FICTION

One Minute Till Bedtime: 60-Second Poems To Send You Off to Sleep

by Kenn, sel NESBITT
illus. by Christoph Niemann. 176p. Little, Brown. Nov. 2016. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9780316341219.
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RedReviewStarK-Gr 4—This charming compendium holds a wide variety of poetic forms and emotions, from bits of "concrete" to slices of doggerel, from bursts of giggles to slathers of joy—and with a star-studded cast that includes the likes of Nikki Grimes, Marilyn Singer, Jon Scieszka, and more, it's bound to be a lasting contribution to collections. All the pieces are rather short in length—perfect for those bedtime or read-aloud pleas of "just one more!" Poems where moon mice "know the moon is made of cheese," seagulls throw parties "but never cook, ever," and sleepy weeds "lean against each other" are sure to enchant adults and children alike.
VERDICT Exuberant for the most part (with some serious musings to lend ballast) and in perfect harmony with its cartoonish, color-washed illustrations, this sleepy-time volume is just the thing for the rhyme-loving child who has graduated from Mother Goose.
Reviewed by Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY
Over 120 short poems by contemporary writers are organized into six sections, each led by one of Nesbitt's poems. Along with poems about bedtime, night, etc., appears an eclectic selection of pieces flowing naturally from one to another. Energetic, often funny line drawings are color-coded to each section. Nonsense poems, wordplay, nature, and tenderness mix for a collection that families will enjoy sharing.
 , Nov 01, 2016

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