Melvis and Elvis by D. Lee

Abstract

Lee, Dennis.  Melvis and Elvis.  Illus. Jeremy Tankard. Toronto: Harper Collins, 2015. Print.

In this new anthology of poetry for children, the inimitable Dennis Lee lets us explore our moods: silly or serious, playful or pugnacious, riotous, rebellious and just plain rude. In typical Lee fashion, he eschews sentimentality:

            The dog got fat—
            His belly exploded
            And that was that.
                                       (“Cabbagetown,” p. 22)

but he is also capable of stealing the heart with simple, lovely metaphor:

            Bobolink, bobolink,
            Take me along.
            I’ll be the silence
            And you be the song.
                                        (“Bobolink,” p. 21)

He teases the tongue with creative wordplay (a Dennis Lee trademark):

            I thought I saw a potamus,
            Asleep upon a cotamus,
            But when I reached the spotamus,
            The potamus was notamus.
                                        (“The Notapotamus,” p. 29)

Ever true to his audience, he does not flinch from the reality of childhood emotion, be it longing:

            If you could like me,
            Like me now,
            As deep as the dreams
            In your heart allow.
                                           (“The New Friend,” p. 30)

or loathing:

            Doodle, doodle, poppyseed strudel,
            I’ve got a friend and he smells like a poodle.

                        * * *
            Push him down a wishing well—
            Still can’t stop that awful smell.
                                                (“Stinkarama,” p. 26)

 The book is cleverly structured, beginning and ending with poems about Melvis the monster and Elvis the elf, the final selection subtly acknowledging both the “inner monster” and the “inner elf” of the child.

Jeremy Tankard’s illustrations are highly suited to the text.  He uses bold outline, vivid color, and complementary backgrounds to effect focus, clarity and mood.  Preschoolers and beginning readers should have no trouble relating poem and picture.

This is a book that could be shared repeatedly with children at bedtime or in storyhour.  However, a parent, teacher, or librarian would want occasionally to interject, “Do we sometimes feel like that?  Would we actually say that or do that?” That being understood, it is a good selection for home, school and public libraries.

Recommended: 3 out of 4 stars
Reviewer:  Leslie Aitken

Leslie Aitken’s long career in librarianship involved selection of children’s literature for school, public, special, and university collections.  She is a former Curriculum Librarian at the University of Alberta.