I understand that April is National Poetry Month. I don’t know a lot about poetry. I like to listen to the Rhythm of a good poem. Poetry sounds nice to my ears. I try to get my reading buddies to read poetry to me, but I’m not always successful. When I was the official Library Dog at school I seemed to have better luck steering kids to poetry books. I even had some kids writing poems about me!
Here are a couple that came my way —
Rhythm
Golden fur everywhere
On the ground
or floating around.
She is sweet
She is furry.
She likes to sleep and sit.
Rhythm is who she is.
The Dog Called Rhythm
Hairy, sweet, yellow
She snores, rolls, chews all around
Rhythm is her name.
Now those are unbelievably lovely poems!! But I also have an unbelievably fantastic book for you as well! After all, this IS Perfect Picture Book Friday!
The Hound Dog’s Haiku
and Other Poems for Dog Lovers
by Michael J. Rosen
illustrated by Mary Azarian
Published by Candlewick Press in 2011
Theme – poetry, dogs
This is a book of Haiku poems about dogs. There are 20 dog breeds represented here. Each with an incredible wood block portrait done by Mary Azarian. Ms Azarian can create magic with a block of wood. The poem for the Labrador Retriever is –
the first duck splash-lands
speck in the iced pond’s lone eye
soon … the chase restarts
At the end of the book are several pages with notes about each of the breeds described in the poems. It is a book for dog lovers and lovers of poetry alike.
Of course if you are going to read a book of Haiku with your little people, then you must have them create their own Haiku!
You can read about Haiku at Poets.org HERE.
You might also visit the Haiku Society website HERE.
You might want to let your little people try their hand at print making –
Try this link from Pinterest
Or HERE for some more printmaking
And if your are really ambitious here is a video of REAL wood block art making –
And after all of that, you might want to venture over to Susanna Hill’s blog for a list of Perfect Picture Books and some great resources to go with!
Happy Rhyming!
Your friend
Rhythm
Reading With Rhythm 
Such sweet poems from the kids! And the Hound Dogs Haiku book looks delightful.
I have some really fine kids who come to read with me! And this book IS quite delightful for sure!!
I hadn’t seen this one before – it looks great! Thanks for pointing it out.
You’re welcome Ms Finison! That Mr Rosen knows his dogs!
I’ve always loved haikus, and how perfect THIS book really is! 🙂 And the images of your dogs “reading” books is so precious. Great poems about Rhythm, too 🙂
If you like haiku and you like dogs, this is the book for sure!
You find the most unusual dog books. I really like this choice. Entertaining and educational at the same time. Love that it is in Haiku. And, I love the poems the kids wrote about you Rhythm!
My reading buddies are pretty special little folks. I sure love my job! This book was a pretty good find. It was Ms Azarian’s illustrations that got me.
I’m interested to read about the different breeds. Thank you for sharing.
Mr Rosen is a real dog man. He did pretty well with all the haikus matching the different breeds.
cool book! There’s another one called “Dog-ku” that you and your apprentice might enjoy, too.
Aah! We have Dog-ku on our shelf!! We’ve been sharing it with kids for a long time. We DO enjoy it!
Great Post, Haiku, and links, thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Ms Kogan!
I am most definitely a dog lover, so this book must have been written for me! Thanks for pointing it out.
Hmmmm. I may have seen your name on the inside somewhere. Do you have a dog Ms Greenley?
What a fun idea for a book. I will have to check this one out. Thanks.
It’s a pretty unique little book. The haikus are fun and the illustrations are fabulous!
Too cute! I love haiku
I thought you probably did Ms Johnson. Do you have a dog?
Yes we do, she’s called Sandy. I’ll do a post about her sometime.
I’ll look forward to that!
Tou are amazing!!!!!!!
But of course! Thanks Nanny!
OMGoodness, R. Those poems really nailed your essence. I love the pictures of you teaching your sister how to be a library dog.
Love and licks,
Cupcake
Don’t i have some talented reading buddies?! I’m trying to teach that little squirrely pup a thing or two. She’s trying, but she’s like a little pre-schooler and has trouble being still. She just wants to jump right into the middle of things. Sheesh.
I haven’t come across this one before. I am so glad you are teaching your charge great reading habits!
I’m trying Ms Marple. Sometimes she’s trying her best. And sometimes she’s just trying. If you know what I mean.
You know how to make my tbr pile grow! Thanks 😉
I was thinking this was kind of Mad Martha’s kind of book.
Like a crocheted hat
With yellow and purple stripes.
It appeals greatly!
aah – Martha! You need to do a shelf-sitter haiku book.
HI RHYTHM! My PPBF choice is about dogs as well and it also rhymes! Amazing how great minds think alike. I’Ve always liked haiku’s and so enjoy poetry…I ‘m just not good at it…
Great minds indeed!!
What lovely poems about you, Rhythm! And what a terrific book this sounds like – poetry and dogs – doesn’t get much better than that 🙂 Love your activities too! Thank you 🙂
I have some fine reading buddies! And you’re right – poetry and dogs make a good combination.
This looks like a really good book, Rhythm! And I love the photos of you and your woofy reading partner — even if she is a little trying at times. (I saw that pun in the comments. Very good!)
It’s a good book all around. That Electra! We are making slow progress with her. Which, I suppose, is better than NO progress!
After I read Lee Wardlaw’s WON TON I wondered when dogs would get their day … in haiku. Great find.
I’m familiar with Ms Wardlaw, but haven’t read Won Ton. I think it’s about a cat? I’ll have to look for that one!
Yes, Won Ton is indeed a cat. And the book is fantastic, perfect since it’s poetry month.
I love poetry and I love dogs, so this looks like a win-win!! Thank you, Rhythm, for an awesome post.
Yay! Your welcome Ms Gruener!
You always have such great links. Thanks. I love Mary’s work!
Oh, I do too!!
My haiku to you –
Great book pick Rhythm
Awesome library pup
Scratch behind your ear
Oh! I like the scratch behind the ear part! 😛
AHK! I made a mistake – I meant to say “An awesome library pup” – 7 syllables!!! 😀
the kids wrote such great poems about you 🙂
Didn’t they?!
Aww – the cutest poems! Lucky Rhythm! I ned to check out the book too – even just for the cover!
What a cool way to make an illustrations. I love it. It must be difficult and time consuming to carve all of that out, but it is so worth the effort. Those illustrations will rock. I like the haiku about Rhythm. What a lucky fellow he is to have such devoted fans.