From: Betty Tisel <tiselfar>
Date: Fri, 1 May 1998 23:22:56 -0600

A view from a parent of small children before we let poetry go entirely: This discussion (about poetry) has been wonderful for me as a library patron; my eyes have been opened to a whole new section of books that I never attended to before. And seeing the condition of most of the poetry books (excellent) in comparison to lots of the picture books (okay to pitiful) it is clear that other parents and children are also ignorant of the great books therein. I think our favorite in the past month has been Tyrannosaurus Was a Beast, by the honorables Prelutsky and Lobel. It may be
"light verse", but my goodness, what fun to read aloud; and my four-year-old actually quoted an excerpt to a friend. And the poems are so funny, as well as dinosaurically accurate.

Anyway, all you librarians out there, how about hanging balloons or something over the poetry section to get it some attention? or put poetry books on display above the picture book shelves? so that parents and kids can find these great books year 'round, not just in April.


Betty Tisel tiselfar at visi.com
Received on Sat 02 May 1998 12:22:56 AM CDT