Roses are red
Some orchids are green
I love you so much
Except when you’re mean
I wrote that little ditty when I was in the fourth grade.
I’m a poet, and ya didn’t even know it!
Unfortunately, poetry is not fully embraced by the American school system. Consequently, many youngsters these days don’t get the chance to fully appreciate the many benefits of metrical composition. According to top researchers for early childhood education, “poetry should be included as an integral part of the language and literacy curriculum because it enriches students’ lives as they discover words, sound, and rhythm in unique, creative ways.”
I fully concur that poetry should be introduced to children prior to middle school. Just look at my aforementioned attempt at rhythmic literary work. Clearly, it helped me gain a better appreciation for language and self-expression.
As I continue my week-long series promoting super summer reads in an effort to get kids engaged in literacy during the upcoming school break, I would be remiss not to recommend one of my 6-year-old’s favorite poetry books: Dizzy Dinosaurs: Silly Dino Poems.
When she’s not dreaming of morphing into a pooch, my little girl fantasizes about roaming the earth as a flesh-eating tyrannical lizard king. So imagine her delight when HarperCollins sent a book filled with dinosaur-themed poems for her to eat up.
Dizzy Dinosaurs is the brainchild of beloved poet and anthologist Lee Bennett Hopkins, who makes learning about imagery and language fun for children of all ages.
The clever collection of kid-friendly poems includes this vibrant rhyme:
Dinosaur History
By Kristy Dempsy
When dinosaurs were little tikes,
they rode their tiny dino bikes
without a helmet down the street
standing up atop the seat.
They played in dino swimming pools
but never followed water rules.
They would not go to bed on time
Or take a bath to wash off grime.
They always disobeyed their mothers,
rudely crossed their eyes at others.
In the end, their luck went bust…
those carefree dinos
BIT
THE
DUST!
The colorful collection of poems helps kids’ imagination soar by giving them insight into what life would be like if dinosaurs could sing, dance and play just like them. One of my daughter’s favorites is “Prayer of Triceratops” by Rebecca Kai Dotlich:
Now I stand me up to sleep.
I pray to stars my horns to keep.
Hera this wish—I need all three
To keep T. Rex from gobbling me.
So here’s the thing
I roar to you—
Bless this horn…
And this one too…
And this one too.
Its familiar composition delighted my daughter, as did the whimsical illustrations created by Barry Gott. His lively drawings add another dimension to the book, which contains 19 entertaining entries.
Dizzy Dinosaurs is part of the I Can Read Book series. It’s labeled as a Level 2 reader, which means that first and second graders should be able to read it with minimal help. My 6-year-old breezed through it with no problem. If you have younger children, who are interested in dinosaurs, I would strongly encourage you to share the book with them. While they may not fully appreciate the educational benefits of poetry, they will certainly delight in seeing dinosaurs partake in familiar tasks such as riding the bus, going to school, and playing at recess. My daughter especially related to “Picky Eater” and “Bathtime,” which uses silly rhymes to create solid visual images that left her laughing out loud.
Dizzy Dinosaurs is a breezy read that’s perfect for those laid-back summer days spent sitting in the shade of an old oak tree. The 48-page paperback is available at HarperCollins.com and in book stores nationwide.
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