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!
