Tales of Whimsy, Verses of Woe

December 16, 2022

K-Gr 3-This collection of poems trumpets itself, via a spoof Newbery-style book award medallion on the cover, as "the very best in highfalutin nonsense"-a grandiose claim that falls apart under the slightest scrutiny. The verses are accompanied by droll line art recalling the loose energy of Shel Silverstein drawings. Unfortunately, the poems themselves are by turns forced, grating, and sophomoric. DeRoche delivers on neither the whimsy nor the woe promised in his title: the self-conscious attempts at fanciful humor ("I suppose it's silly to consider/ An ancient castle made of kitty litter") come off as cloying and strained, and the few superficial moments of dark subject matter are undercut by the slipshod writing. Stanza after stanza features contorted syntax ("So off to the local store did she run./ A doubt in her mind? There was none"), and baffling asides ("I'll be a fish of the people-and not a traitor-/ When I'm devoured by a legislator"), all in pursuit of painfully simplistic rhymes. The rhythm shudders and hiccups with emphasis shoved carelessly onto unstressed beats; lines jam-packed with far too many syllables ("All the cars, her bike, and the thick morning fog-/ All of them greener than a Tanzanian tree frog") make read-alouds an exasperating chore. Time and again, a poem ends mid-thought or on a bizarre non sequitur ("I enrolled in classes to become an exterminator, / Then opened a small shop just north of Decatur"). As a footnote to one entry, DeRoche writes, "Not for naught did I struggle these rhymes to dispense, / But in vain were my efforts to have them make sense." Quite. VERDICT The quirky illustrations cannot save this clumsily written collection. Stick with Silverstein.-Jonah Dragan

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Starred review from December 15, 2022
This illustrated collection of verse indulges in fairy-tale absurdity and is sufficiently zany to have children and adults squealing with glee. This book's cover reveals that the work is the recipient of a "Baldersquash Medal," which honors the "very best in high-falutin nonsense." The decidedly suspect award is later explained as one that is delivered to "lucky writers" as a gold coin clasped in a chicken's beak. Such tall tales and tomfoolery offer a mere taste of the eccentric brilliance to follow. In these pages, readers encounter Mary Melissa Miranda McGurk, who is "uncommonly fond of homework"--she loves learning so much that her rapidly expanding head literally explodes with knowledge. Readers are also introduced to Salmon Delicious, a fish so ambitious he wishes to be consumed by no one but a king. Other poems, like "The One-Man Band," express delight in bodily noises, declaring: "Sneezing, too, is quite a sound / And glorious fun to boot. / But farting is my favorite noise: / There's nothing like a toot." In contrast, the closing poem, "My Father To Save," is the disarmingly poignant tale of a prince sent to slay a good-hearted beast. DeRoche's writing is clever, silly fun. In poems like "The Bear in the Boat," the dependence on rhyming couplets enthrallingly determines the narrative's direction. For instance, "He grabbed the tail / Of a whale, / Who gave him a hand / To the land." Soon, readers will predict that the only thing on which a bear can spend his "hard-earned money" is, of course, "honey." Elsewhere, the only job that can "generate coin" is found in "Des Moines." This playful approach found throughout is delightful, but the poet can also be hilariously deadpan: "Over there at the computer / Sits my sister, Monica. / Live music doesn't suit her; / She produces electronica." Gonz�lez's thoughtful illustrations display a Victorian elegance reminiscent of Thackery's Rose and the Ring and, on other occasions, exhibit some of the scratchy, more contemporary eccentricity of Quentin Blake. Either way, Gonz�lez's art complements the wackiness of DeRoche's poetry with a subtle beauty. A rare work of pure, unbridled fun, this volume may prove the perfect antidote for the seriousness of modern life. Joyous poems; supremely worthy of a Baldersquash Medal, regardless of whether or not it exists.

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Starred review from March 1, 2023
Grades 3-7 *Starred Review* Jump headlong into a world where anything can happen and all of it rhymes. A child (or grownup) in need of a good laugh would do well to pick up DeRoche's wide-ranging poetry collection, which includes everything from short, silly stanzas to more in-depth narratives. Kings play in punk bands, vegetables argue amongst themselves, and parents are occasionally devoured by monsters. Some poems are fresh takes on familiar verses ("Oh, give me a sky / Where the buffalo fly, / Where the deer and the antelope soar"), while most others are inventive originals, as when Bailey O'Brien determines to rid the world of the color green. It's incredibly funny, periodically poignant, and wonderfully unafraid to challenge readers with sophisticated vocabulary. Sporadic macabre moments and gross-out humor (a head explodes from too much knowledge) give the collection a deliciously dark edge. Common fears and frustrations are spun into harmless hilarity, and the clever wordplay begs to be read aloud; as an added bonus, adults will enjoy some references that might fly over the heads of a younger audience. Complementary black-and-white sketches perfectly punctuate the poetry with silly (and sometimes slightly sinister) imagery. There's a bit of Silverstein and Gorey here, in the best ways, but DeRoche and Gonz�lez concoct a distinct flavor of their own. Endlessly entertaining, constantly creative, and heaps of fun.

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