MESSING AROUND ON THE MONKEY BARS by Betsy Franco,

1.  BIBLIOGRAPHY

Franco, Betsy. 2009. MESSING AROUND ON THE MONKEY BARS AND OTHER SCHOOL POEMS FOR TWO VOICES. Illus. by Jessie Hartland. Somerville, Massachusetts: Candlewick Press. ISBN 9780763631741

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

This book is composed of nineteen poems from the playground to the classroom.  The poems are designed to read with a partner; however, they are just as much fun to read by yourself or with a group of friends.  These poems almost make you feel as if you are taking a ride all around the school building inside and out.  On the playground kids are skipping rope and playing on the monkey bars.  In the classroom they are learning their lessons, creating animal reports, and singing the homework blues.  And in the library the kids are whispering, fidgeting, and giggling. 

3.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Franco’s use of the two voiced poem gets children involved in the reading of the poems.  Children are able to perform the poems and have a great time while learning.  Children from ages six and up will love reading these poems to themselves or sharing them with their friends.  The “Author’s Note” section at the beginning of the book provides an explanation of how these poems can be read by two people or with a group of people.  It explains and shows what voice one, voice two, and both voices speak line look like making it easy for children to understand.  The table of contents provides the reader an opportunity to easily find the poem of their choice.

Hartland’s illustrations are brilliant, colorful, and kid friendly.  Children will love all of the busy illustrations that accompany every poem.  They are spread across the entire page and included into the poems.  In the poem “In the Library” parts of the lines are within talking bubbles coming from the librarians mouths in the illustrations.  How the illustrations are incorporated into the poems bring another level of interest to kids.  Together the text and the illustrations go hand in hand making this book a great success.

4.  REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

*SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL:  “Franco adeptly uses meter and rhythm to capture the fast-paced action of jumping rope on the playground, and students will recognize the descriptions of typical classroom sounds that distract them from finishing schoolwork.”

*KIRKUS REVIEW: “A cheeky romp through elementary school children’s academic and social lives.”

5.  CONNECTIONS

*Use “Wild Bus Ride” on page 8-9 to introduce or reinforce a lesson on blends.  This poem has many words beginning with blends such as snort, squeal, grumble, growl, screech, and several more.  Create a list of words that include blends with the students and post it in the classroom for the students to reference.

*Have the students create an acrostic poem using any school object of their choice. 

*Choose poems with rhyming words such as “I Can’t Wait” or “Jump Rope Jingle” to read to the class.  Have the students create a list of rhyming words from the poems then extend their thinking by having them add their own rhyming words to the list.