Doodle Dandies

Bibliographic Data
Lewis, J. Patrick. 1998. Doodle Dandies: Poems that take shape. Ill. by Lisa Desimini. New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers. ISBN 0-689-81075-X

Plot Summary
J. Patrick Lewis’ collection of poems address a variety of subjects interesting to children, such as animals, sports, and weather. The short poems become part of Lisa Desimini’s illustrations, making the physical act of reading part of the adventure.

Critical Analysis
This collection of poems doesn’t have a common theme, but is an enjoyable set of poems about subjects children will like and be familiar with, formatted in distinctive shapes that reflect those subjects. One lovely use of this formatting is seen in “Winter.” The text is slightly vertical, and each white word appears to be slightly drifting down the midnight blue background, until the final word, “snow,” rests on a rooftop.

Most of the poems are very, very short, and work hand in hand with the illustrations. “Big Cat,” for example, shows a detailed close-up of a tiger’s face, spread across two pages. The left side is well-lit, and the text rings around the eye, “day delights in jungle cries”; the eye on the darker right side is encircled by, “night ignites its tiger eyes”. This is the extent of the text, yet its meaning is clear.

At first the reader may wonder how he is going to decipher the layout of the poem, but most patterns become clear once reading has begun. Because of the close relationship of the illustrations and formation of the text, it’s students should be able to read along with the poem, either by reading the poems on their own, or having access to the book as it’s being read, perhaps through the use of a document camera. It’s important to remember that some students will have difficulty with this format, so be ready to offer assistance, perhaps by writing the poem in standard format, then letting the student compare the two.

Review
“This lively and outstanding collection, reflecting a wide emotional range, will intrigue young artists and wordsmiths with its surprising use of color and unexpected wordplay.“ – Publisher’s Weekly, Copyright 1998 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

“The very mixed media art is full of textures and dark, rich colors that repay close examination. A dandy way indeed to begin a journey to poetry.“ – Booklist, July 1998, GraceAnne A. DeCandido

Connections
Younger students might enjoy creating illustrations, and perhaps including special text placement in self-selected poems.

Good Mousekeeping: and other animal home poems is another fun book of poetry by the same author and illustrator team.

*****
Reviews found at the Carrollton Public Library website, http://cityofcarrollton.com/library/