It's Raining Pigs and Noodles

Cynthia Grabke, Halifax Elementary School, MA -- School Library Journal, 9/9/2008

It’s Raining Pigs and Noodles (unabr.). CD. 1 hr. Harper Audio (harperaudio.com). 2008. ISBN 978-0-06-145135-5. $14.95.

K-Gr 5–Jack Prelutsky has set to music and performs 28 of his poems from the book of the same title (Greenwillow, 2000). Humorous throughout, there is a lot of variety, both in the poetry and in the music. Some of the pieces are nonsensical, such as the title poem that lists many ridiculous items it could rain. There are funny story poems such as “I Chased a Dragon Through the Woods,” and thoughtful poems such as “Plooters” which sarcastically admonishes those who “don’t care, we make messes everywhere.” And of course there are his exuberant wordplays, like “Is Traffic Jam Delectable?” Prelutsky perfectly matches the tone of each poem with the style of music, ranging from blues to bluegrass. With a wide assortment of accompanying instruments (mandolin, banjo, violin, guitar, harmonica and clarinet), some of the songs have a Celtic, Mexican, or Eastern European flavor. The poem titles are printed on the CD only, making it impossible to read them while listening. A great way to introduce children to poetry or to enliven a poetry unit.