “famous frozen feud,” which has such a rich alliteration that I adore!
Also, you absolutely MUST check out his website! It’s outrageous and great for kids!
http://www.jackprelutsky.com/flash/index.html
I love that you explained that the author originally disliked poetry but is now writing great children's poetry books. I feel like a lot of kids can sometimes dislike poetry at a young age and this book seems like a great example of how they can learn to love it. I am glad that he has created a book that is fun and full of exciting poetry. I also love on the cover you can tell the illustrations are going to be good and am glad you mentioned that it looks freehand and childlike- I agree. The authors website is really creatively done and I like that it has some of his poems available to read!
ReplyDeleteFrom just reading the last couple of blogs I have found that Jack Prelutsky is a must read children's poet! Everyone seems to appreciate his work and his knack for rhythm, structure, and alliteration. The front cover, in and of itself, looks very inviting for children and adults alike. I love to see how an author can take an adversity from his or her childhood and turn it into amazing literary works such as Prelutsky! His story can and will inspire other young students dreading the thought of reading and analyzing poetry. I would have liked to see more detailed analysis of the three specific poems chosen from this collection. I am left hanging on for more information, but I guess I will just have to read it for myself, which is never a problem!
ReplyDeleteI am pleasantly surprised that you also chose a poetry collection by Jack Prelutsky. The background information you discovered about the writer is fascinating. Interesting that he chose different illustrators throughout his career. The Prelutsky collection that I reviewed contained illustrations from a different artist. I also enjoyed the website you included as an extension to your analysis.
ReplyDeleteI loved Jack Prelutsky as a child! I had the same idea as you to read a poetry collection from my childhood (I didn't stumble upon an intriguing collection while I was looking for it as you did) and ended up reviewing one of his poetry collections. I didn't know that he didn't like poetry as a child though, and I thought you did a nice job including that in your post. It's really cool that a tune popped into your head when you were reading that one poem. It would be neat to talk about how poetry and songs intersect during a class discussion.
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