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And Other
Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and Immature Grown-Ups
by Chris Harris
Illustrated by Lane Smith
Read by Robert Petkoff, Chris Harris, Cassandra
Morris, Lane Smith
Hachette Audio
March 2018/ ISBN ASIN: B07BMC19TM
Children’s Poetry – Audiobook – Unabridged
/ 1 hour and 46 minutes, PDF included)
Reviewed
by Leslie C. Halpern
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This
audiobook for children (which includes a PDF of accompanying
illustrations) contains a grab bag of short humor, most of which
is rhymed verse, although additional material falls into the
category of unrhymed gags, jokes, and general silliness. Although
the suggested age range is 7-10 years, some of the juvenile
humor will appeal to younger children and some of the more nuanced
pieces and sophisticated words will entertain an older audience.
The varied subjects, styles, and reading levels of individual
pieces make this an odd assortment that provides a hit-or-miss
approach to humor, i.e., there’s probably something for
everyone in this book, but the subjectivity of humor and the
diversity in this collection mean that probably everyone will
not like something, too. The author, a comedy television writer,
frequently enlists a “metafiction” style that breaks
the fourth wall, so to speak. This self-conscious style (where
the poet playfully criticizes the illustrator or gets irritated
with another reader or “improvises” while skipping
over poems because they don’t translate well into an audiobook)
will surely delight young readers unfamiliar with this technique.
The element of surprise also plays a part in the rhyme schemes.
Sometimes there’s perfect rhyme, near rhyme, slant rhyme,
or no rhyme. From page to page and piece to piece, readers will
never know what’s coming next. Narrated by Robert Petkoff
with Chris Harris, Cassandra Morris, and Lane Smith, the voices
are highly animated and easily understood. Occasional instructions
direct readers to consult the PDF for essential illustrations
to understand the piece.
Repetition is another part of the author’s humor, as in
the poem “Avocado,” which is offered as an easy
poem to memorize for class. The “poem” merely repeats
the same word using various intonations. The author also surprises
readers with the unexpected. In the title poem, readers expect
an obvious rhyming word, but never hear the word they anticipate.
While many topics are random, other poems address subjects specifically
of interest to children, such as performing chores like making
the bed each morning.
Combing subjects and styles, different types of humor, exciting
narration, and vibrant illustrations included on the PDF, this
audiobook should keep children engaged and amused for the entire
106 minutes.
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