The Snopp on the Sidewalk and Other Poems

By Jack Prelutsky

The Snopp on the Sidewalk and Other Poems is a delightful selection of poems written by Jack Prelutsky.  Each poem focuses on a word made up by the author, which is developed by providing descriptions and actions of it.  The poems are amusing and very imaginative.  Readers discover things about "snopps," "gibbles," and "meaths," among others.  The poems give fantastic descriptions of the creatures and encourage children to use their imaginations and creativity to picture what one of them is like.  The book includes illustrations to aid readers in forming a mental picture of what each creature looks like.

Prelutsky uses rhyming words and matching syllables to develop the sound of his poems.  For instance, in the poem entitled "Help!" the first and third verses have eight syllables, ending with rhyming words, while the second and fourth verses have six, and also end with rhyming words: "Can anybody tell me, please,/ a bit about the thing/ with seven legs and furry knees,/ four noses and a wing?"  The author also uses humor to conclude his poems.  In "Help!" readers soon find out that the creature being described is sitting on the narrator's head.

In "The Grobbles" Prelutsky uses repetition and rhyme to describe the grobbles.  This causes the poem to sound somewhat like a chant and gives the poem a mysterious feeling, while the action seems quick.  The mystery of it, along with the quick movement of the words, leads to the end when the narrator's words are cut off: "the grobbles are gobbling m...."

The Snopp on the Sidewalk and Other Poems is an excellent collection of poems for children.  The creativity and use of language to motivate children to use their imagination make this book an excellent option for using in the classroom.  Reading the poems to children before letting them see the pictures causes them to imagine what the creatures look like, leading to a discussion of what each child came up with.  I truly enjoyed reading Prelutsky's collection of poems.

Prelutsky, Jack.  1977.  The snopp on the sidewalk and other poems.  Ill. by Byron Barton.  New York:  Greenwillow Books.  ISBN:  0688840841.