[.ca] Polkabats and Octopus Slacks: 14 Stories (ISBN 0395854032)

From Amazon.com:
Author and illustrator Calef Brown is a blue elephant, we're told on the back flap of the book, and we half-believe it, judging from this exuberant, unforgettable collection of 14 ultra-hip rhyming stories about everything from sleeping fruit to a funky--and we mean funky--snowman. In comical folk-art paintings, bathed in truly delicious colors, we meet Ed. "Introducing Ed, / with cherries on his head. / He says, 'I like the color,' / So all his stuff is red..." One odd hamlet is described like this: "Clementown is greenish, / the people tall and leanish, / the dogs bark very loudish, / but not because they're meanish." Brown sings the praises of "Snails" as well: "...they don't make threats, / they don't eat meat, / they don't place bets, / they almost always pay their debts / and never puff on cigarettes." These poems are as nonsensical as Edward Lear's, but clearly for modern hipster kids, and, well, adults, too. (Click to see a sample spread. Illustrations © 1998 by Calef Brown.) (All ages) --Karin Snelson

My son's favorite book!:
My son, age two, received this book for Christmas last year. He loves it! We read it almost everyday. His favorites are Polka Bats, Snails, Ed and Eliza's Jacket. Calef Brown is a very unique and funny poet. The poems are upbeat and fun to recite. My family and I find ourselves reciting various lines at the simple mention of a trigger word..such as "pocket". I just bought my son his second Calef Brown book, Dutch Sneakers and Flea Keepers. So, grab this book and some chocolate pudding, remember check your house for those "pesky snails" and "kick it" with the "funky snowman"!!

My 5YO son's favorite books!:
The two books of poems were given to us as gifts and now they are the books that my son always chooses first when we sit down to read. That's saying A LOT since he's usually only into dinosaurs, superheroes, and other macho things. But these poems are fun and silly and brilliant and the illustrations are crazy works of art.

If reading were more fun it would be illegal:
My daughter grabbed this book at the library and being some kind of reading- Nazi, I was hesitant. "Those don't look like OUR kind of illustrations," said the little censor in my head. But I let her toss it in the bag and I am so glad I did. We read this nightly and after I've used up all our renewals on its checkout, I think I'll have to buy it. And one for my funky parents, one for my funky brother and sister-in-law and their funky new baby, etc etc. The poems are so catchy and fun and this is one bedtime book you will not tire of reading (!!!). The illustrations are a perfect match for the incredibly vibrant world Brown paints with his words. I'm guaranteed thatif I call out, "Does that stop Funky Snowman?" my daughter, if she's within earshot will yell enthusiastically , "NO!" If she's not within earshot, my husband just looks at me like I'm an idiot. Brown's poetry is wonderful nonsense and I look forward to getting my hands on Daniel Pinkwater's audio production of it. Thank God for unbiased children.

Fun for kids, funny for adults:
In enjoy reading these poems as much as my son loves hearing them. We were at a potluck with some friends, and my boy (just turned 3 at the time) comes out with a spontaneous recitation of "Funky Snowman", word for word. My jaw just about hit the floor. These poems are really lots of fun, and several have the rhythms of popular song. One of my favorites is about a traveling salesman who goes around in a bathtub on wheels hawking shampoo and soap with his one-legged duck (named Alphonso). As kooky as it sounds, you can almost sing this poem to the tune of "The Times They Are A-Changing". And another one called "Skeleton Flowers" sounds like the Addams Family theme song. Or maybe I'm just not getting enough sleep. Anyway, this is one of our favorites. We have another one of Brown's books, Dutch Sneakers and Flea Keepers. It's also good, but I like this one better.

Can't wait to have kids so I can read it to them:
What a great book for kids of all ages including those of us in our 30's. I will enjoy reading these great stories to our kids everynight. (But wait we don't even have kids yet, soon I am told).