Bibliography
Lansky, Bruce. 1997. NO MORE HOMEWORK! NO MORE TESTS! KIDS FAVORITE FUNNY SCHOOL POEMS. Ill. by Stephen Carpenter. New York
Review and Critical Analysis
NO MORE HOMEWORK! NO MORE TESTS!: KIDS FAVORITE FUNNY SCHOOL POEMS compiled by Bruce Lansky is an anthology of 52 humorous poems, written by over twenty different authors, about all aspects of elementary school. Many well-known authors are featured in this anthology including Shel Silverstein, Rebecca Kai Dotlich, Jack Prelutsky and Lansky himself. The book contains a Table of Contents that lists both author and title, and an Author Index, which facilitates looking up the poems.
The poems in Lansky’s anthology are loosely grouped according to subject such as riding the bus, the school cafeteria and excuses for not doing your homework. These sections are not labeled as such within the book, but the reader can discern this organization from the manner in which the poems are arranged. The majority of the narrators in these poems are students. The stanza form was utilized in the majority of the poems. Couplet is a recurring rhyme scheme in this book, employed in such poems as LOOK OUT! by Max Fatchen, WHAT I FOUND IN MY DESK by Bruce Lansky and BRAIN DRAIN by Max Fatchen. The rhymes flow together well, and if read aloud would sound smooth and rhythmic to the ear. Repetition is also used cleverly in the poem MEASLES by Bruce Lansky. Lansky repeats the line “There are measles on my…” then adds a body part to describe the young narrator painting fake measles all over himself to, hopefully, be excused from a test the next day.
The language used by the authors is precise. One of the best examples of this is RECESS by Timothy Tocher. This poem describes what happens to several children during recess, and the reader has no problem conjuring the image of Samantha skinning a knee or Harry being stung by a bee. However, Tocher is still able to make the tone of the poem quite funny.
Several of the poems in this anthology have unique features, or draw their inspiration from other works. MOST OUTSTANDING STUDENTS OF THE YEAR AWARDS and THE TEACHER’S SHOW, both by Bruce Lansky, allow for personalization by the reader. There are spaces to fill in the names of individual students, teachers and schools. MARY HAD SOME BUBBLE GUM by Anonymous is distinct due to the fact that it’s sound and rhythm is taken from MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB. Finally, CLASS DISMISSED by Bruce Lansky is special since it is meant to be sung to the tune of THE BATTLE HYMN OF THE REPUBLIC. All of the poems in this book lend themselves to being read aloud very effectively.
Readers will have no trouble relating to, and understanding, the material expressed in these poems. Younger children will recognize many of the troublesome and hilarious experiences that go along with attending elementary school, and older readers will also be able to reminisce about these incidents.
Stephen Carpenter’s illustrations are a delightful compliment to these poems. Many of the illustrations take up two pages with one poem on each page that relates to the image. There are also instances where there are separate illustrations on each page, with a corresponding poem. The illustrations are all in black and white and drawn in a very cartoon like fashion with hyperbolic effects.
Poem Used to Support Critical Analysis and Follow Up Activity
From A TEACHER’S LAMENT
Don’t tell me the cat ate your math sheet,
And your spelling words went down the drain,
And you couldn’t decipher your homework,
Because it was soaked in the rain.
Don’t tell me you slaved for hours
On the project that’s due today,
And you would have had it finished
If your snake hadn’t run away.
I’m tired of all your excuses;
They are really a terrible bore.
Besides, I forgot my own work,
At home in my study drawer.
Kalli Dakos
While the majority of the poems in this anthology depict school from the student’s point of view, Dakos’ poem highlights the teacher’s. The subject matter, excuses for not turning in homework, is reflected elsewhere in the anthology, but here it is turned on its head by the fact that it is the teacher who has forgotten her work. Dakos’ words produce exceptional images; the reader can clearly see students experiencing all of the excuses the narrator mentions. This poem exemplifies the humor and emotion prevalent throughout the anthology. This poem, like so many others in this anthology would be perfect in a read aloud session, the rhyme has a cadence that creates a very up tempo feeling and enables the poem to flow effortlessly.
An interesting follow up activity to this poem would be a discussion between the students and the reader. Questions like: “What funny excuses can you think of to explain forgetting your homework?” and “What is the most interesting part of this poem to you and why?” would be a lively start to a no doubt humorous exchange. This would combine a learning opportunity with an amusing experience.
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