Porridge Poetry [Hardcover]

Hugh Lofting; Christopher Lofting (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up

A collection of 38 imaginative, mysterious, bizarre and down right silly poems illustrated in fully color with some of Hugh Lofting's finest artwork. In this volume the Porridge Poet fires the imagination, enticing you to wonder why Mr. Beers is digging a tunnel down to China, and what the Chinese think of that? What other adventures the Pirate of the Kitchen Sink might have besides terrorizing innocent cups and saucers? And just what tales is the Palm Family whispering about at the edge of an African Lagoon? A Foreword by Christopher Lofting, The Man Who Spoke to Animals, offers an insider's view of Hugh Lofting's idiosyncrasies and tidbits about the author's personal ties to the delightful characters that emerged from his imagination.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Hugh Lofting, the son of an architectural engineer, was born on January 14, 1886, in Maidenhead, England, into a family of five boys and one girl, many of whom wanted to pursue artistic careers. His father encouraged all his children's artistic inclinations but insisted each be trained in a profession they could rely on to make a living in the event the artistic endeavors did not work out. Civil engineering was Hugh Lofting's choice, but not because of any love of the profession. ...The First World War put him into the trenches of France as a combat engineer in the Irish Guards, one of the British Army's elite regiments. Of the many horrors of war that the young second lieutenant experienced, he found the part animals played in combat particularly disturbing. There was no veterinarian service in the WWI British Army, despite the fact that horses, dogs, pigeons and assorted other animals were used extensively at the front, often wounded and killed, and rarely if ever cared for. The sacrifices animals made in the war effort came to mind when Hugh Lofting prepared to write home to his two young children, Colin and Elizabeth. With daily life in the trenches providing few topics appropriate for children, his imagination created a doctor who could speak to animals via the translations of Polynesia, a 183-year-old African gray parrot. Thus, the start of the Doctor Dolittle stories. Lofting died in 1947. CO -AUTHOR Christopher Lofting wrote the introduction that doubles as a tribute to his famous dad. Chris' own writing career includes the following: ---Nationally syndicated business travel columnist writing The Executive Traveler for 11 years appearing weekly in The Journal of Commerce and 200-plus member papers of the KNT Newswire. ---Writes and edits The New York Times' Business Travel Outlook, Cruise Vacations, The Caribbean, etc. --Travel staff for the New York Daily News editing and writing the On the Road Again-- For Business Travelers as well as Budget Tips and related editorial work. --Contributing writer to National Geographic Traveler, Travel & Leisure, Travel Holiday, Travel Agent, ASTA Agency Management, Frequent Flyer, Town & Country, Currents, Car & Travel, New York Daily News, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, Providence Journal, Los Angeles Times, Bloomberg Personal, etc. --In-house science department staff editor on manned space coverage for LIFE magazine during the years just prior to the first man on the moon landing. --Co-founder and first managing editor of Vista USA, a travel magazine produced by Humble Oil and Refining, now Exxon. --Travel editor and on-air host on segments for NBC 's all-news radio News and Information Service ---Travel editor for WABC-TV A.M. New York show, U.S. travel correspondent for the BBC World Service, East Coast correspondent for Travel Show on KABC radio in Los Angeles. Co-host, Liberty Travel's TravelWorld, WEVD radio New York. --Host, The Travel Show WOR, New York and 75 stations of the WOR Radio Network.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Hardcover: 56 pages
• Publisher: Photographics Publishing; 2 edition (May 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0964384485
• ISBN-13: 978-0964384484
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 7.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,225,877 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Porridge Poetry, May 1, 2011

By 

Noaki - See all my reviews

This review is from: Porridge Poetry (Hardcover)

Not the same layout as the one I had as a child but the illustations are the same and the poetry is the same and timeless. Great fun for adults and chidren.
I'm very happy to have located this copy.

5.0 out of 5 stars We LOVE IT, August 31, 2006

By 

Janice L. Brink - See all my reviews

This review is from: Porridge Poetry (Hardcover)

What fun. Poems for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I will cherish this little gem of a book forever. My grandkids love it and ask me to read them a poem every day when I babysit. The drawings are darling. There's something for every member of the family. No wonder these are Doctor Dolittle's favorite poems. It's so nice to be able to pick up a quality hard cover book that the kids can enjoy over and over again.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Just For Fun, May 7, 2006

By 

Shirley Labusier "Book Talk" (Ashley, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Porridge Poetry (Hardcover)

Hugh Lofting is best known for his Doctor Dolittle stories, for which he won the second annual Newberry Medal for literature. Porridge Poetry is one of his most imaginative works, in writing as well as his silly illustrations. Reading the introduction allows you to see "The Man Who Spoke to Animals," through the eyes of his beloved son, Christopher.

Lofting served as a combat engineer in the Irish Guard, one of the British Army's elite regiments. While in the trenches he wrote home to his children, Colen and Elizabeth, subsequently creating Dr. Dolittle. His wife kept all the letters and sketches he sent home and suggested that he put them into book form. The name Dolittle is a spin-off of the nickname "Mr. Do- Little given to his half brother because he seemed to "do little around the house."

You and your child will enjoy the silly poems contained in this imaginative book. See the cute little pig, Virginia Ham dance and sing a merry tune. Enjoy the pipe smoking Sweet Potato Bug as he converses with a fledgling bird. Why is Mr. Beers digging a tunnel to China, and why is Scrubby Chubby scowling and growling. Each page contains a colorful illustration accompanied by a silly poem.