Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant and Other Poems

By Jack Prelutsky

Genre: Poetry

Category: Nonsense verse

Type: Single illustrated

Elements: Rhyme/sound pattern, pun, word play, onomatopoeia

Theme: Imaginary animals

Suggested grade level: 3rd-6th

• A dictionary-like introduction and definition of silly, invented hybrid creatures. The creatures are combinations of everyday objects and animals. The objects serve to exaggerate the physical or behavioral characteristics of the normal animal.

• Surreal imagery, clever use of language. (nonsense words)

• The illustrations are integral to the poetry.

• Creatures: The Lynx of Chain, the Circular Sawtoise, Birzarre Alarmadillos,, the Tearful Zipperpotamuses, the Pop-up Toadsters, the Shoehornets, and the Panthermometer.

“The ballpoint penguins, black and white, Do little else but write and write. Although they’ve nothing much to say, They write and write it anyway.

The ballpoint penguins do not think, They simply write with endless ink, They write of ice, they write of snow, For that is all they seem to know.

At times, these shy and silent birds Will verbally express their words. But mostly they do not recite— They aim their beaks and write and write.”

Jack Prelutsky: Author

•Born in 1940 in Brooklyn, NY

•A teacher in grade school gave him the impression that poetry was the “literary equivalent of liver.”

• “I was told that it was good for me, but I wasn’t convinced.” •Writes poetry for children to encourage love of verse

•Married Carolynn in 1979

•Was first published after encouraged by a friend to show his casual drawings and poetry to an editor

• First ever U.S. Children's Poet Laureate

Books of Poetry• “Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant “ (received the 2007 Scandiuzzi Children's Book

Award)• “It’s Raining Pigs and Noodles”• “A Pizza the Size of the Sun”• “Something BIG Has Been Here”• “Pigs, Pizza, and Poetry: How to Write a Poem” • … and many, many more!

Carin Berger: Illustrator

•Originally a graphic designer

•Unique in that she uses old ticket stubs, newspapers, and catalogues, to illustrate

•Has won several awards