Bananas in My Ears, by Michael Rosen (Review & Giveaway)

As many of you are no doubt aware, April is National Poetry Month. Admittedly, this is not an event I get wrapped around the axel over, not being a big fan of poetry myself. However, I don't mind reading verses to my children. Children's poems I can understand quiet well. (It's the adult ones that I struggle through.) The concept of bananas in one's ears being something I can easily comprehend and find humor in, I am willing to read books such as the ones pictured above. But, generally speaking, I'm not a poetry fan.

That said, every April I usually check out some new book of poems with my children. (And all year long we read Bill Peet who wrote stories in rhyme which are all so very awesome.) This year Candlewick Press sent us a few books with poems to check out, including this one.

My kids and I sat down and read Bananas in My Ears: A Collection of Nonsense Stories, Poems, Riddles, & Rhymes immediately upon it's arrival. It appealed to each one of us instantly because, yes, I do have that sort of sense of humor. Written by Michael Rosen and illustrated by Quentin Blake, Bananas in My Ears reminded me so much of The New Kid on the Block, by Jack Prelutsky - a book I adored as a child. ("Homework! Oh, homework! I hate you! You stink! I wish I could wash you away in the sink!" Etc., etc.)

Bananas in My Ears is, as the subtitle points out, a collection of nonsense stories, poems, riddles and rhymes. The book is divided into four sections: The Breakfast Book, The Seaside Book, The Doctor Book and The Bedtime Book. Each section features particular characters set in the four varieties of circumstances or situations, so there are common thoughts and ideas spread throughout. The riddles are hilarious. The poems made us smile. We particularly enjoyed the "What If..." sections wherein Rosen proposes a ridiculous or humorous scenario and Blake illustrates the scene in ways that had us grinning and giggling as we read along.

If you've ever read (and enjoyed) Preluntsky then you are likely to enjoy Rosen. We enjoyed the serious ridiculousness which is this book very much and I have a feeling we'll be pulling this out to read many times over as the years go by and the children grow up.

Many thanks to Candlewick Press for giving us a shot at this book, sending it our direction in exchange for our honest thoughts.

I'm excited to say that Candlewick Press has offered to giveaway one copy of Bananas in My Ears to one of you! Would you care to win? Simply leave a comment below including a valid e-mail address. This contest is open to US Residents only and will be open through Monday, April 8th.

As is the case with all of our April Fools' Day contests, you can leave separate comments for additional entries if you choose to tweet this contest (@ReadingtoKnow) or Facebook it.

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. THE WINNER, as selected by Random.org, IS #8 - Amy at Hope is the Word! Congrats!