NCTE Award Poetry

The Llama Who Had No Pajama

By: Mary Ann Hoberman
Illustrated by: Betty Fraser

Hoberman, Ann Mary. 1998. The Llama Who Had No Pajama. Ill. by Betty Fraser. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace & Company.

ISBN: 0-15-200111-5

The Llama Who Had No Pajama is a collection of 100 poems. Mary Ann Hoberman who is the author of the poems was the winner of the NCTE poetry award in 2003. The age group for this collection of poems is for younger elementary age children, probably between the ages of 5 to 10 years old. The topics covered in the book are very age appropriate. The topics that the poetry in the book covers are: weather, birthdays, family, animals, seasons, and insects. Abstract concepts that appeal to children are also covered in the poems. These topics are: dress-up, pretend, the concept of time, and the feelings that are involved in growing up. All the poetry found in the book is based on very familiar topics of childhood experiences.

Most of the poetry has a particular beat or meter to it. Almost all of poems contain the poetic elements of rhythm and rhyme. Sensory language is also used. The senses of hearing, seeing, smelling, tasting, and feeling are used in many of the poems for children in the particular age group that the book is aimed at.

Many of the poetry extends and enriches a child's experiences. A lot of the poetry is informative especially the poetry revolving around animals or insects. These poems would be great to use for science lessons. All of the poetry stimulates good emotions and provides room for children to use their imagination when reading or listening to the poetry in the book. All of the poems are consistent in quality and reinforce the purpose of the book in the fact that even if a lot of the poetry is silly it still provides an avenue for children to experience poetry written for them to understand. I would have to say that all the poems represent the overall mood of joy. I found myself smiling while reading the poetry in the book.

All of the poems in the book are by Mary Ann Hoberman. There are 1 to 3 poems per page. Betty Fraser does a great job of providing an illustration for every poem. There is a colorful picture that represents each poem found in the collection. A table of contents is provided as well as an index.

The Llama Who Had No Pajama is a great collection of poetry to read to young readers. Children will throughly enjoy all the poems. Also, as stated before many of the poems can be used for cross curricular teaching.

Penguin

O Penguin, do you ever try

To flap your flipper wings and fly?

How do you feel, a bird by birth

And yet for life tied down to earth?

A feathered creature, born with wings

Yet never wing-borne. All your kings

And emperors must wonder why

Their realm is sea instead of sky.

Activity: This would be a great poem to use during a penguin unit. The teacher could focus the lesson for the day on the differences between penguins and other birds. The teacher could then share the poem titled "Penguin." After reading the poem and discussing the differences students could fill out a venn diagram comparing penguins and other birds.