Button Up! Wrinkled Rhymes

Button Up! Wrinkled Rhymes

By: Alice Schertle

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Schertle, Alice. 2009. Button Up: Wrinkled Rhymes. Ill. by Petra Mathers. New York: Harcourt Children’s Books/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 0152050507

PLOT SUMMARY

In this collection of 15 poems, Alice Schertle delves into the thoughts and emotions of various articles of children’s clothing. Her unique style and witty technique combine for a journey into the innermost ponderings of a hand me down sweatshirt, shoelaces, and even some ruffled underwear. This is a pleasant gathering of poetry geared towards read aloud or, perhaps, some fun recitation.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Schertle employs a variety of poetic techniques throughout this collection, including both couplets and quatrains. The rhythm changes with each poem, but she utilizes rhyme throughout each of her works. The rhyming nature of poetry in this collection makes it feel comfortable to the reader and encourages them to “sing” out the poem or read it with great emotion. In “The Song of Harvey’s Galoshes” she repeats a phrase at the end of each line as if a refrain…”When it’s raining Harvey always puts us on/ puts us on/ we’re together when the sunny weather’s gone/ weather’s gone”. Schertle clearly demonstrates the different personality of each item of clothing, from the laid back nature of Bertie’s shoelaces to the protectiveness of Bob’s bicycle helmet. Even Tanya’s old t-shirt expresses dismay at the injustice of having been outgrown and turned into a dust rag.

The poet does a wonderful job of attributing emotions to these articles of clothing and writing poetry that demonstrates a certain viewpoint. The children reading this book will be able to relate to the different articles of clothing, some that they might have in their own closet, and will perhaps begin to attach emotions to their own sweatshirt or shoelaces!

The illustrations in the book are complementary to the poetry, and their arrangement varies from multiple, smaller vignettes spread over the page to a single page watercolor on the opposing page of the poem to two page spread illustrations with the poem embedded in the illustration. These whimsical illustrations, in which animals are drawn with human qualities and traits, increase the enjoyment and connection for the reader. All told, this highly enjoyable and well balanced collection of poetry will get young readers excited about poetry and excited about reading.

REVIEW EXCERPTS/AWARDS

Best Children's Books of the Year , 2010 ; Bank Street College of Eduation; United States
Booklist Book Review Stars , May 15, 2009 ; United States
Horn Book Fanfare, 2009 ; United States
Kids Reading List, 2010 ; Oprah/ALSC; United States
Kirkus Best Children's Books, 2009 ; United States
Kirkus Book Review Stars, March 15, 2009 ; United States
School Library Journal Book Review Stars, May 2009 ; Cahners; United States

Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award, 2010 Winner United States
Paterson Prize for Books for Young People, 2010 Winner Grades K-3 United States

Starred Review in Booklist…”From untied shoelaces to a hand-me-down sweatshirt, 15 articles of clothing tell their side of the story in verse. Alongside each poem, Mathers’ charming watercolors show a variety of decked out animals in vignettes and double-page spreads that add to the humor. The familiar and child-friendly material ranges from a hat that doesn’t come off even in the bath to galoshes that stomp in the mud to a padded jacket that takes forever to button up. With varied rhymes and rhythms occasionally disrupted for emphasis, Schertle’s poetry is reminiscent of A. A. Milne and begs to be read aloud. Two beats to a line emphasize the doggedness of Bob’s bicycle helmet: “I’ve got him covered. / I’m on the job.” Alliteration and repetition add appeal: “We are the jammies that Joshua wears, / not jammies for penguins, / not jammies for bears.” The wrinkled rhymes appear in couplets and quatrains, as well as internally: “it tickles me / to be a little prickly” says Rick’s wool sweater. And who can resist the undies that Emily shows “wherever she goes”? The whimsical illustrations pair perfectly with the wittiness of the text, and the whole is a clever and original poetic treat. Preschool-Grade 2”

Starred Review in Kirkus Reviews…”Shoelaces, hats, undies, jammies, jackets—all have a story to tell. Each poem's title pairs a character's name with an article of clothing ("Bertie's Shoelaces") while the body tells of shared activities and adventures. Some live hard, like the hand-me-down sweatshirt that's "been lost and recovered, been torn and been sewn." The bicycle helmet has Bob covered, galoshes have a lovely time in the rain with Harvey and Emily's undies like showing their laces and bows. Personification can be tricky, but Schertle pulls it off admirably, in a simple, straightforward manner. She employs a variety of rhyme schemes and meters in the verses, giving each one a sprightly, humorous tone. Mathers's whimsy-filled watercolors place each article of clothing on an animal, and not just cats and dogs. There are otters and pigs, alligators and rabbits, emus and moles. And these creatures have personality, exuberance and high style that perfectly match the verses. Loads of fun. 2009, Harcourt, 40p, $16.00. Category: Picture book/poetry. Ages 3 to 8. Starred Review. © 2009 Kirkus Reviews/VNU eMedia, Inc. All rights reserved.”

CONNECTIONS

*Have each student choose an article of their own clothing to write a poem about. Follow the idea of writing a Shape Poem with the finished product, inasmuch as a poem about sneakers is written out on paper cut to the shape of a pair of sneakers. Display the finished products hanging from a clothesline in the hallway, so their own poems about clothing can be shared.

*Using one of the poems, such as “Bill’s Blue Jacket” have students come up with alternate, yet rhyming endings to the stanzas. For instance, instead of “Bill’s going to take me off of the hook! Take me out! Shake me out! How do I look?” try “Bill’s going to take me off of the hook! Here we go! Ready now! I’m worth a look!”

*Read other collections of poetry by Alice Schertle, including

Advice For A Frog ISBN 0688134866

Keepers ISBN 0688116353

I Am the Cat ISBN 0688131530

A Lucky Thing ISBN 0152005412

Compare how she cultivates a theme in her poetry (or does not). Discuss her word choice and various style elements such as alliteration, onomatopoeia, and assonance.

*Have students close their eyes and listen to a reading of “Violet’s Hiking Hat”. When you have finished reading, give them a blank sheet of paper and ask them to draw what they imagine Violet’s hat looks like, based on the poem. Results will vary!