I’ve made a concerted effort to read more poetry to my children this National Poetry Month, and I’m ending the month by posting a little review of a delightful book entitled A Sock Is a Pocket for Your Toes by Elizabeth Garton Scanlon. (I just love the assonance and alliteration in the title, don’t you?)  I purchased it after reading Alice’s glowing review, and I have to say I was not disappointed.  For some reason, I was expecting it to be a collection of poems instead of one long poem, but after I got used to the idea that it is a rhyming picture book, I warmed up to it and had a fabulous time sharing it with my girls.  It is deceptively simple in that it appears to be only for little kids:  Robin Preiss Glaisser‘s illustrations are mostly of little kids and their relationships with others.  However, the concept of all the things that can be pockets is a brain tickler.  I love it!

A chimney is a pocket blowing smoke,

and a pocket for a giggle is a joke–

tee hee.

A pocket packed with giggles is a joke.

A phone is a pocket for a ring,

a bell is a pocket for a ding.

Well, you get the idea.  This verse creates a delightful rhythm that begs to be tapped or bounced to.  My girls and I had a fun time coming up with other pockets.  Yesterday was National Poem in Your Pocket Day, but I think any day is a good day to keep a poem in your pocket or read a poem about pockets.  We give this book a Highly, Highly Recommended. (HarperCollins, 2004)

Given the DLM’s affinity for pockets, I think this one will be a popular selection at the House of Hope for many years to come.

The Poetry Friday roundup this week is at The Opposite of Indifference.

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