FICTION

Guess Who, Haiku

by Deanna CASWELL
illus. by Bob Shea. 24p. Abrams Appleseed. 2016. Tr $14.95. ISBN 9781419718892.
COPY ISBN
PreS-K—This winning combination of haiku and smiling farm animals is sure to be a favorite among young readers. Each page presents a call-and-response riddle about a different animal, along with a picture clue. Both the text and the illustrations offer plenty of support for children encountering this poetic form for the first time. The bright pastel color scheme and thoughtful text positioning are lively without being too busy. Caswell concludes with a page for caregivers, offering suggestions on how to engage children in the rhythm of each verse.
VERDICT Perfectly designed for the youngest poetry readers, this introduction to haiku is excellent for storytime or laptime.
Reviewed by Maggi Rohde, Ann Arbor Public Schools, MI
"New day on the farm / muffled mooing announces / a fresh pail of milk" is the first in a series of haiku that offer clues to a familiar animal's identity; the answer is revealed with a page turn. Bright, simple, well-designed illustrations and a repetitive format make this introduction to the five-seven-five form easy to grasp. An appended note offers additional information about haiku and syllables.
 , Apr 01, 2016

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