Advanced Children's Literature: Poetry

Sidman, Joyce. MEOW RUFF. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2006.

A very unusual volume that had to have face to face or computer to computer collaboration, unlike the many picture books whose author and illustrator have never met and may not even be familiar with eat others style. The majority of the illustrations by Michelle Berg are created from the words of the poem. A bit like an e.e. cummings poem in color and on steroids. The illustrations that aren’t created from words are brightly colored and employ basic shapes. My pages contain a large green circle full of words. One of the best trees: “EACH LEAF RIPPLING AND QUIVERING EACH TWIG NODDING AND SHIVERING EACH BRANCH FEELING THE WIND’S WHISPER...” A picnic table gives a horizontal definition: PLATFORM FOR PICNICS AND ANTS AND CROWS. The poem tells the story of a new puppy who escapes from his new home and explores the neighborhood and runs into a possible new friend. Kitty says MEOW? Dog says RUFF. Not appealing to this writer but shouldn’t be discarded either. With books and music there is no right or wrong, just individual taste. Poems are too important not to be approached in a variety of ways. If this is what it takes to get a child to fall in love with poetry this writer is 100% for it.