POETRY PICTURE BOOK - Dear Hot Dog - Mordicai Gerstein

Illustrated by the author

2011, Abrams Books for Young Readers

HC $16.95

32 pgs.

Goodreads rating: 3.49

My rating: 4

Endpapers: Bright, sunny yellow

Title Page:  Across the two pages the little girl is waking up as the sign rises behind her prone figure.

Illustrations: Acrylics on paper.

Toothbrush

All night

dozing in your holder

you wait for me.

I give you toothpaste

for breakfast,

mint,

your favorite flavor.

Then you go to work

in the foamy, pink

cave of my mouth,

scouring and scrubbing,

gargling your little song;

shreds of carrot,

pebbles of peanut,

cracker crumbs

hiding in cracks

---all washed away.

I rinse you off, and

back in your holder

you sigh and dry.

As my day begins,

you go back

to sleep.

Socks

I never stop
to think about socks,
and if I get them
for a birthday present
from Aunt Adi,
I'm disappointed.
You can't play
with socks.
But now,
with wind rattling
the icy windows,
putting on these
soft, thick, red ones
makes me happy
all day.

Ice-Cream Cone

I hold you high against the sky

like Liberty's torch,

a snow-topped,

milky mountain,

while rivers

of vanilla slide

over my fingers

and down my sleeve.

I turn you and lick you,

and with every lick

there's less of you.

Come back!

I see you hiding

deep in the cone.  

I bit off its 

bottom tip

and the very las of you

dribbles into my mouth.

I give the cone

to my little brother.

He likes them.

I don't.

My comments:  Great poems, from the point-of-view of three different boys during the day.Toothbrush, Pants, Toes (! !) Socks, Shoes, Cup, Bowl, Kite, Air, Water, Summer Sun, Hot Dog, Ice-Cream Cone, Leaves, Rain, Books, Crayons, Scissors, Spaghetti, Bear, Light, and Pillow!  Great poems!

Goodreads:  Whether it’s slurping up spaghetti or catching some sun at the beach, the everyday wonders celebrated in this collection of poems will appeal to young readers.
          Cleverly crafted by Mordicai Gerstein, Dear Hot Dog follows three friends from the time they wake up and brush their teeth to when they snuggle up for bed with their favorite stuffed animal. In between playing outside, making crafts, eating their favorite treats, and reading, together they delight in the adventure and magic that each day brings. Gerstein’s vibrant illustrations and lighthearted verse make Dear Hot Dog a great introduction to poetry for young readers

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Sunday Love - Alison Paul

Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2010
HC $16.99
32 pages
Rating: 3.5
Endpapers: Red

The cover grabbed me instantly.

This is a great wordless book for older kids to follow and figure out. Illustrated entirely in red, black, and white, Bruno the Burglar breaks out of "the big house" to go after the love of his life. He is, of course, followed the entire way with a gaggle of officers trying to apprehend him. His surprise love is found - ecstasy! - but just before he can fulfill his longed-for embrace, he is captured. This all takes place on Valentine's Day, with Cupid trying to help him out along the way....and with one last helpful incident at the very end, he actually wins. I'm being careful in my wording so I won't give any of the fun stuff away....

Because of a spelling "thing" I puzzled over the title for a second or two....then it hit me.....