Poetry - Please Bury Me In The Library

Bibliography
Lewis, J Patrick. 2005. PLEASE BURY ME IN THE LIBRARY. Gulliver Books Harcourt, Inc. Orlando, Florida. ISBN 0152163875

Plot Summary
This poetry book is filled with poems about library, reading, and poetry. Various types of poetry are included to fit the preferences of most readers. The poetry contains some intellectual jokes that may help to include older readers.

Critical Analysis
My favorite poem in this book is “What If Books Had Different Names?” I found it humorous, as most readers will. This could be used for various activities involving changing tiles of books. “Oh, what extraordinary, merry HUCKLEBERRY FUNN!” The books illustrations are dark and cartoon like. The illustrations themselves help evoke a mood on readers.

Review Excerpt(s)
School Library Journal: “The brief selections encompass various forms, from an eight-word acrostic to haiku to rhyming quatrains and couplets. The tone is generally light, with the last few entries turning more to wonder and metaphor.”
Booklist: “Despite the picture-book format, it will take children older than the preschool crowd to appreciate the wordplay, which on occasion is quite sophisticated”


Connections
*This book could be used to introduce poetry to students, especially in the library.
*This book could be used to introduce various types of poems.
*This book could be used to get creative juices moving. Students could use the first poem, “What If Books Had Different Names” to create their own silly titles to books. This poem could even be paired with a lesson on locating books in the online catalog.
Terry, Sonya. L IS FOR LIBRARY. ISBN 9781932146448
Prelutsky, Jack. READ A RHYME WRITE A RHYME. ISBN 0375822860