Messing Around on the Monkey Bars and other School Poems for Two Voices/ MODULE 5/ Performance Poetry

Betsy Franco Illustrated by Jessie Hartland.2009. Messing Around on the Monkey Bars and other School Poems for Two Voices. Somerville, Mass. Candlewick Press.  ISBN 978-0-7636-3174-1. 

Messing Around the Monkey Bars and Other School Poems for two is written by Betsy Franco and illustrated by Jessie Hartland.  This book contains 19 poems about school.  The dialog of these poems is written between two individuals about common school themes playground games, cafeteria lunch, homework, and friends.  These poems are great to read aloud, these poems teach phrasing, vocabulary, and pronunciation. Readers can read these poems alone but the differences in typeface allow for the possibility for two readers to share the poems aloud alternating lines and sharing school day experiences.  The book starts out with a table of contents of all the poems.  You then turn to Authors Note which explains the protocol (three different typefaces represent lines for voice one, lines for voice two and lines for both voices together), and then you lead into your 19 poems about school. 

There is great appeal to all of these poems. The verses are lively and will hold the children’s attention. All of these poems will relate to childhood experiences.  Children remember the Wild Bus Ride, New Kid at School, Lunch Money, and Homework Blues.           

The poems are all consistent in quality.  Each poem brings a new memory back from school days for both adults and children. All of these poems will stimulate the emotions and imagination of the readers. They can think back to a time when these poems would relate to them.    

To accompany these wonderful poems are amazing illustrations done by Jessie Hartland.  They are cartoon like illustrations that will make kids laugh through every poem.  The illustrations are lively and make everything come to life.

I am sharing a poem titled Wild Bus Ride. I thought this poem was so clever.  It really brings a school bus to life.  The picture with it is absolutely wonderful. I encourage everyone to look at this poem.     

Wild Bus Ride

Snort, squeal,

snort, squeal.

We’re gobbled up

by a beast with wheels.

Grumble, growl,

grumble, growl.

The beast shoots smoke.

It moans and howls.

Jumble, rumble,

Jumble, rumble

It’s big old belly

groans and grumbles.

Screech, cough,

screech, cough.

It opens its mouth-

we scramble off.

Snort, sequel,

growl, grumble.

The beast is gone

with a rumble, rumble. 

Classroom/Library Connection

Recommended audience:  Ages 7-9

Before reading: Most of the poems in the book use sounds, including “Wild Bus Ride”, “Jenny’s Pencil”, “In the Library” ,and “Whirr, Whirr, Zing, Zap”.  Before reading any poems I would have the children sit quietly in the class room and listen to all the sounds.   

During reading:  I would read the poem slowly so they can truly appreciate the poem and hear all the sounds that the poem focuses on. 

Reread the poem: I would then discuss the poem with them and go over all the sounds and discuss what things would make those sounds.     

After reading: As a class we would create a list of sound words with students and post it in the classroom. I would then ask the students to listen to the natural world and then write about what they have heard. I will encourage the students to consciously add sound words to stories and poems they write.