My first Poetry Friday...here goes.
I have been reading a number of poetry books lately, anthologies, non-fiction rhyming picture books, stories in verse and themed poetry books. The one I want to mention today is Dogku by Andrew Clements, illustrated by Tim Bowers (Simon and Schuster Books for Young Readers).
It's a story in haiku verse and I think the author has done a great job. It's the kind of story kids will love, and the fact that it's written in verse won't even phase them. It's a timeless and ageless story about a lost dog who shows up at a family's back door. They take him in and then have to decide whether to keep him. The end even brought a tear to my eye. But then again, I am a bit of a sap when it comes to animal stories, whether they be happy or sad.
The story has seventeen haiku poems all of which show a moment in time. My favourite one is:
Nose out the window,
ears flapping, hair pushed straight back.
Adventures in smell.
The art work that goes along with this book is full-paged with no detail left out, done in oil paint on canvas.
What a great way to introduce young children to verse through haiku. Having a cute dog on the front cover helps too.
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