Flashy, Clashy, and Oh-So Splashy: Poems about Color

Children's Literature

Using the theme of color, fifteen poems are brought together in this poetry collection. The brightly colored, hot air balloons, the sunny yellow sunflowers, the summer green peas, and the brilliantly blue sea and sky are just a few of the photographs that illustrate the poetic exploration of a variety of different colors. Younger children may enjoy hearing the poetic words and seeing the photographs, while older children may be inspired to try and craft their own poems. In the back of the book are a few brief descriptions of some technical tools of poetry like alliteration and rhythm. The poet Laura Purdie Salas uses different forms of poetry--acrostic, cinquain, free verse, haiku, and limerick--to express the images of color. Included in the book are brief descriptions about the different poetic forms used and the page on which to locate an example of the form in the book. Related Internet sites via FactHound provide for additional resources about poetry. Reviewer: Carrie Hane Hung