Polkabats and Octopus Slacks: 14 Stories

Fantastic whimsical poems and drawings we have now read hundreds of times with our 5 yo. We all adore this book and its companion by the same author. Wonderful eccentric writing, hilarious.

Charming and funny book. With great short poems and drawings. This one is an over-and-over reading book for all three of my kids. I now give this book as a gift to anyone having kiddos. His other books are superb too.

A long time favorite of mine was glad to find a copy to gift someone.

In my daily life, I read way too much. Legal documents, blogs, news, you name it. At the end of the day, reading a few poems by Caleb Brown reminds you why the English language is so versatile and inspiring. These poems are short, using words that most 5 y/o's know, and yet are fun and interesting. The illustrations are another review themselves - just fabulous! Now my stepsons ask for poetry at night, and even some poems by name. I never thought they would come to appreciate poetry, but feel great that my hubby and I have a renewed interest in this genre. Life is so very serious, but having fun should be a serious endeavor too, no? Go get this book - and get ready to use your best acting voice. Borrow it from the library if you're not sure (as we did) and only buy it and take up space in your house if you really love it.

Great "postmodern folk art" book with a dadaist sensibility for silly people of all ages. Intriguing bold illustrations and stream-of-consciousness narrative snippet poems invite "yes, and" discussions with children, who always love it.

Children's poetry books have a tendency to be bland and mind-numbing. This collection of 14 poems is a refreshing exception to that convention. Brown's poems have a unique sing-songy feel that are not childish, but hip and stylish. I highly recommend this book for kids from 5-12 years old and parents who are sick of watered-down kids' books.

If you love this book, there's another one that comes after it called "Dutch Sneakers and Flea Keepers." On top of that, there's a cd by a group called Clementown. They took all of Calef Brown's poems and made them into songs. They totally rock and it's probably one of the only "kid's music" cds that I'll gladly listen to on a daily basis. This book of poems is the first half of the cd and I highly recommend both the books and music. Your kids can follow along in the books or use each for its own merits!

If you haven't read Calef Brown yet please do yourself (and your kids) a favor. His writing is brilliant, creative and will keep you turning the pages.

Such a fun collection of poems, rhymes and stories that kids of all ages would enjoy and most adults too!

fun images and words. My son was reciting these poems at a very young age (1.5-2!) It was pretty cute. He still loves them, and adults don't get tired of reading the same book often because it is entertaining for us too.