The Swamps of Sleethe

May 30, 2012 at 6:07 pm (Reviews) (, , , , , , , , , , , , )

I’ve just recently started beefing up my poetry section in my personal library.  I looked out over my shelves and realized I had many biographies but not the works that made the people famous in the first place.  On hunting down essential poets and their work, I started stumbling across more children’s poetry that I’d like to have for Ayla.  Punctuation Celebration was one of the first, many children’s picture books are poetic in nature and I’ve been trying to make sure we have the cleverest and the best here at home, at our fingertips.  Among these searches after Story Time at Half Price Books, I came across The Swamps of Sleethe by Jack Prelutsky.

Prelutsky is the first Children’s Poet Laureate and also a Star Trek fan, which is obvious in this wonderfully fantastical adventure through space (or his version of it) via rhymes and anagrams.  Visit fictional planets like Ogdofod and risk becoming dogfood.  Breathe even one breath of air in the World of Thade and you’ll be poisoned to death.  The poems are exciting, a little bit scary, but wonderful for your kiddos at home who find poetry and space adventure enticing.

The Cold of Drifig Prime, illustration by Jimmy Pickering

On top of the fabulous work of this brilliant wordsmith are the illustrations of Jimmy Pickering, who has worked for Walt Disney Imagineering, Universal Studios, and Hallmark Cards, as well as illustrated several other children’s books.  His work is fun and a little bit spooky for those children and adults alike into colorful, yet Gothic-like artwork.

Needless to say, I bought my copy at Half Price Books, and I’m a huge fan with absolutely no buyer’s remorse.  Every parent needs a copy for their kiddo.

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