POETRY BOOKS: Flamingos on the Roof: Poems and Paintings by Calef Brown

Flamingos on the Roof: Poems and Paintings

By Calef Brown

Brown, Calef. 2006. FLAMINGOS ON THE ROOF: POEMS AND PAINTINGS. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 9780618562985

Summary

            A collection of thirty poems, accompanied by illustration paintings, with unrelated everyday topics put in zany perspectives. Full of fun and humor, with little seriousness to be found, the poems present an imaginative view of the world.

Critical Analysis

            These off the wall poems would be enjoyed by both younger and older readers. Most poems have a strong, almost sing-song rhythm, coupled with an abundance of rhyme which reflects the light-hearted fun of poetry. Though the rhyming is at times forced, it helps to add to the humor, as in the use of mosquitoes in tuxedos.  Alliteration is commonly used as a sound technique to aid in fluency.

            Adding to the fun is the use of idioms and similes, as well as interesting words such as “snazzy.” The descriptions and comparisons the writer uses create zany images, such as Weatherbee’s Diner with its “storm” of dishes such as “sun-dried tornado” and ”lighting slathered with sleet”. Though light and fun, the reader can clearly see creativity, imagination, and curiosity of the author communicated. One can just imagine him sitting somewhere, thinking about an ordinary thing like a pea pod or barnacle, and how they would act or think or do if animate.

            The poems appear on the bold colored left page, with a bright painting on the right. The painting are intriguing, with the style being a what I describe as a mix of Van Gough, Picasso, and Egyptian hieroglyphs. The details in the paintings add a whole other dimension in meaning to their accompanying poems, particularly with the TV Taxi, from which a myriad of amazing things are ”nothing to see.”

Awards, Honors, and Best Book Lists:

Children's Catalog, Nineteenth Edition, Supplement, 2007 ; H.W. Wilson; United StatesChoices, 2007 ; Cooperative Children’s Book Center; United States

Myra Cohn Livingston Award for Poetry, 2007 Winner United States

Review Excerpts

Hazel Rochman (Booklist, Apr. 15, 2006 (Vol. 102, No. 16))

Words and pictures manage to be both clear and weird, an enjoyable mix.

Kirkus (Kirkus Reviews, March 15, 2006 (Vol. 74, No. 6))

Composed with a fine ear for consistent rhythms and silly wordplay, these verses will tempt readers into repeat visits, or as the poet puts it: "Swivel on your kneecap. / Wobble like a mud flap. / Take a little catnap. / Do it all again!"

Diane Guiett (Library Media Connection, January 2007)

These poems beg to be read aloud with words that roll off the tongue, such as "Listen to the lingo/This is how the steps go/Boogle to the banjo/Bop to the bongo." from "Combo Tango." The variety of subjects will appeal to a wide audience. This book would be a great addition to any school library to encourage the love of poetry.

Connections

Other books by Calef Brown:

Dutch sneakers and flea keepers : 14 more stories
2000 by Calef Brown. Houghton Mifflin, Boston

Soup for breakfast : poems and pictures
2008 by Calef Brown. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston

Hallowilloween : nefarious silliness from Calef Brown
2010 by Calef Brown. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston

*Students could read other authors of humorous poetry, such as Shel Silverstein, for comparision

*Students could create their own fun poems, making an ordinary topic something extrordinary