"Living with Lions
When they purr,
pet their fur.
When they snore,
close the door.
When they wake,
take a cake.
When they scream
serve ice cream.
When they roar,
give them more.
And if they bite,
nighty night."
There are many poems here for readers to appreciate; in fact, there are 49 of them. Their range will appeal to children of all ages - and their caregivers. Seven portals offer an invitation for readers to experience each one of them: Welcome, Wonders, Wild, Wheee!, Whoops and Whallops, Windows, and finally, Whispers and Well Wishes.
Step through the Wonders portal with these words: 'To reach the place of things unseen, /words can be your trampoline.' On the pages that follow, readers will find poems that describe a kaleidoscope, a hammock song, the fairies, midnight firelight, the treasures of deepest sleep, feeling the colors, and rhyme of the chrysalis. Wonders, indeed!
The wordplay is notable, taking daily places, events, people and things from what is often routine to something quite extraordinary. Doug Salati's digitally colored pencil and gouache illustrations add to the joy found in the reading. Their combined talents make this a very appealing read for kids on their own, or with friends. Each portal has a die-cut invitation to move to the following page, while the artwork provides a scenario for the poetic couplet that introduces the next group of poems. Action then turns to a double-page impression of what's to come. It is an extremely effective way to engage and entertain readers.
There is much to savor in the words, and even more as artwork is carefully considered to make connections from one to the other. This team knows kids, and what will make them laugh, and think. Let readers choose their own favorites to share as a classroom performance, or with a friend. It takes me back to when I was sharing poetry with my kids at home and at school, using books by Shel Silverstein, Jack Prelutsky, Dennis Lee, and others.
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