Outside the Box: A Book of Poems

by Karma Wilson, Diane Goode (Illustrator)

Overview

This laugh-out-loud poetry collaboration from a New York Times and Publishers Weekly bestselling author and a Caldecott Honor illustrator is anything but ordinary.

Dive in to Karma Wilson’s latest collection of more than 100 poems—some humorous, some poignant, and all of them Outside the Box. Illustrated by Caldecott Honoree Diane Goode, Outside the Box has something for everyone. Appealing to kids and parents alike, poems such as “Sick Day,” “My Pet Robot,” “Balloonaphobia,” and “Aliens Under My Bed” are sure to delight and entertain.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781416980056
Publisher:	Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication date:	03/11/2014
Pages:	176
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	7 - 10 Years

About the Author

Karma Wilson is the bestselling author of several picture books, including the Bear Books series; Where Is Home, Little Pip?; and A Dog Named Doug. Karma lives in Montana.

Diane Goode has written seven and illustrated over sixty beloved and critically acclaimed picture books, including the New York Times bestsellers Founding Mothers and Ladies of Liberty by Cokie Roberts. She illustrated several books by Cynthia Rylant including When I Was Young in the Mountains, a Caldecott Honor Book. She is also the illustrator of President Pennybaker and My Mom is Trying to Ruin My Life, both by Kate Feiffer. She lives in Watchung, New Jersey, with her husband, David, and their dog, Briggs. You can read about her at DianeGoode.com.

Editorial Reviews

11/11/2013
Blending typographical and illustrated whimsy with lighthearted reflections on life’s quandaries, funny moments, and small disappointments, Wilson and Goode offer a well-rounded collection of more than 100 poems that touch on everything from creativity and luck to animals, siblings, and holidays. The narrator of “My Pet Robot” stares glumly at her creation (a hybrid vacuum cleaner/TV set, by the looks of it): “I realize now/ that Robot’s done..../ Building him/ was all the fun.” Elsewhere, a boy reflects on the duality of oatmeal (“As mooshy, gooshy, squishy goo?/ It’s awful stuff to eat./ As crunchy, munchy cookie bliss?/ Oatmeal’s a wonderful treat”) and a girl shouts her head off as she’s about to be devoured by a monster (“Don’t scream so loud you’ll wake the dead,/ we’d rather that they stay in bed”). Goode’s b&w artwork (not all seen by PW) features her instantly recognizable swoopy ink lines, amplifying the comedy and playfulness that characterize many of Wilson’s poems. Ages 7–10. Agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

"Goode's ink-and-brush illustrations...are energetic and graceful at the same time. The art picks up the punch line of funny poems, amplifying the humor to laugh-out-loud levels.... Wilson dedicates the book to Shel Silverstein, and indeed the black-and-white illustrations and mixture of wry observation and kooky supposition recall Where the Sidewalk Ends (1974) and Falling Up (1996)."

Booklist

"Goode's ink-and-brush illustrations...are energetic and graceful at the same time. The art picks up the punch line of funny poems, amplifying the humor to laugh-out-loud levels.... Wilson dedicates the book to Shel Silverstein, and indeed the black-and-white illustrations and mixture of wry observation and kooky supposition recall Where the Sidewalk Ends (1974) and Falling Up (1996)."

Booklist

02/01/2014
Gr 1–4—It's a bit of a letdown to see a book of poems with this title and find the usual suspects inside. Wilson does a fine job capturing a child's voice, but there's little that's different or exceptional here. Most of the poems employ a traditional rhythm and cover the same ground as other anthologies for school-age kids. In fact, many of selections sound like they would be right at home in a volume of Jack Prelutsky's early verse. Additionally, the cover type resembles most of Shel Silverstein's books. Of course, those aren't necessarily bad comparisons to make. Scattered throughout the book are a few standouts, like "Man in the Moon" and "The Dream Weaver," which challenge readers to look at familiar things in new ways. Also, several concrete poems are included in the mix. "The Law of Gravity," for instance, is printed upside down and in loose text as if the words might fall apart at any moment. Similarly, "Shower Songsa" features the words coming out of a showerhead. The more than 100 poems cover all aspects of a child's life from school events to animals to families and even holidays. The playfulness of Goode's black-and-white sketches are a perfect match for Wilson's lighthearted verses.—Marie Drucker, Malverne Public Library, NY

School Library Journal

★ 2014-01-22
A charming, gorgeously illustrated children's collection of light verse. Wilson and Goode here combine their comedic artistry to create an edgy and substantial collection of light verse with exquisite accompanying pen-and-ink drawings unafraid to explore childhood's darker reaches. From typographical play to concrete poems, Wilson pulls out a number of visual poetic stops in inviting readers to "think / outside / the box" and ponder humorous cautionary tales on the perils of fibbing, snitching and sibling rivalry, alongside wildly concocted romps through the imagination. A number of memorable creatures emerge from these pages—for example, "Horace Hippopotamus," who "ate more than he oughtamus," and a miffed ladybug, who admonishes: "Stop calling me lady. / Please. I'm a dude!" Awkward situations are celebrated in poems such as "Wishy-Washy," where the speaker blows out birthday cake candles while silently imploring, "I wish Evan liked me!" Alas, "right then Evan picks his nose, / which turns his finger green!"; horrified, the speaker cries: "Relight the candles… / My first wish was a huge mistake. / I need to trade it in!" Here, as throughout the volume, in but a few strokes, Goode's pen deftly realizes the moment: the offending finger prominently up Evan's nose, the speaker's heart-shaped wish wafting from the birthday candles' smoke, jaggedly rent in half. At once affirming, silly, and poignant: a stunning visual and poetic compendium on growing up. (Poetry. 8-11)

Kirkus Reviews