My Dog May Be a Genius

by Jack Prelutsky

Book Overview

Have you ever encountered an underwater marching band, a pig in a bathing suit, a pet orangutan, or a witch in a hardware store Have you ever sat with a skunk in a courtroom, shopped for a dinosaur, or conversed with a Bupple, a Wosstrus, a Violinnet, or a Celloon You will have, once you've read this exuberant collaboration from Jack Prelutsky and his "partner in crime" James Stevenson. The "reigning czars of silliness" have once again teamed up to...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0066238625
• ISBN13: 9780066238623
• Release Date: February 2008
• Publisher: Greenwillow Books
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 7.5" x 9.3"
• Age Range: 6 to 10 years
• Grade Range: Grades 1 to 5

Customer Reviews

Great comtemporary funny-funky poetry

This is a great book to have on hand for browsing from beginning readers to middle grades. Oh, OK. Adults are allowed to read and smile, too. Not all poems are manageable for the early grades to digest independently, but all are fun if the listener can find a friendly reader to help out. Think how much you loved Shel Silverstein, and buy this to add to you collection of poetry for children. (Honestly, you could add any Jack Prelutsky poetry. My kids both at home and at school love him unconditionally. If you are teaching with his work, consider checking out some of the cool stuff he has out to encourage kids to write, too.)

"...It's evident my dog is not a dunce!"

I'm not afraid of anything, except, perhaps, of bears, and spiders, snakes, and centipedes, and falling down the stairs... If you are not a lover of poetry, no problem. Don't think of these hilarious ditties as poetry, but as crazily skewed glimpses into the wacky world of kids. Children's Poet Laureate Jack Prelutsky gives us a big beautiful book full of wordplay, and you just can't read it without bobbing your head and tapping your foot. It's hardly fair to give you just the beginnings of these poems, but you WILL want to read it for yourself, all 100+ crazy jingles. I crossed a lion with a mouse. Their progeny patrol my house, and often roar, demanding cheese-- I give them all the cheese they please... Animals, real and imagined, populate this book and will delight any child. Who says an elephant has to remember, or that...well, that a pet can't play chess? I have a pet orangutan, the two of us play chess. I always won when we began, but now I'm winning less. Much of the humor is rooted in the familiar, but with an unexpected twist; such as a letter from camp ("My counselor says I have to write--I threw up on my sweater...") or the hilarious ode to homework: Homework, sweet homework, you heavenly thing, as soon as I see you I dance and I sing... Many of the poems are quite philosophical, drawing "life lessons" from everyday observations, as in "A Turtle": A turtle never feels the need to ambulate at breakneck speed. Of course, unsuited for the deed, it certainly would not succeed... Or "A Worm": A worm wends its winding and unaware way, wriggling in solitude day after day... There are cynical commentaries on family life, and as you know, kids will say anything! My sister's taking lessons in learning how to sing. From everything I've heard so far, she hasn't learned a thing... Prelutsky takes forays into a fantastical world that will stretch the imagination: We witches love our weekends at the Spells & Smells Motel. They cultivate our business, and they treat our coven well... Line illustrations by James Stevenson add much to this beautifully-laid-out book. Many of the poems are presented graphically, such as the ovoid "I'm Trapped in an Egg" and the winding "I Am on a Bumpy Road". My Dog May Be a Genius is a gorgeous book with plenty of space on the page, tons of style, and a sure-fire sense of humor. It begs to be read out loud, preferably by a child. Linda Bulger, 2009

My Dog May be a Genius

What a great book for a kid! It's all written in verse but so much fun, and a good introduction to poetry.

Love it!!

These poems are so clever and fun- and funny! Our almost 4 year old loves them, and I love reading them. I bought another copy for our nephew who is just learning to read. These remind me of the Shel Silverstein poems I read as a kid- and loved- but seem a bit more appropriate for a very young audience. I love introducing poetry and this is a great way to do it. I HIGHLY recommend this book (and others by him- we have a few now).

My Dog May Be a Genius

I preordered this book for my Grandson who is almost 2 - I actually bought it because I liked the title but not only did it have a great title, the book is absolutely FANTASTIC! His mother loves reading it to him, his grandmother loves reading it to him and little Noah stays interested while it is being read to him. I highly recommend this book, especially because of the rhyming style that offers a pleasant variation from regular story books.