Calico Pie and Other Poems

Gr 2–5—This series anthologizes, sometimes in excerpted form, many famous and lesser-known poems (and a few works from plays, such as those by William Shakespeare), without any accompanying analytical text. Each text has a loose theme (Mr. Toad focuses on nature, while The Owl and the Pussycat emphasizes humorous poetry). Although many of these time-honored offerings will translate well to contemporary audiences, such as "The Owl and the Pussycat," others do not. A Christina Rossetti poem ("What Does the Bee Do?") declares that Father's role is to earn a living while Mother's task is to "Lay out the money," which may seem both sexist and linguistically confusing. Shakespeare's Macbeth also seems an odd choice, even in a condensed format, for a children's poetry book. Some art is stronger than others, with a few of the volumes containing a blend of different illustrators that clash in style. Certain titles feature a slanted font, which will be hard for young readers to decipher.