Hopkins Award - Button Up! Wrinkled Rhymes

1. Bibliographic Citation

Schertle, Alice. 2009. Button Up! Wrinkled Rhymes. New York: Harcourt Children's Books. ISBN 9780152050504 

 

2. Summary and Review

Button Up! is a humorous collection of rhyming poems written from the point of view of clothes! Yes, clothes are the speakers in these poems. With some only one stanza long, others several stanzas long, and all with different rhyme schemes, every poem is worth while in this collection. Kids will surely get a chuckle out of “Emily’s Undies” that are always showing and “Bertie’s Shoelaces” that are just as cool as he is. Who would’ve ever thought that “Rick’s Wool Sweater” actually enjoys being prickly? The repetition in “Joshua’s Jammies” and from the 6 on “Jack’s Soccer Jersey” emphasizes how excited the articles of clothing are about their jobs and owners. Petra Mathers’s bright, watercolor illustrations depict different animals as the owners of the various pieces of clothing. From alligators to mice, the various animals create fun pairings with the different clothes. This book is especially recommended for 2^nd-5^th grade teachers in Texas since the new STAAR test focuses on identifying the speaker in a poem. The wistful shirt of “Tanya’s Old T-Shirt” laments the fact that Tanya out grew her and she’s now a dust rag:

Tanya’s Old T-Shirt

I live in a bucket under a stair.

They call me a dust rag!

I don’t think it’s fair.

I’m still the same size as when I was new.

I didn’t shrink –

it was Tanya who Grew.

She started out small and we fit to a T.

Now she’s big as a sofa!

She’s tall as a tree!

She’s out of control, and they’re dusting with me!

You’ll never, not ever

hear anyone say,

“She’s gotten too big, she’s just in the way,

let’s dust the piano with Tanya today.”

3. Awards and Reviews

Lee Bennet Hopkins Poetry Award, 2010

Patterson Prize for Books for Young People, 2010

School Library Journal Book Review Stars, May 2009

4. Activities

After reading “Tanya’s Old T-Shirt,” students could be encouraged to think about an item they have loved that has been forgotten or thrown out. Tell them to imagine how that object must feel – sad? mad? forgotten? Then the students could write a poem from the point of view of that item. Or students could do the reverse. After reading “Joshua’s Jammies” or “Bob’s Bicycle Helmet,” ask them to think about their favorite article of clothing and pretend that piece of clothing loves its owner too. They could then write a poem from the point of view of the clothing, imagining how the clothing would speak about its owner and what its favorite thing to do could be.

5. Related Books

A Dress for Me! by Sue Fliess ISBN 9780761461487

Shoes for Me! by Sue Fliess ISBN 9780761458258

Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems ISBN 9781423114376