Book Review of World Rat Day by Patrick J. Lewis

 

1.      Bibliography

Lewis, Patrick J. 2013. World rat day. (Raff, Anna). Candlewick Press. ISBN: 9780763654023

2.      Plot Summary

In this book we look at all the unusual holidays that you might have not heard of before and get a playful twist on them.  We start in January and go all the way to December, each holiday having a poem to talk about the day.  Some poems are short, and some are longer, you have poems about cats, dogs, and yes even rats.  It is a joy to see these unusual holidays celebrated in a new light.

3.      Critical Analysis

Lewis had a good steady rhythm in this story of unusual holidays.  You have a typical pause in the sentence before the next line is read.  All the poems in the book feature rhyming words, with the rhymes feeling natural and still getting the meaning across to the audience.  In the illustrations you get a lot of personification, the animals are doing typical human things like directing a movie, painting, or throwing a concert.  There is some word play like instead of “you” it says “Ewe”.  There is one poem about a flamingo where the words are written to make the shape of a flamingo and in pink letters. You have great imagery throughout the book like a beetle launching pad (frog), electrified confetti (fireflies), and the moon is pouring cream (cow’s dream).  The book features mostly one poem to a page with an illustration, with a few having multiple poems about different animals.  Each poem has a picture to go along with it and some words are in all capitals to emphasize the meaning.  Children will love reading about the funny things these animals do.

4.      Review Excerpt(s)

Funny from start to finish, these superbly crafted poems and inventive illustrations celebrate the extraordinary, odd, and seldom heard of holidays that the elementary-school crowd will love. Raff’s intelligent artwork adds to the lighthearted play with many surprises...The entire book is such fun that children will want to shout, “It’s J. Patrick Lewis Day!” —School Library Journal

Obscure but entertaining holidays get their own poem, each one funny, playful, and even instructive...Raff’s ink washes and drawings feature animals with lots of personality.

—The Horn Book

5.      Connections

*I would use this book to compare it to other books about holidays. Other books about holidays:

Let's Celebrate!: Special Days Around the World (World of Celebrations) by  Kate DePalma

A Year Full of Celebrations and Festivals: Over 90 fun and fabulous festivals from around the world! By Claire Grace

*You can also talk about poems and have the children begin to create their own poem in a poetry station with cut up words.