Out of the Blue: Poems About Color,Used

From School Library JournalKindergartenGrade 6This collection of more than 100 poems should delight young fans of Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky and entertain adults who are nostalgic for the witticisms of Edward Lear. Oram has chosen plays on words, limericks, short couplets, and lengthier narratives rather than imageladen mood pieces to celebrate familiar colors'red with embarrassment,' 'scared yellow,' and 'blue bloods.' Less familiar 'pouces and mauves' also appear. From time to time an appropriate Mother Goose rhyme pops up. The verses have a traditional quality that reflects the author's English background: 'A Friar from Gray Friar's Friary/Was found with a blasphemous diary/It said, 'Oh dear God/Please don't find this odd/But I long for a habit more fiery.'' The modern age also appears: ''The moon is made from green cheese'/For centuries people cried/Till Armstong, Aldrin and Collins/Discovered they had lied.' Every color receives several pages of doublepage spreads with a collage of playful illustrations, one for each poem. An inspired and welcome addition to poetry collections.Judy Greenfield, Rye Free Reading Room, NYCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.Product DescriptionA collection of poems and verses all about color, including 'Red Tape,' 'Scared Yellow,' 'Grey Heads,' and 'The Greeneyed Monster'From Kirkus ReviewsFrom red to violet, with the usual extras, Oram comes up with a dozen or so poems for each hue, grouped across several spreads with McKee's lively illustrations featuring appropriate colors and cleverly incorporating characters and text. The poems elaborate twists on familiar phrases (Two Redheads Are Better Than One'') or go off on tangents from wellknown maxims. Red Giants and Red Dwarfs,'' Song of the Carnivore,'' and Embarrassment'' round out a group that includes Red Tape'' and Red Herring''; violet wins the prize for verbal variety with lilac,'' puce,'' lavender,'' mauve,'' and more, including Mulberry Bush,'' one of several traditional inclusions. The conception effectively celebrates the richness and variety of English, especially in this colorful vein. The verse is a bit uneven; it can lapse into doggerel or the commonplace, but more often it's amusingly deft. An inviting book, with enough comical surprises, satirical insights, and flashes of lyricism to keep readers reading. (Poetry/Picture book. 510) Copyright 1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.ReviewBallad Of Blue ChinaThe Ballad Of Bluestocking BellaBe Gone, Jack FrostBlack BookThe Black HoleThe Black PatchBlackbirdsBlue BloodBlue JeansBlueeyed Boy A Confusing StoryThe BluesBrassy LassyBrown BearBrown Bill And Brown BessBrown OwlBrown PaperBrowniesThe Bushman's BlueyThe Cardinal's HatCarpet Of BlueClean White SheetsCoral TroutThe Crow, The Raven, And The RookDandelionDapple GrayThe Devil And The Deep Blue SeaDown In The Orangery, NowEmbarrassmentFog, Filthy Air & GraymalkinForgetmenotsThe Foxglove And The HeatherGoing BrownGone PuceGray Dove And The GraybeardThe Gray FriarGray HeadsGray WolfGreen Behind The EarsGreen CheeseGreen FingersGreen GownThe Green LightGreen PeaceThe Greeneyed MonsterGreener GrassGreens, Greens, Eat Your GreensHot ComfortIn The PinkJoseph Addison's OdeLavender In Purple VerseLicorice SticksLilac TimeThe LilyLittle Boy BlueLittle Pink PigsThe Marigold And The SunMarmaladeMourning DressMulberry BushNevernessNewborn PinkNightThe NutbrownsOrange CountryOrangeade A Recipe ForOut Of The BluePhinonycteris Aurantia, The BatPink BlancmangeThe Polar BearThe Primrose PathQuite Green With ItRed BerriesRed BreastRed Giants And Red DwarfsRed HerringRed Rags To Little BullRed SkiesRed TapeRipe CornRooftops In The RainA Royal RageScared YellowShocking PinkShrinking VioletSmokeSnowSong Of The CarnivoreSong Of The Gray SuitsSong Of The LemonSorry, GoldfishStra