FeedTuesday Tales: On the Edge with Coolhead Luke (Written by Jennifer White; Illustrated by Colin White)
November 10, 2009 in Creative Writing activities, Elementary Educators, poetry, Preschool to 1st grade teachers, Reading Skills, Tuesday Tales, White Colin, White Jennifer Tags: Book Giveaway Contest, Colin White, Jennifer White, On the Edge with Coolhead Luke, Poetry books for kids, Tuesday Tales
How Snake Babies are Born
Not with a sigh
Nor with a cry
Not with a groan
Nor with a moan
Not with a slurp
Nor with a chirp
But with a burp!
Mother and son team, Jennifer and Colin White, have their second poetry book out, On the Edge with Coolhead Luke, after great success with their first collaboration Coolhead Luke and Other Stories. If you like silly poems and poems with some wit in the style of Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky, then you will love these books. The poem and illustration above, “How Snake Babies are Born,” is one of the poems from the second book.
***Good news, good news! Anyone who leaves a comment on today’s post or tomorrow’s interview with Jennifer and Colin will be entered to win a copy of On the Edge with Coolhead Luke. You can share this link using the button below this post and leave a comment that you shared it (like on Facebook or Twitter) for an extra entry into the contest.
Here’s a description of the book from the author herself:
On The Edge with Coolhead Luke (Oct. 2009)
Brought to you by the mother and son team that created Coolhead Luke and Other Stories, this second collection has been eagerly anticipated by fans of Coolhead Luke. Jennifer’s funny poems and Colin’s delightful illustrations play off each other beautifully, inventing a new cast of bizarre characters presented with a unique set of challenges and absurdities. The poems are composed in an animated, jaunty style that is a joy to read. In the midst of the fun, there are teachable opportunities to demonstrate the fundamentals of poetry, including a teacher’s guide in the back of the book. Ideal for ages 8-12, this is a charming collection for children and parents alike.
Here’s another illustration and poem from the book:
Invitation to a Ghoulfest
Witches, warlocks, goblins and ghosts
answer this call from your hideous hosts.
Come to our Halloween Ghoulfest and be
startled by specters that jump from a tree,
skeleton bones coming out of the ground
and slippery creepers that slither around.
We live on an inland that’s somewhat remote
and reached by a bridge, for there isn’t a boat.
The night will be cold and the air will be thick;
be careful, the footpath is slimy and slick.
The ghouls will be there and will want you to play.
We’re confident you won’t be stolen away
by wizards and lizards that hide in the night
or linger in bushes just out of your sight.
At dinner you’ll join in the slurping of brew
and feasting upon our delectable stew
of dragon tongue, newt eye and talon of owl;
a recipe sure to make anyone howl.
Come to our Ghoulfest, we’re sure you’ll have fun.
We’re happy to serve you… rare or well done.
On the Coolhead Luke website, there are resources for parents and teachers and more sample poems. Don’t forget to leave a comment or question by Friday at 4:00 p.m. CST for a chance to win a copy of On the Edge with Coolhead Luke.
November 10th, 2009 at 10:00 am
the examples alone will have me look for this at the store for my kids (ages 6-11)… right up their silly humor aisle! looks like good stuff!
November 10th, 2009 at 11:23 am
Margo, I will look for this book. We love Shel Silverstein, and Rianna is an artist, so this sounds like a great fit! Thanks for the info!!
p.s. Would love to see you someday…
November 10th, 2009 at 11:39 am
Looks like a fun book. I will be sure to watch for it in the bookstore.
November 10th, 2009 at 11:51 am
Hi Karen,
It’s the author here, Jen White.
Thanks so much for your comment! I’m glad you like our poems. Colin and I had such fun creating them.
If you’d like an autographed copy for your kids, send me an email at jenwhite@charter.net. You won’t find our books in the bookstore, but they are available at amazon.com. The direct link for “On the Edge with Coolhead Luke” is:
http://www.amazon.com/Edge-Coolhead-Jennifer-Lasker-White/dp/1439259836/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257871149&sr=8-1
and the link for our first book, “Coolhead Luke and Other Stories”, is:
http://www.amazon.com/Coolhead-Luke-Jennifer-Lasker-White/dp/1419661620/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1257871196&sr=8-2
I hope you enjoy them!
Jen
November 10th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
My kids will LOVE the snake poem! We want to see more!
November 10th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
Hey guys,
Tomorrow I will post an interview with Jennifer and Colin, and you can comment over there to win a prize too. They have great things to say about working together—parents and children–to create a project.
Margo
PS Thanks for the comments today!