Poetry Friday - A review of Holiday Stew

For today's Poetry Friday title, I have a collection of poems that is quite unique. In fact, I dipped into the book over a period of several days. It is the kind of book one can enjoy all year round.

Holiday Stew: A kid’s portion of holiday and seasonal poems

Jenny Whitehead

Poetry

For ages 6 to 9

Henry Holt, 2007, 0-8050-7715-4

   The year is full of memorable moments and great holidays. There is the day when the first flower blooms in the garden in spring, the day when the family goes to the beach in the summer, the day when Halloween pumpkins are carved, and the day when it is so cold outside that summer “Seems far away.”

   This book of poetry takes young readers through a full year of seasonal and holiday poems. The author begins by looking at spring, and she opens the season with a short and humorous poem about a child who is sneezing. He wonders if he has the flu or some kind of “Spring fever.” Then, it occurs to him that what ails him is very simple, he has allergies! Later in the spring section, there is a poem about St. Patrick’s Day where we are encouraged to dress in green, to bake soda bread, and to share an Irish toast when we raise our glasses of green milk.

   In the summer section there are poems about baseball games, sleepovers with friends, and there are five poetical coupons for Dad (for father’s day), one of which is for a “musical tribute for you.” There is a poem about camping, and one about fishing, and there is a poem about a flower party that has the names of eighteen flowers hidden in the text.

   For fall, the author looks at the last leaf to fall off the tree, what it is like to go on a hayride, and she gives her readers some ideas for what they should do with their leftover Halloween candy. There is even a poetic Thanksgiving Day Quiz to try.

   For the last season of the year, we begin by looking at winter in Australia (upside down) and what winter in the south would be like from the point of view of a child who is from the north. Don’t forget the five letters to Santa, once of which asks Santa to give the writer a lift in his sleigh.

   Throughout this book, wonderful rhymes that come in many forms are paired with delightful illustrations to give children a wonderful poetry experience. This celebration of seasonal doings and holidays is the kind of book you can dip into throughout the year.