Stars with Flaming Tails: Poems

Gr 2-4–This collection of poetry covers a variety of topics, such as family, friends, and animals. The poems are a variety of lengths, but they always rhyme. While the rhyming is sometimes seamless, it can also be jarring, leaving readers to wonder how much searching for a rhyming word went into the poetic process. It is difficult to know the audience for this title, as a common thread or voice is often not present. This collection has an odd bent, with several references to soldiers and war. Many of the entries read like Bloom is trying to write for young readers, but the end product sounds stilted. For example, some verses have unusual turns of phrase, such as “How will I make friends when I hate conversing?” While poems about making friends are common, young readers may not know what “conversing” means. Simple but fun black-and-white drawings in pencil and digital ink are more successful for the intended audience. The drawings are present on every page and often convey a childlike approach.