Loading Search

• Buy this Book
• Book Creators
• Related Blog Posts
• Share on Twitter
• Share on Facebook

Philip de Vos's carnival of animals is full of malcontents and fiercely independent types: tortoises who waltz and cancan--but only in their dreams; lions who disdain sauerkraut and brussels sprouts; and rowdy, honky-tonker pianists. Fourteen poems document this motley crew, with a generous helping of Ogden Nash-esque nonsense and de Vos's own brand of quirky humor. Donkeys are immortalized thus: ... More

Philip de Vos's carnival of animals is full of malcontents and fiercely independent types: tortoises who waltz and cancan--but only in their dreams; lions who disdain sauerkraut and brussels sprouts; and rowdy, honky-tonker pianists. Fourteen poems document this motley crew, with a generous helping of Ogden Nash-esque nonsense and de Vos's own brand of quirky humor. Donkeys are immortalized thus: Consider now
the donkey's lot.
He'd love to be
what he is
not:
wild and lusty,
not so dusty,
with a song
that's not so
rusty.
Donkey
hasn't any choice
and mocks the world
with his
hee-haw voice.
Each verse is complemented wittily by Piet Grobler's unique etchings in blues, golds, and rusts that, framed, could easily grace an offbeat nursery wall. The poems will most likely be enjoyed on two levels, as sophisticated humor often is: younger readers will delight in the silliness, while urbane adults will be drawn by the cultural references (19th-century composer Camille Saint-Saens is the "music man") and darker undertones (hints of death play around the edges of several of the verses--the tortoise "plods along, he plods along/ until his tortoise days are gone"). All in all, a captivating and memorable book. (Ages 5 and older) --Emilie Coulter

You must be a member of JacketFlap to add a video to this page. Please Log In or Register.