Bea Reviews Steppin' Out: Jaunty Rhymes for Playful Times by Lin Oliver, Tomie dePaola

Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: February 21st, 2017
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

Capturing the magic and fun of early childhood, this lively collection of poems, from the creators of Little Poems for Tiny Ears, is a book to be treasured.

Being a preschooler means days full of discovery every time you step out of your door. It s a time filled with wonder, at all the sights and sounds of the outdoors and at the huge variety of people there are to meet. This collection of nineteen original poems features little ones eager to explore, whether it s splashing in puddles, riding in an elevator or through a car wash, or visiting the library. They go full-steam ahead to the park, the beach, and dance class, somewhat begrudgingly learn to share and get their first haircut, and enjoy lots of time with their families. Full of contagious rhythm and rhyme, this inviting picture book introduces young children to the sounds of poetry through familiar childhood activities, and beloved illustrator Tomie dePaola's engaging children are the perfect match for Lin Oliver s bouncy poems."

Review of Forgive Me, I Meant To Do It: False Apology Poems by Gail Carson Levine

Publisher: Harper
Release Date: March 13, 2012
Buying Links: Amazon    The Book Depository

Book Blurb (from Amazon):

This Is Just to Say


If you’re looking for a nice happy book


put this one down and run away quickly


Forgive me sweetness and good cheer are boring


Inspired by William Carlos Williams’s famous poem ”This Is Just to Say,” Newbery Honor author Gail Carson Levine delivers a wickedly funny collection of her own false apology poems, imagining how tricksters really feel about the mischief they make. Matthew Cordell’s clever and playful line art lightheartedly captures the spirit of the poetry. This is the perfect book for anyone who’s ever apologized . . . and not really meant it.

Teaser:

You may be jumping around

and skipping

pages

in this book

which

I actually

spent 10 years 

arranging

Forgive me

I put the curse of the mummy

on anyone

who reads out of order

Reviewed By: Bea

Bea's Thoughts:

This book was inspired by a William Carlos Williams poem, which I had not read prior to reading this book. I was intrigued by the idea of humorous false apologies and the idea made me laugh. Who hasn't, at some point in their life, had to offer an apology that they didn't really mean? How many of us have re-written the apology in their head to something funnier, snarkier, or ruder? 

Well, Levine had the opportunity to write those apologies, using the same format that Williams did. The results are mixed; some are spot on, some funny yet strange, and a few miss the mark. Many of the poems are inspired by childrens stories and fairy tales. For instance, there's one about Humpty Dumpty's fall wherein the culprit responsible for knocking him off of the wall apologizes, saying he had to knock Humpty down because the king's men were bored. There's a werewolf apology that reminded me of Kelley Armstrong's story, "Hidden", and how Elena and Clay deal with telling their children about werewolves. 

A few of the poems wouldn't make much sense separated from their illustrations and a poem shouldn't have to rely on artwork for its meaning. Even so, the illustrations are simple but evocative and add to the poems and the readers enjoyment. The book is geared towards the younger school age children and I think that children from about age four and a half up to about eight or nine would enjoy them. Readers who appreciate puns and plays on words will likely enjoy this book.

I received an ARC from the publisher for review.