Guess Who, Haiku: A Picture Book

by Deanna Caswell, Bob Shea (Illustrator)

Overview

The picture book Guess Who, Haiku is a unique poetic guessing game illustrated by bestselling and beloved artist Bob Shea.

Author Deanna Caswell’s playful take on the inventive Japanese form of poetry offers clues about the creatures hiding on every page in this creative and clever picture book of charmingly illustrated poems for the very young.

As readers meet a cow, a bee, a horse, a bird, a frog, a fish, a mouse, a cat, and a dog, they will be delighted to learn that they are the subject of the final poem. Parents will appreciate the simple guide to understanding the haiku.

Perfect for story time and for poetry month in April, Guess Who, Haiku is a must-have collection of poetry for the youngest readers.

“Overall, a superb introduction to this potent poetic form, teaching pre-readers both the evocative power of description and the reward for listening closely. Not to be missed: gorgeous poetry, vibrant illustrations, and masterful use of the page turn.” —Kirkus Reviews

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781419718892
Publisher:	Abrams Appleseed
Publication date:	03/08/2016
Series:	Guess Who Haiku
Pages:	24
Product dimensions:	9.00(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	3 - 5 Years

About the Author

Deanna Caswell’s picture books include First Ballet (Disney, 2009) and Beach House (Chronicle, 2015). A mother of five, she founded the blog Little House in the Suburbs.


Bob Shea is an acclaimed children’s book author who has written and illustrated over a dozen picture books, including the Dinosaur vs. series and Unicorn Thinks He’s Pretty Great. Shea’s characters have appeared on Playhouse Disney, PBS Kids, and Nick Jr. He lives in Connecticut with his wife, Colleen, and their son, Ryan. He and Colleen own Perfectly Nice, a graphic design studio.

Editorial Reviews

12/21/2015
Caswell (Beach House) and Shea (I Will Chomp You!) combine an outdoorsy guessing game with an introduction to haiku through a chain of guess-the-animal interactions. Each poem gets its own page (“new day on the farm/ muffled mooing announces/ a fresh pail of milk,” reads the first one), followed by the recurring question, “Can you guess who from this haiku?” A turn of the page reveals the answer, and the discovered animal offers a new haiku for children to decode. Working in his familiar bold, graphic style, Shea offers plenty of visual clues to help readers guess, while placing the action in a simplified barnyard setting that keeps the focus on the animals. A closing page that briefly explains the structure and goals of haiku should prove useful to children curious about the form. Ages 3–5. Illustrator’s agent: Steven Malk, Writers House. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

"Whether reading out loud to kindergartners as an introduction to this perennially popular art form, or using selections as inspiration for aspiring older poets, this collection should find an appreciative
audience."

Booklist

**STARRED REVIEW**
"Over all, a superb introduction to this potent poetic form, teaching pre-readers both the evocative power of description and the reward for listening closely. Not to be missed: gorgeous poetry, vibrant illustrations, and masterful use of the page turn." —Kirkus

"Whether reading out loud to kindergartners as an introduction to this perennially popular art form, or using selections as inspiration for aspiring older poets, this collection should find an appreciative
audience."—Booklist

“This winning combination of haiku and smiling farm animals is sure to be a favorite among young readers…offering suggestions on how to engage children in the rhythm of each verse…this introduction to haiku is excellent for storytime or laptime.”—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

"Whether reading out loud to kindergartners as an introduction to this perennially popular art form, or using selections as inspiration for aspiring older poets, this collection should find an appreciative
audience."

Booklist

04/01/2016
PreS-K—This winning combination of haiku and smiling farm animals is sure to be a favorite among young readers. Each page presents a call-and-response riddle about a different animal, along with a picture clue. Both the text and the illustrations offer plenty of support for children encountering this poetic form for the first time. The bright pastel color scheme and thoughtful text positioning are lively without being too busy. Caswell concludes with a page for caregivers, offering suggestions on how to engage children in the rhythm of each verse. VERDICT Perfectly designed for the youngest poetry readers, this introduction to haiku is excellent for storytime or laptime.—Maggi Rohde, Ann Arbor Public Schools, MI

School Library Journal

★ 2016-01-09
Haiku at play in the animal world and vice versa. In the first of what readers will hope will be many collaborations, Caswell and Shea team up in this charming collection of haiku for pre-readers. Caswell takes her lead from the hai of haiku, which, she explains, in Japanese means "to make light of," presenting 10 bite-sized poetic portraits of common animals as riddles for children to solve. First, she offers a serene poetic snapshot—"a soft nose in oats / after an afternoon ride / back at the stable"—and invites readers to "guess who" is the haiku's subject. Then, making the most of the picture-book format, the page turn reveals "A horse!" realized in Shea's bold and cheery mixed-media illustration. That subject then offers another haiku—"one small speckled egg / wings wrap a breezy cradle / up on the treetop"—continuing the enticing chain of haiku riddles, guessing, and deeply satisfying page-turn revelations. One can just imagine roomfuls of children shouting their guesses in gleeful anticipation of Shea's heartwarming illustrations of Caswell's haiku subjects. Overall, a superb introduction to this potent poetic form, teaching pre-readers both the evocative power of description and the reward for listening closely. Not to be missed: gorgeous poetry, vibrant illustrations, and masterful use of the page turn. (Picture book/poetry. 3-6)

Kirkus Reviews