Naughty Boy: A Song About Myself

Gr 3-4–Silverstein attempts to breathe new life into Keats’s 1818 poem about a young boy. Using post-impressionistic illustrations featuring swirling, painted brushstrokes reminiscent of Vincent van Gogh’s “Starry Night,” he exhibits mastery of the medium, though it is wasted here. The poem will likely not appeal to the majority of readers, unless they have a particular interest in and experience reading 18th century poetry. “To the brook/ And bring home/ Miller’s thumb/ Tittlebat/ Not over fat/ Minnows small/ As the stall/ Of a glove,/ Not above/ The size/ Of a nice/ Little baby’s/ Little finger.” For collections that do have have a widely circulating 18th century poetry collection, it is also unlikely that a book only featuring one poem would be the best choice for selectors with limited funds.