'Doodle Dandies: Poems That Take Shape" by J. Patrick Lewis, images by Lisa Desimini

Lewis, J. Patrick. (1998). Doodle Dandies: Poems That Take Shape.  Ill. by Lisa Desimini. New York: Aladdin Paperbacks.  ISBN: 9780689848896

Photo by: L. Propes

Don't let the cartoonish-collage cover of Doodle Dandies fool you.  True, it is a book of poetry for younger children, but children of all ages can find something to appreciate between its covers.  There are nineteen poems in Doodle Dandies.  Most of them are short, perhaps a line or two at the most, and they cover a wide range of topics from a lady walking her dachshund in a poem titled appropriately enough, "Dachshund" to a widow mourning under the branches of a willow tree in "Weeping Willow".  What really sets Doodle Dandies apart from other works of poetry is the shape of the poems.  Each poem is arranged in such a way that it becomes an illustration in its own right, apart from the collage-style illustrations provided by Desimini.

Photo by: L. Propes

Most of the poems in Doodle Dandies rhyme, but without a consistent rhyme scheme.  In some poems the combination of rhyme and rhythm could easily become a playground or classroom chant.  This is especially true of "Dachshund" and "First Bud of Spring".  Lewis sprinkles alliteration to great effect throughout the poems, most notably in "Weeping Willow".  The alliteration adds to the rhythm of the poem with shorter words paired with a longer one.  As a quilter, I appreciated the imagery in "Synchonized Swim Team".  Lewis' describes a pool as "wrinkled waves... like a quilt of blue" with the swimmers' legs compared to a set of needles, "poking through".  In "Oyster Family", Lewis uses a sly play on words as he works his way through an oyster father, son, and daughter before arriving at "mother-of-pearl".  (As far as I know, any pearl oyster can produce a pearl.)  In other poems, the title becomes a seamless part of the poem (see "The Butterfly Is...").  For the most part, Lewis succeeds in making poetry accessible to children and adults.  Most of the subjects are related to animals and nature, which makes this book a perfect addition to any elementary school classroom, and even middle and high school classrooms.

There are times where the poems don't work, for one reason or another.  In "Winter", a lovely poem to look at, is nonetheless a bit difficult to actually read.   It seems as if the effort to make each word look like falling snow took precedence over making it where a reader could focus on the actual word. It might be discouraging for some readers.  "Halley's Comet" is the one poem where the rhythm feels rocky and awkward.  It doesn't flow out of a reader's mouth like the others, nor does it have the same funky sense of pace.  "Lashondra Scores" is another poem that has a fantastic message for the girl athletes in a class (Lashondra wins the game), the illustration might make some teachers and parents hesitate, especially if they recall the furor that arose when a teacher in New York introduced Carolivia Herron's Nappy Hair to her class.  It's a small thing, I know, but social media has a way of turning small, innocent illustrations into a larger tempest.

Photo by: L. Propes

The illustrations are presented in collage form, with some of the images enlarged to show the texture.  The letters that make up the book's title on the cover are taken from the illustrations in the book, with one of the poems' character making a cameo appearance.  The combination of illustrations with the poems works very well, providing a background for the language.

Desimini's illustrations complement the images Lewis creates with his poetry, rarely overshadowing the poems, often adding a layer of additional information for the reader. Again, returning to "Weeping Willow"...  The poem is such a perfect mixture of illustration, poetry, and emotional impact.  It makes a reader ask questions.  Why is the widow hiding under the tree?  Is she the only mourner at her spouse's funeral?  Has she stopped under the tree to collect herself, perhaps because there might be small children with her?  Like I said, there is something in this book to appeal to all ages.

Photo by: L. Propes

Considering most of the poems have a nature theme, it isn't too far of a stretch to imagine a science teacher using the poems to introduce a lesson.  The poems aren't limited to biology.  "Skyscraper" would make an excellent physics warm-up.  "Halley's Comet" would also make a good introduction to astronomy or a transition from one part of the solar system to comets in general.  Some poems could be used in parallel with others, like "Casey At the Bat" or "The Tyger". In the current educational climate, differentiated education is the rage.  Image poems, like Lewis', could be a way to encourage a child of a more artistic bent to think about language.  Asking them to create an image poem would turn words into art, but at the same time, make them think about the specific word choice so that it not only paints a picture with images, but with sound.

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"The history of poems shaped on the page goes back at least to the seventeenth-century poet George Herbert, and certainly Lewis Carroll used it well in Alice.  Desimini and Lewis take that tradition to rowdy new heights... The very mixed-media art is full of textures and dark, rich colours that repay close examination.  A dandy way indeed to begin a journey to poetry." -- Booklist, July 1998

Photo by: L. Propes

"Lewis... has created an inventive collection of concrete poems.  In each selection, the essence of the subject is captured in the typeface used for the words, the shape in which the lines are arranged, and through Desimini's brilliant mixed-media collages...  Doodle Dandies captures the joy that wordplay can bring." -- School Library Journal, August 1998 

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Works Cited:

DeCandido, GraceAnne A. 1998. Books for youth: Books for middle readers. Booklist 94 (21/22) (July): 1876.

Whalin, Kathleen. 1998. Preschool to grade 4: Nonfiction. School Library Journal 44 (8) (August): 153.