Chocolate dreams: Poems [Hardcover]

Arnold Adoff (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up

Original poems on a favorite subject by a chocolate lover.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-5-- These poems in celebration of chocolate entice readers to study them for clever uses of language and typography and for allusions to literature and popular culture, but ultimately many of the verses are more clever than poetic and make one wonder about the intended audience. Some reflect child interests and a childlike playfulness with language, but others are love poems or have topics or linguistic structures not necessarily appealing to young readers. The format is also confusing in respect to audience. The size and shape of the book is one which usually appeals to elementary school children, but the density of some of the pages, type size, and page layouts would not encourage most youngsters to tackle this poetry which has as much adult punning as childlike spontaneity. Junior-high students would enjoy many of the poems, but will not be attracted to the format. One of the best poems is a delightful twist on the ancient alchemist, who here is a secret scientist turning green papers and gold into precious chocolate. The illustrations have a pop art/advertising art quality which complements allusions to the Rolling Stones, Stephen King, and "go(ing) for all the gusto I can get," in the text. The illustration for Adoff's version of Hansel and Gretel suggests Disney, and "Choco Cheers" reminds one of the dancing Raisins. The brown-and-white drawings are mostly dull and static, while some of the alternating full-color chocolate fantasies have an almost grotesque animation. The color saturation creates a kind of garishness which conflicts with the essence of dreams. Overall, there is a harshness to these illustrations which is more nightmarish than dreamlike, and generally unappetizing to chocolate lovers. --Kay E. Vandergrift, School of Communication, Information and Library Studies, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Hardcover: 63 pages
• Publisher: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books; 1st edition (1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688068227
• ISBN-13: 978-0688068226
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,421,364 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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