The Llama Who Had No Pajama: 100 Favorite Poems

Bibliography:

Hoberman, Mary Ann. The Llama Who Had No Pajama. Orlando, Florida: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2006. ISBN 978-0152055714

Summary:

This book is a collection of 100 poems written by Mary Ann Hoberman. She picked her favorite poems from the last 40 years to create this anthology.

Critical Analysis:

This collection of Hoberman's poems reminds me a little of Where the Sidewalk Ends. The poems are fun, silly, rhyming about anything and everything. You will find poems here about birthdays, slippers, siblings, fishing, seasons, opposites, food, letters of the alphabet, bugs and animals. Each poem has its own rhythm and rhyming scheme.The rhythm may be like a tongue twister, singing a song, chanting or calm and relaxed.Rhyming does not seem forced, but flows off the page with ease. One poem may have an AABB scheme, the next will be ABAB, then AABC, and so on. A perfect and simple rhyme is found in Both My Slippers..."Both my slippers/ Are bright red./ At night they sit/ Beneath my bed,/ And in the morning/ Off they glide/ With my two feet/ All snug inside."

My favorite alliteration is found in Permutations..."A flea flew by a bee. The bee/ To flee the flea flew by a fly." This example also shows the assonance of the long e vowel sound.

The poems Anthropoids and Snow seem like they could be songs. The Counting-Out Rhyme seems like it could be a chant/song for a girl's clapping game. I see imagery in Let's dress up in grown up clothes. The words illustrate a picture in your head. You don't actually need the illustrations provided by Betty Fraser. Although, her illustrations are amazingly accurate for each and every poem. The vivid colors and incredible detail are sure to attract children and keep them engaged in this book. I read under the publishing information that the illustrations were done in gouache and watercolors on bristol paper. I also read the display font is Goudy Sans and the poem text is Bembo. The font was the same through-out the book which made it look clean and organized.

The title poem was unique and relaxing. It sets the mood for the book. It may teach also children that change can be okay.

Mary Ann Hoberman put together a fun and interesting collection of rhymes that children will love and relate to without a doubt. This book is perfect for teaching phonological awareness, repetition, rhyming, and poetry. It can even be included in science to introduce animals and bugs. I am glad I purchased it to use in my classroom to take a break. I highly recommend adding this book to your library.

Review Excerpts: 

Gold Award Winner-1998 National Parenting Publications Award (NAPPA)

Best Books of the Year- Child Magazine

Children's Poet Laureate

From The Horn Book:"This collection of some forty years of Hoberman verse is a charmer."

From School Library Journal: "Hoberman's rhythms are lively and agile."

From BookList: "Fraser's illustrations add a cheery, appealing look to the book without overwhelming the text."

Connections:


Gather other poetry books to read such as:

• Lobel, Arnold. The Arnold Lobel Book of Mother Goose: A Treasury of More Than 300 Classic Nursery Rhymes. ISBN 978-0679887362
• Edwards, Jennifer. 101 Nursery Rhymes & Sing Along Songs for Kids. ISBN 978-1481922531

Gather other books by Mary Ann Hoberman to read such as:

• Hoberman, Mary Ann. A House Is a House for Me. ISBN 978-0142407738
• Hoberman, Mary Ann. The Seven Silly Eaters. ISBN 978-0152024406

Use these books to teach phonological awareness in rhyming, repetition, and sounds.

Use these books to compare poetry characteristics. 

Use these books to integrate other subjects into reading.