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Thursday, January 30, 2014

It's My Weirdest Giveaway EVER!

Tricia, at The Miss Rumphius Effect is our lovely host for Poetry Friday today, filling us up with mathematical poetry from a lovely group of poets.   Thanks Tricia!

         It's an exciting day for me because I have the pleasure of sharing Catherine Johnson’s newly published poetry book, Wierdo Zoo!   Thus far, you can find it here, on Amazon! The poems are both written and illustrated by Catherine, who blogs at Little Red Riding Hood, eating the cake and writing poems instead!  Even from the title of Catherine's blog, you can tell this is going to be a treat!
            Giveaway:  Catherine has been kind enough to offer a copy of her book to one lucky commenter.  I'll put them all in a hat and draw a name to be announced next week! 


         So here we go into an adventure, of all things, well, weird, when you visit Catherine’s house.  At least that’s where I think she found all these amazing  and marvelous creatures.  And I’m not trying to honeyfuggle Catherine at all (new word just learned) because once you begin to travel through the pages, you will adore the trip!


         The Table of Contents is a good start to our trip where we learn to look for missing zebras, receive advice about picnicking with elephants, and wonder whatever could happen to make a goat float?  There are also titles that intrigue like the Wordy Wildebeest, Giraffes in a Knot and Pigeon Bop.  Let’s get moving!
           There is a wonderful variety of poem stories that tell the strange tales of this Wierdo Zoo, rhymed and unrhymed, short and long.  An early favorite is when I met Mr. and Mrs. Peabody, out for a picnic when thunder rumbles. Oh no, “If only they’d sat just a few feet away/Their beautiful picnic might’ve lasted the day.”   And I discovered the hilarious play on words with an otter and a beaver: “You be the otter.  And I’ll be the otter one.”   If you haven’t met a frogoloctopus yet, you will in this poetry group, poor thing.  He thought he was a frog, and “croaked, Not I, then “he saw his tentacles and had a little cry”. 

         As I amble through the book, I notice lots of silliness, which is what a weirdo zoo is all about of course.
               There is a Tawny Owl, one I think you might want to observe from a distance:

                      Tawny Yawny
                      Scrawny owl
                      Hooty, scooty,
                      Screechy owl
                      Eeky, meeky
                      Seeky owl.
                      Yawny, yarny
                      Barny owl.

And       Giraffes In A Knot, spare, almost haiku, something that begs to be imagined!
         Giraffes in a knot.
         All reaching for the same branch.
         Knot a good idea.

        Lucky for us, Catherine, in her terrific painting, has imagined it for us.  In my travel through this book, I've seen other fantastical animals created in both words and pictures.  What fun to read and chuckle over.



My favorite of all, is the funny and clever 

      Wordy Wildebeest!

A herd of wordy wildebeest
Wrote poems by the fence.
They used their teeth to hold their pens
Not many words made sense.

The Okapi stood listening
As the wildebeest recited
Their poems about adventures
Now the listeners grew excited.

The lions heard a whisper
Of these poems and replied,
“You write so foul, we’re on the prowl
You’d better stay inside.”

The poetry kept flowing out,
So angry lions encroached
Upon the pen of wildebeest
Notepads, and pens were poached.

The lions pinned a notice up,
“No poetry recitals.
Let it be said, you have been warned
Or we’ll be back for vitals.”
                Catherine M. Johnson © All Rights Reserved

Shared with the permission of the author.

       Thanks for coming along on the journey to this Weirdo Zoo!

51 comments:

  1. I have this book! It's a delightful display of poems and illustrations for children.

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    1. Hi Freeda! Thanks for sharing that you already have the book-fun to read!

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  2. The ones you shared are great fun. I especially like "Tawny Owl" with its short descriptive-y words!

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    1. Well, as you see, I like it too-lots of fun here to share with kids at school! Thanks, Diane!

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    2. Thanks, Diane. That was a fun one to play with.

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  3. So much fun! And what knotty (naughty) giraffes. :) Thank you for sharing, Linda, and Congratulations, Catherine, on your new book!

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    1. And you've just made it even more fun, Irene! Thank you, and happy you enjoyed these parts of Catherine's book!

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    2. Oh that's brilliant, Irene! Wish that had gone in the book. Thanks!

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  4. Ha! Linda I'm impressed that you worked honeyfuggle into your post. What a delicious word. I especially like the wordplay in Catherine's "Tawny Owl" poem.

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    1. I just couldn't resist that new word, Laura! Yes, "Tawny Owl" is much fun! Thank you!

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    2. So am I, what a fun word, Linda!

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  5. What a fun book! My daughter and I especially love the knotty giraffes! She's my five-year-old giraffe lover. Thanks for sharing today...now if you will excuse me, I need to go find this book! :)

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    1. Terrific, Robin. Perhaps you'll win a copy! It's a fun book for the young ones!

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    2. Awh and I nearly put two giraffe poems in it, oh well maybe I'll save the other one for a Weirdo Zoo 2. Thanks!

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  6. "Wordy Wildebeest" is adorable! Oh, those lions -- everyone's a critic.

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    1. Yes indeed, critics everywhere! Thanks!

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    2. I just had to write about Wildebeest. Have you all heard that wonderful speech about them by scottish comedian Billy Connelly? That would make a great blog post actually hmm..

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  7. Still smiling at the otters and the knotty giraffes. Thanks for this mini tour of the Weirdo Zoo -- lots of fun! :)

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    1. Thanks Jama-glad you had a fun trip!

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    2. Hey, Jama knotty otters would be great! *waves*

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  8. Congratulations, Catherine! I love those knotty giraffes. I'll have to see what other weirdos you have in your zoo.

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    1. Aren't they all fun? Thanks Liz!

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    2. I'm never short of weirdo inspiration, Liz ;) Thanks!

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  9. What a joyous collection - i love all the playful invention od words and silliness. Thanks for brightening up my morning, Linda!

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    1. Thanks-Catherine is giving us a chuckle all through the book!

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    2. To think I used to get told off for being silly. It's coming in useful ;) Thanks, Tara.

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  10. Just noticed your new header, Linda - love the kite soaring and the wonderful quote!

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  11. Linda,
    Your lovely postcard and yellow bird arrived. Thank you for making my day.
    Thanks for letting me know about this book. What fun, what great word play, what lovely poetry. I do enjoy the weird, silly, craziness of it. This is definitely on my reading list and I'll put a request in at my library. Well done. I LOVE Catherine's poems and illustrations. WOW!

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    1. Oh, so happy you liked the surprise, Joy! And I definitely thought of you when I read Catherine's poems. I just knew you would love them! Thank you!

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    2. Thank you, Joy! I'm thrilled it's right up your street.

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  12. Weird Zoo looks like the perfect poetry book for Weird Me! Thank you for introducing me to this book, Catherine a great poet and you are an amazing poetry advocate. = )

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    1. Yes, some of the poems will inspire you, Bridget! It's very fun to be silly! Thanks!

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    2. Thanks, Bridget!

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  13. "Knot a good idea." Hahahahaha! That made my day, Linda. Thanks for sharing Catherine Johnson's newly published book with delightful poems. I might fit right in that Weird Zoo as their weird zookeeper. =)

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    1. What a good idea for Catherine-a poem about the zookeeper, too! So glad you had a big laugh, Fats!

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    2. Fats, that is a super idea, thanks so much. A weird zoo keeper would be a hoot. Female?

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  14. So cute and clever, illustrations included. Catherine is quite the talent. Thanks for sharing.

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  15. Catherine has quite the imagination...and TALENT!

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  16. Thanks, Margaret and Mary. Thank you, Linda for a wonderful post about Weirdo Zoo, I'm thrilled to share it with the Poetry Friday crew.

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    1. My thanks to you too, Catherine, for letting me share! It was weird, but fun! Have a terrific weekend!

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  17. Just a taste of the brilliant word play leaves me wanting more!!

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    1. Terrific, Keri. Hope you can get the real book! Thank you!

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  18. This looks like a terrific book. Thanks for the chance to win.

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    1. You're welcome! Glad you like the parts I shared!

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  19. Love those knotted giraffes. Honeyfuggle!

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  20. Sounds like one I definitely want to own! Feel free to throw it (and any other terrific titles) in your bag for Friday!

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    1. I'll bring it along Carol! I might have to bring all the Cybil's nominees too! Lots to carry. See you soon!

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