IF IT RAINS PANCAKES: HAIKU AND LANTERN POEMS written by Brian P. Cleary and illustrated by Andy Rowland

Review by Christi De Leon

a.    BIBLIOGRAPHY

Cleary, Brian P. If it Rains Pancakes: Haiku and Lantern Poems. Ill. by Andy Rowland. Minneapolis: Millbrook Press, 2014. ISBN 9781467744123

b.    SUMMARY & CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This collection includes two different forms of ancient Japanese poetry: haiku and lantern poems. The topics of the poems vary greatly. Among these are food, school, animals, and nature.

Consisting of two sections, this lively book includes twenty haiku poems and fifteen lantern poems. An introduction of each type of poem provides background information, line requirements, and examples. This feature makes this book especially useful for teaching students about these poetry forms. The analogy relating a haiku to a “sandwich” of syllables, for instance, is helpful and clever. Likewise, lantern poems are described as resembling the shape of an actual lantern with a visual included. The Table of Contents makes each individual poem more accessible, especially for classroom use. A page at the end of the book is dedicated to Further Reading. It includes bibliographic information of four related books and four kid-friendly poetry websites.

These entertaining poems are likely to get children eager to write poems using haiku and lantern forms. Since haiku is often a less preferred form of poetry by kids, this fun book could make all the difference in their opinions. This collection puts the day to day life of being a kid into words. It includes a vast assortment of topics that kids of this age are interested in, such as sports, pizza, burps, and more. In comparison to typical haiku and lantern poems, these selections lack finesse making them a bit more appropriate for a younger crowd. The cartoon illustrations are colorful and complement the text. These illustrations also include multicultural representations with characters of diverse backgrounds. Overall, this collection is an awesome pick for motivating students to write poetry of their own.

c.    POEM TO SPOTLIGHT & SHARE

“What If?”

If it rains pancakes,

I’ll need no umbrella, just

Syrup, fork, and plate.

The poem “What If?” is an example of a haiku poem that is engaging, yet silly. Many of the other poems found in this collection give off similar, happy-go-lucky vibes. Although this poem is simply short, it encourages imagination and is likely to call attention to taste buds. The poems in this book have differing poetic qualities that make them all wonderful for sharing.

This poem could be shared by reading aloud along with showing the illustrations as a way to introduce the book since it corresponds with the title. Considering that they are likely fans of food, serving mini pancakes could also help draw kids’ attention to the book and the topic of poetry altogether. By using the information on the page “What is a haiku?” as a guide, a lesson on the haiku poetry form could follow. Once they are familiar with what a haiku entails, students could try writing one themselves.