Flamingos on the Roof

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

            Brown, Calef. 2006. Flamingos on the Roof. Ill. by Calef Brown. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 9780618562985

PLOT SUMMARY

In Calef Brown's wacky collection of poems, Flamingos on the Roof, anything goes. From a diner that serves weather to a soppy circus, readers experience all of the silliness in Brown's zany world. The absurd rhymes and colorful illustrations are sure to make this collection of poems a favorite with children.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The poems in Flamingos on the Roof are written in meter and all include a rhyming element, which is sure to be popular with young children. The poems in the collection are silly and nonsensical, so the rhythm fits harmoniously with the content. Some of the poems are much better than others. “Weatherbee's Diner” is an excellent example of Brown's effortless poetry; however, the poem “Bob” is more forced and does not roll of the tongue quite as easily. Brown uses a variety of sound devices throughout his poems, which gives them a sing-song effect. The poem “Peas,” includes lines like “peas peek out of the pod, which illustrates Brown's brilliant use of alliteration. While poems like “Combo Tango,” illustrate his whimsical use of assonance.

Flamingos on the Roof does not appear to be arranged in any discernible order, which fits with the overall whimsy of the collection. Brown's poems are preposterous and full of surprises, which add to their charm and appeal. His brilliant use of personification, like in the poem “Bug Show” allows him to use a host of characters and create unique and exciting images. In the poem “Barnacle Built for Two,” Brown paints a vivid image of two barnacles on the side of a ship, with lines like “Stuck on the hull of a sailing ship / with powerful barnacle glue.”

Brown's full-page, acrylic illustrations are child-like and flawlessly capture the sentiments of each poem. The font used for the text adds to the fun and charm of the collection. This poetry book is an excellent read-aloud for school-age children. Children will delight at both the humorous poetry and the big, bold illustrations.

REVIEW EXCERPTS

KIRKUS REVIEW, 2006: “Composed with a fine ear for consistent rhythms and silly wordplay, these verses will tempt readers into repeat visits, or as the poet puts it: ‘Swivel on your kneecap. / Wobble like a mud flap. / Take a little catnap. / Do it all again!’”

SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL BOOK REVIEW, 2007: “Packed with amusing details, the paintings consistently expand upon the text. Read aloud, these poems are sure to delight listeners.”

LIBRARY MEDIA CONNECTION, 2007: “This book would be a great addition to any school library to encourage the love of poetry.”

AWARDS

Myra Cohn Livingston Award for Poetry: Winner, 2007

CONNECTIONS

*Split children up into two groups and have each group read one section of “The Appleton Twins.” Students should be encouraged to use inflection and sound effects to emphasize the differences in the twin voices.

*Read one the longer poems like “Soggy Circus” or “A Camping Tale” and then ask children to create an image to illustrate the poem. Show the illustration in the book after the children have completed their interpretations.

*Discuss Haiku poetry and encourage children to write a Haiku poem after reading “Ten-cent Haiku.”

*Read other whimsical poetry collections and have a discussion about favorite poems and poets. Some possible collections include:

·         Runny Babbit: A Billy Sook by Shel Silverstein

·         It's Raining Pigs and Noodles by Jack Prelutsky

·         Dirt on My Shirt by Jeff Foxworthy and Steve Bjorkman