Jelly Belly
A collection of humorous poems for children ages 3 to 6.
Jelly Belly is a collection of humorous poems by the irrepressible Dennis Lee, otherwise known as The Wizard of Words.
Lee's rhythms, as always, are flawless, and while some of his poems are simple to recite, others, like "Double-barreled Ding-dong-bat," may need a bit of practice to conquer.
Some of the poems are based on traditional Mother Goose nursery rhymes, but are no less effective in their new garb. And with lines such as "Pizza, pickle/Pumpernickel/My little guy/Shall have a tickle," this rousing collection is sure to be greeted with squeals of delight from the 3-6 set.
Lee's rollicking rhythms are complemented nicely by the illustrations of the U.K.'s Juan Wijngaard, winner of the 1981 Mother Goose Award. Wijngaard's watercolors are rendered in great detail; his double-page spreads, which reflect the ever-changing mood of the poems, are particularly striking.
And lest adults feel left out, they too can participate, whether by getting their tongue around such tongue twisters as "Bundle-buggy Boogie" or rocking their children to sleep with "Rock me Easy/Rock me slow/And rock me where/the robins go."
