The Blood-Hungry Spleen and Other Poems About Our Parts (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Greg Clarke (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Gr. 3-5. Poems about belly buttons, bones, and brains pepper the pages of this decidedly quirky exploration of human anatomy by a former life science teacher. "Your tongue is for chewing. For curling. For clicking. / It fits in your mouth like a bug in a rug. / Your tongue is for tasting and lollipop licking. / But hey, folks, let's face it. / It looks like a slug!" The 34 poems are uneven, but they are certainly playful in their descriptions of the form and functions of body parts inside and out. Clarke's clever, inventive illustrations depict an anthropomorphized heart beating a drum, tiny humans on rafts navigating the "shy silent rivers" of the circulatory system, and a blood-hungry spleen chasing blood cells with a knife and fork at the ready. Expect giggles at the specific mention of the anus, penis, etc., though these parts are not graphically represented. More fascinating facts and a bibliography conclude this wacky anatomical tribute that reminds us we are all just skeletons inside. Karin Snelson
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Product Description

More than three dozen poems describe individual parts of the body and what they do for us and for some parts, such as the face, the verses describe how we communicate nonverbally with other people.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Hardcover: 56 pages
• Publisher: Candlewick; 1 edition (July 28, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 076361565X
• ISBN-13: 978-0763615659
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 7.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,134,499 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Why wasn't this published when I was still teaching???, September 9, 2003

By	"drterryj" (Indiana) - See all my reviews

When I taught school, I was always looking for an entertaining way to trick my students into learning, into becoming inspired, and "The Blood-Hungry Spleen" would have been a huge hit -- if only I was still teaching! Not only is it amusing and educational to young children on a basic level about their anatomy (seriously, did you ever think about spit having a purpose, other than helping you look cool in a dugout?), it helps teachers and parents broach subjects they may have difficulty with. And, yes, very clever poetry!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Original, funny, and educational, September 4, 2003

By	scribbler1 "scribbler1" (Stone Mountain, GA USA) - See all my reviews

"The Blood Hungry Spleen" succeeds quite nicely in making learning about the different parts of the body fun. The poems are just silly enough to induce lots of giggles from kids (while teaching them - how sneaky!). The text is written in language that is easy for kids to grasp from a very young age, without ever being condescending.

But the book isn't just for kids -- at a recent party for adults, the book was passed around and read out loud -- to the sound of, yep, you guessed it, lots and lots of adult giggles.

Greg Clarke's artwork is also imaginative, and manages to perfectly capture the spirit and humor of Allan Wolf's poetry.

This is a book that parents and kids can enjoy together.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A real winner!, August 25, 2003

By A Customer

This is a gem! So fun, you'd never know how much you're learning (about your body AND different styles of poetry). My favorite poem is "A Sad Tale, or Hey, Who Stole My Seat?" (hint: the illustration is a bandit running away with a derriere tucked under his arm). I encourage you and everyone you know to check it out (an excellent present for any child you know -- and the child in anyone you know -- and appreciatives of fine writing). And these days everyone can use some extra giggles and grins.