POETRY - Holiday Stew – Jenny Whitehead

A Kid’s Portion of Holiday and Seasonal Poems

Illustrated by the author

2007, Henry Holt & Co.

64 pgs.

HC $17.95

I love the poems and I love the illustrations, so I’m rating 5 stars!

Endpapers:  RED

Title Page:  Hand-lettered and illustrated with pictures similar to the rest of the book…funny and clever!

Illustrations: colorful, busy, everywhere, almost-journally, just the kind of illustrations of love and wish I could do…Drawn with black pen lines and colored with gouache.

The book is divided into four sections – by season, and just about every holiday you could ever imagine is covered.  Cleverly. And there are more than just “holiday” poems…there are birthday, breaking the turkey wishbone, spring cleaning, mother Earth, Arbor Day, friendship day…you get it!

    

If I Could Paint a Springtime Day

If I could paint a springtime day,

I’d dip my brush in rain,

And splatter pink the popcorn trees

That bloom along the lane.

I’d mix a shade of purple

Chilled from one last winter snow,

To decorate the crocuses;

Brave soldiers in a row.

And when the sun peeks out,

I’d catch some yellow in my hand,

And finger-paint forsythia

To wake the dreary land.

And then I’d borrow emerald green

From seedlings breaking through,

And paint a thousand blades of grass

To hold the summer’s dew.

Last, I’d tint the tulips

Gently waking in their bed,

And welcome home the robin ---

Painted breast, a splendid red.

April Fool’s Day 

A trick by a friend,

a prank by a brother

pales dearly compared

to one planned by your mother.

She’s plotted all year

while she scraped, scoured, and scrubbed

your grass stains, your grease stains,

your grimy-ringed tub.

She may try to set

your alarm clock ahead,

so you’re washed and dressed

while the world’s still in bed.

Or lovingly make

your ham sandwich for school

with paper, not cheese,

that reads “April Fools!”

But lucky for us

on this one single day,

a trick on your mother

is also okay.

So, no one will blame you---

it won’t be your fault.

The sugar-bowl sugar’s not sugar---

it’s SALT!

It’s Labor Day

A holiday for hard work?

Yes, grown-ups, you deserve it!

But thank you very kindly

For letting kids observe it.

Our school year’s just beginning,

All summer we’ve slept late.

The only job we worked at

Was playing three months straight!

So, to make it fair for  you,

We’ll work on Labor Day,

Our job?  To let you sleep in,

And then make sure you play!

Send Up Some Gratitude

In a time when we all want

A little more-more-more,

Stop and think-think-think

Of all you’re thankful for.

Your mom, your dad---

Can you think of any others?

It’s okay if you say

Your sisters or your brothers.

Good friends, good health,

Good luck, good food---

For the good in your life,

Send up some gratitude.

For a roof where you live,

For your dog, fish, or bird,

Make your thank-thank-thank-you

On Thanksgiving Day be heard!

Winter in the South (by a kid from the North)

How do you make a snowman

When there isn’t any snow?

How do you have a snowball fight

When it melts before you throw?

How do you make snow angels

With green grass on the ground?

You can’t You’re far too busy eating

Ice cream all year round!

Celebrating Chinese New Year

Red lai see for the children,

Red banners for the walls,

Happy red is everywhere

When Chinese New Year calls.

Gold oranges for giving,

Peach blossoms to bring luck,

White shark fins for special soup,

Pink sweet sauce for the duck.

Hot yellow lions dancing,

Warm yellow lantern light,

Pink-yellow-red-green dragons

Who snarl but never bite!

Brown sticky cake and dumplings,

One great big black bass fish,

A Gung Hay Fat Choy! greeting;

To all---our New Year wish!