Kooser, Ted and Connie Wanek. Marshmallow Clouds: Two Poets at Play Among Figures of Speech. Richard Jones, Illus. Poetry. Candlewick, 03/2022. 72pp. $25.99 978-1-5362-0303-5. OUTSTANDING. GRADES 3-8.
Two noted poets, Ted Kooser and Connie Wanek, unleash their imaginations on everyday objects, proving that almost anything can be turned into a poem. An upside-down aluminum boat “looks like a hand cupped over a shadow to keep it from scuttling away.” A TV remote requires your fingertip, “just as Aladdin’s warm palm summoned the genie of the lamp.” Brilliantly painted images accompany the engaging, free-verse poems, each illustration illuminating the poet’s source of inspiration—among the more unusual ones are a worm in a puddle, a cow pie, and a fly-swatter. Endnotes encourage readers to look around and let their own imaginations run free. Recommended for all collections, this book will be appreciated by readers spanning a wide age range, as well as by teachers looking for examples of metaphor, imagery, and other literary devices.
Jenny Andrus, Independent