From sunup to sweet dreams, this collection of Robert Heidbreder's
lively short poems follows young children throughout their day,
celebrating all of the seemingly small, but potentially special, moments
they experience. To name just a few, there are poems about hugging a dog
and climbing a tree, getting dressed and playing tag. Each one of the
thirty poems is easy to remember, rhythmic and action-filled, and each
reflects a child's-eye view of both the activity and how it makes them
feel. For example, on teeth brushing: "Bristle-thistle. Toothy rub.
Chompers get a sun-up scrub. Smile!" Or going to bed: "Slip-in slide.
Pillow pile. Stuffies near. Day-done smile. Ahhhhh!" Most of the poems
are written and illustrated on their own page, with a few poems covering
two-page spreads. Lori Joy Smith's simple artwork, in pleasing colors
and filled with playful children, is cheerful, fresh and contemporary,
and will have enormous appeal to young children. This book would be a
natural fit for National Poetry Month in April. But the poems are so
happy and engaging, they could easily begin any day in the classroom as
a delightful read-aloud, or even as a tool for dramatizations. The fun
rhymes are sure to get young minds engaged in the wonderful world of
words, making them excited about language, reading and poetry. And
emphasizing the importance of the regular routines of their days,
starting and ending in bed, offers the potential for beginning to
understand their place in their families and the larger community around
them.
