Pocketful of Nonsense - Softcover

James Marshall (1942–1992) created dozens of exuberant and captivating books for children, including The Stupids, Miss Nelson Is Missing!, and the ever-popular George and Martha books. Before creating his canon of classic, hilarious children’s books, James Marshall played the viola, studied French, and received a master’s degree from Trinity College. He also doodled. It was the doodles, and the unforgettable characters that emerged from them, that led him to his life’s work as one of the finest creators of children’s books of the twentieth century. In 2007, James Marshall was posthumously awarded the Laura Ingalls Wilder medal for his lasting contribution to literature for children.

Ages 4-9. First published last year as a Golden Book and now available in a format more suitable for libraries, this illustrated collection of 20 nonsense rhymes is a riot. It ranges from traditional rhymes such as "Cinderella, dressed in yella," to "There was an old man of Blackheath’20/ who sat on his set of false teeth. / Said he with a start, / "Oh Lord, bless my heart! / I've bitten myself underneath," to four original limericks by Marshall. As funny as the rhymes are, the real treasure here, of course, is the deadpan humor of the artwork. Although this a book for reading aloud, it's even better for children to share with one another. Happily and unrepentantly unsuitable for classroom "sustained silent reading" times, this is one book of verse that few will read without laughing out loud. Carolyn Phelan