“What’s as deliciously silly as Edward Lear’s verse? Valorie Fisher’s sly, imaginative illustrations, that’s what!”

Author: Poems by Edward Lear
Title: Nonsense!
Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2004.

Grade Level: 1-5

Summary: A collection of Edward Lear’s limericks.

Strengths: Valorie Fisher’s illustrations! They are lively, fun, extraordinary and bring to life Edward Lear’s limericks in a new way. Fisher layers different pictures and mediums of artwork, bringing a whole new artistic style to children’s literature. Another strength of this work is the vocabulary and the incorporation of definitions of new vocabulary words in the illustrations. Throughout the illustrations definitions of tough vocabulary words are included. Vocabulary words include accomplished, induced, relinquished, remarkable, seldom, frequently, to delude, expansive, amiable, entranced, affable, associate, and vexed. This is a great way to not only introduce children to limericks, but to new vocabulary as well.

Concerns: Younger children may not be able to understand or truly appreciate the style, vocabulary or limerick structure of Edward Lear’s poems. While children may find the poems silly, for this book to be used in an academic activity it may need to be reserved for older audiences. Regardless, this book is a fun read aloud for both young and old!


Classroom Use: This book would be a great introduction for limericks. For older students, this might be a great book to use as an introduction to teaching about the structure of limericks. Children should then be challenged to write their own limericks. Valerie Fisher’s illustrations might inspire students of all ages to create collage like artwork to accompany their written work, especially poems.

(image from Amazon.com)