Keep a Pocket in Your Poem: Classic Poems & Playful Parodies by J. Patrick Lewis

Illustrated by Johanna Wright

Thirteen classic poems and thirteen playful parodies.

The classic poets: Beatrice Schenk de Regniers; Robert Frost; Langston Hughes; Jack Prelutsky; Rose Fyleman; David McCord (x2); Emily Dickinson; Alfred, Lord Tennyson; A. E. Housman; Carl Sandburg; Robert Louis Stevenson; and Issa.

Thoughts: The introduction perfectly begins this collection. Lewis defines parody and invites readers to try writing some of their own. I like the mixture of classic poems--some are ancient, others older, and still others contemporary. The parodies are fun. Some are almost tongue-in-cheek. The illustrations are soft and detailed. (I like Johanna's other books Bunnies on Ice, Bandits, and The Secret Circus). My favorite parodies are "The Ogre," "The Firefly," and "The Tiger."

(Wordsong, 2017)