Ready for Spaghetti: Funny Poems for Funny Kids

Starting with an author’s note that discusses “introducing children to the sound of writing,” Rosen’s collection of short poems covers a range of activities, starting with waking up and ending with the “hush and a shush” of bedtime. Rendered in a large, legible font, here-and-now verse describes quotidian events such as brushing teeth, playing with a balloon, and sneezing. Stanzas rely heavily on wordplay, rhythm, and repetition, as in the titular poem: “Will you getti the spaghetti?/ Don’t say, ‘Not yetti spaghetti!’/ I’m all setti for spaghetti.” Dunbar’s loose-lined ink and watercolor illustrations, meanwhile, depict children of various abilities and skin tones engaging in the activities together. Pages abound with the glee that arises when each day promises new discoveries—linguistic and otherwise. Ages 3–7. (Oct.)