Button Up!: Wrinkled Rhymes

From the Publisher

". . . these creatures have personality, exuberance and high style that perfectly match the verses. Loads of fun."—Kirkus, starred review

"From delicately comical to downright funny, the art perfectly reflects the contagiously rhythmic, playful verse. Made for sharing, and worth learning by heart, too."—Horn Book, starred review

". . . these poems will give readers a new perspective on getting dressed . . . Playful spreads and spot art suit the small, snappy verses beautifully. This whimsical little volume will make a delightful addition to poetry collections."—School Library Journal, starred review

"The whimsical illustrations pair perfectly with the wittiness of the text, and the whole is a clever and original poetic treat."—Booklist, starred review

“. . . enjoyable sound effects . . . Tone varies from sturdy support of ‘Bob’s Bicycle Helmet’ . . . to the playfulness of ‘Wanda’s Swimsuit . . . the extraordinary precision of Mather’s [sic] delicate brush strokes result in collagelike textures and crisp solidity . . . sure to tickle youngsters.”—The Bulletin

"Here's a match made in children's-book Heaven: esteemed poet Schertle (All You Need for a Snowman) and Mathers, the artist behind the Lottie's World (the charming chicken) books . . . Full of surprises, perhaps a sniffle, and plenty of cheer ("Everybody clap your hands,/ everybody shout,/ Bill's got his jacket on,/ LET'S GO OUT!"), this one will be in constant demand."—PW Shelf Awareness

Publishers Weekly

Despite its eye-catching cover and offbeat viewpoint, the "Wrinkled Rhymes" in this collection of poems about clothing have a few too many wrinkles. Each verse is written from the perspective of an article of clothing talking about its relationship to its owner, but too often the rhythms miss beats and the narratives are forced: "I am Violet's hiking hat./ I live on Violet's head./ 'I never take off my hiking hat,'/ Violet said." Still, Schertle does provide clever turns of phrase and perspectives (Tanya's old T-shirt complains, "Now she's big as a sofa!/ She's tall as a tree!/ She's out of control, and they're dusting with me!"), but a lack of strong imagery and the haphazard meter are distracting. Mathers's watercolors-alternating spot art with full-spread paintings-depict a plethora of animal characters that are not lively enough to consistently provide the needed energy. But toddlers will enjoy picking out animals from previous poems, swimming as Wanda and her swimsuit do a cannonball or dressing up as ghosts for Halloween. Ages 3-7. (Apr.)

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Children's Literature - Ellen Welty

Rollicking poems told in the "voices" of articles of clothing make up this fun collection. Rhymes are in couplets or quatrains, with some internal rhyming, and there is a well-defined rhythm that will appeal to children. The silliness of talking clothes adds to the overall appeal. From Emily's undies with laces and bows to the jammies that Joshua wears, the rhymes capture perfectly the affection that children often develop for particular articles of clothing. There is poignancy as well in the voice of Tanya's old t-shirt: "I live in a bucket shoved under a stair. They call me a dust rag! I don't think it's fair." The whimsical watercolor illustrations are engaging and perfectly capture the attitude of each piece of clothing. They also reinforce words and images in the minds of beginning, readers encouraging children to read on their own. These poems are great for reading aloud in a classroom or sharing on a lap. Reviewer: Ellen Welty

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2

Told from the points of view of various anthropomorphic articles of clothing, these poems will give readers a new perspective on getting dressed. Tanya's old T-shirt doesn't understand the shabby treatment it receives-it didn't shrink, Tanya grew. "I live in a bucket shoved under a stair./They call me a dust rag! I don't think it's fair." Bertie's shoelaces explain why they like to hang loose. Emily's frilly undies seem to enjoy getting a little extra exposure. And Bob's bicycle helmet lives to protect Bob. "I've got him covered./I'm on the job." Mathers's signature-style mice, bears, and alligators model these self-possessed garments. Playful spreads and spot art suit the small, snappy verses beautifully. This whimsical little volume will make a delightful addition to poetry collections.-Julie Roach, Cambridge Public Library, MA

Kirkus Reviews

Shoelaces, hats, undies, jammies, jackets-all have a story to tell. Each poem's title pairs a character's name with an article of clothing ("Bertie's Shoelaces") while the body tells of shared activities and adventures. Some live hard, like the hand-me-down sweatshirt that's "been lost and recovered, been torn and been sewn." The bicycle helmet has Bob covered, galoshes have a lovely time in the rain with Harvey and Emily's undies like showing their laces and bows. Personification can be tricky, but Schertle pulls it off admirably, in a simple, straightforward manner. She employs a variety of rhyme schemes and meters in the verses, giving each one a sprightly, humorous tone. Mathers's whimsy-filled watercolors place each article of clothing on an animal, and not just cats and dogs. There are otters and pigs, alligators and rabbits, emus and moles. And these creatures have personality, exuberance and high style that perfectly match the verses. Loads of fun. (Picture book/poetry. 3-8)