Module 9 - The Llama Who had No Pajama

THE LLAMA WHO HAD NO PAJAMA

Bibliographic Information

•           Hoberman, M. A., & Fraser, B. (1998). The llama who had no pajama. San Diego: Browndeer Press.

Summary
Hoberman includes one hundred favorite poems in this children's collection of poetry.  The included poetry includes works about animals, people, vehicles and many other things children see and experience.  Expertly illustrated in a Mary Englebreit-style collage, the book is intended to introduce children to poetic basics like rhyme, rhythm, meter and word choice.

My Impressions
This is a very cute collection of poetry for early to middle elementary students.  The vocabulary used is not terribly difficult, but beyond the reading level of a typical kindergarten or first grade student.  Some of the poems are wistful, some are funny, but they are all short enough to use to teach basic poetry concepts.

Reviews
Parravano, M. V. (1998). The Llama Who Had No Pajama: 100 Favorite Poems. [Review of The llama who had no pajama, by M. A. Hoberman, & B. Fraser]. Horn Book Magazine, 74(2), 228.

Although perhaps best taken in small doses, this collection of some forty years of Hoberman verse is a charmer. The poems--peppy verses immediately identifiable as Hoberman's by their use of alliteration and repeated words and lines--seem to cover every subject under the sun; all are dependably child-centered. There are insect riddles ("A big buzz / In a little fuzz") and animal tongue-twisters ("O gaze on the graceful gazelle as it grazes") as well as an ode to slippers and a paean to the versatility of applesauce. The ordering of poems is pleasingly informal but thoughtful. Further bonuses are Betty Fraser's delicate yet merry watercolors (Fraser also illustrated Hoberman's classic A House Is a House for Me) and the varied, imaginative page design that never overwhelms the text. Indexes.
Most of the books are recommended; all of them are subject to the qualification in the notes. [g] indicates that the books was read in gallery of page proof. The publisher's price is the general retail price and does not indicate a possible discount to libraries. Age levels are only suggestions; the individual child is the real criterion. --Martha Parravano

Library Usage
Good resource for early learning about poetry and rhymes to young elementary students.  Good read aloud book for that age as well, but can be used as introductory examples to older students learning to analyze and compose poetry.