In the tradition of Edward Lear, Calef Brown has fashioned fourteen nonsense poems so wacky that both young and old will be unable to suppress their laughter. Invented words and sounds and their visual counterparts create both an audible and a visual feast. This is the kind of silliness children (and many adults) relish.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com Review
The creator of Polkabats and Octopus Slacks puts his playful pen to paper again in Dutch Sneakers and Fleakeepers. Calef Brown's story-poems are nonsensical and exuberant, and his muted, sophisticated Cubist paintings join the party with equal zeal. Did you know that fleas "learn to speak German / more quickly than bees"? Or that "bad teeth" aren't really bad, they just need "a cleaning and something to chew"? No, resist the impulse to look for lessons: Brown--a hip, modern Edward Lear--is here to have fun. Children will adore meeting the feared "Tattlesnake" (with unusual stripes and big ears), an electric-guitar-playing grandmother, a runaway waffle, a mysterious fish ("Green like asparagus. / Flat like a dish"), Sir Dance-a-lot, and the rest of Brown's crazy--yes, crazy--cast of characters. (All ages) --Karin Snelson
From Publishers Weekly
Brown follows his bestselling Polka Bats and Octopus Slacks with another traveling circus of poems. The table of contents resembles a set of sideshow marquees, letting readers know they are in for offbeat attractions. A prime example is "Mysterious Fish": "Mysterious fish tank./ Mysterious fish./ Green like asparagus./ Flat like a dish./ Toss in a peppercorn,/ then make a wish./ Mysterious fish tank./ Mysterious fish." This weird and wonderfully catchy chant accompanies an eerie image of a bored, flounder-like creature in a luminous, slightly slimy tank. The boardwalk motif continues in one of the title poems, in which an unseen huckster promises "Fleakeepers" that they can "Make lots of cash!/ Raise fleas in your basement,/ just feed 'em your trash." Brown's cabinet of oddities also includes the big-eared "Tattlesnake" ("It spies on you,/ tells on you,/ then disappears") and a "Runaway Waffle" whose spindly limbs give it a likeness to the retro-icon Mr. Peanut. The author's illustrations suggest a zany mix of post-modern wit and folk art na?vet?, and his minor-key palette complements the surreal verse. If Jack Prelutsky collaborated with Howard Finster, the result might look something like this. All ages. (Apr.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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More About the Author
Calef Brown began his career as a tour guide at an early age, when he discovered the simple joy of pointing things out. He is also an artist, writer, and frequently a blue elephant. Mr. Brown's illustrations have appeared in many magazines and newspapers, and his paintings have been exhibited in N.Y., L.A., S.F., and other places without fancy initials, like Osaka and Rome. He lives in Maine.
Customer Reviews
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love it Love it Love it!,
By A Customer
This review is from: Dutch Sneakers and Flea Keepers: 14 More Stories (Hardcover)
In an age of Disney-overload, the inventive, clever verses are a joy to read.A book for anyone who is tired of reading the same thing over and over, it stands out as a delightful and vibrant book.
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Big Hit with My 6 Year Old!,
By Deborah J. Taub "college prof and avid reader" (Lafayette, IN United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Dutch Sneakers and Flea Keepers: 14 More Stories (Hardcover)
Amazon.com delivered this book to my son as a gift from a very wise and whimsical friend. He loved it instantly and it became THE requested bedtime book night after night after night. And, that was OK, because we (the grown-ups) love it too! The poems are wacky and sometimes demented and make sense in that dream-sense or nonsense way. You'll laugh and laugh as our family does -- and you'll each have a favorite (mine is "Mysterious Fish"). Promote a love of language and of silliness -- buy this book for a child you love.
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful story poems for everyone,
This review is from: Dutch Sneakers and Flea Keepers: 14 More Stories (Hardcover)
Calef Brown has written a collection of poems that are real winners. They are easy to read with modern wacky language and rhymes that kids will just love. The accompanying illustrations are rich in color and detail and compliment each poem. Everyone in the family will enjoy this book.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
My Dutch Wooden Sneakers from Holland, the grooviest shoes on the block. Read the first page New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
My Dutch Wooden Sneakers from Holland, the grooviest shoes on the block. Read the first page New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
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