An eleven-year-old boy named Robert voices typical—and not so typical—middle-grade concerns in this unique, memorable collection of hilarious poems. His musings cover the usual stuff, like pizza, homework, thank-you notes, and his annoying older sister. In addition, he speculates about professional wrestling for animals, wonders why no one makes scratch-and-sniff fart stickers, designs the ultimate roller coaster (complete with poisonous spiders), and deconstructs the origins of a new word, snarpy. A playful layout and ingenious graphics extend the wry humor that is sure to resonate with readers of all ages.
About the Author
John Grandits
John Grandits is a book and magazine designer and the author of Technically, It's Not My Fault and Blue Lipstick, award-winning books of concrete poetry, and the picture books Ten Rules You Absolutely Must Not Break If You Want to Survive the School Bus, which received the Texas Bluebonnet Award, and Seven Rules You Absolutely Must Follow If You Want to Survive the Cafeteria. He and his wife, Joanne, live in Red Bank, New Jersey. Visit him online at johngrandits.com.
Excerpts
Reviews
"An exuberant celebration of wordplay that's certain to broaden kids' understanding and appreciation of the possibilities of poetry." KIRKUS Kirkus Reviews
"combines technical brilliance and goofy good humor to provide an accessible, fun-filled collection of poems...brilliant book design" Starred, SLJ School Library Journal, Starred
"graphically inventive sequence of concrete poems...mimes an 11-year-old's sarcastic perspective...A technically (and imaginatively) inspired typeface experiement." PW Publishers Weekly
"humorous...kid-relevant or kid-voiced...well-pitched to a youthful readership...playful layouts...a quick, funny, and painlessly poetic read." BCCB Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Youth will fall for this kind of word play, as will adults...smart, clever, and just plain fun." VOYA VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates)