Hidden Poetry

I have talked before about how when you can read aloud a book with rhythm and rhyme children will automatically become hooked and begin to listen.  They love the ebb and flow of the text, whether the rhythm be up tempo or down tempo. Books with rhyme and rhythm are also easier for kids to "read" or memorize.  Recently, I have stumbled across a few books that have beautiful rhythm and rhyme, so much so I felt as though I found poetry hidden in the pages of children's books.  

The first hidden gem was Rain Play by Cynthia Cotten.  The text is very simple, two short lines on each page, but the story it tells speaks to every child who loves to splash in puddles and play in the rain.    The children are "at the park (as) the sky grows dark."  Then it starts to gently rain "Plip, plop. Drip, drop."  Some people leave the park because of the rain, but these children stay to play, "running, romping, puddle-stomping."  That is until, "Flash!, Boom!" the storm comes and its time to go.   The books ends with the children watching it rain from home until the sun comes out again.  

You can see from the examples above just how poetic the language is, and its not just the rhyme that makes it that way.  The author uses sound words like drip, plip and BOOM!  All these techniques bring the reader in, even your youngest readers.  My son is just two and he loved to listen to us read this book.  

So, besides reading a good book what is your favorite rainy day activity to do with your kids?  We love to run and jump in the puddles once the storm is over!

Happy Reading!

Laura