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The Naming Book of Rascally Rhymes

by Jordan D. Troutt; Sarah Preston-Bloor, illus.

Twenty-six precocious youngsters eat, sing, and pirouette their way through Jordan D. Troutt’s first children’s book, The Naming Book of Rascally Rhymes. Troutt features one child for every letter of the alphabet, encapsulating their personality in a couple quirky stanzas. There is Dylan (who has a pet dinosaur named Rex), a timid boy called Hunter, and the TV-obsessed Lisa, to name a few.

The book was definitely designed to be read aloud. Sarah Preston-Bloor’s vivid, full-page illustrations are well-suited to the book’s playful nature. She uses acrylic paints on watercolour paper, giving Abigail, Rita, and the gang a rich, warm depth that will engage kids. The children in the story have little button noses and they’re often surrounded by animal friends, like puppies, cats, and baby chicks. It’s a book children will want to look at after you’re done reading.

For all its whimsy, however, Rascally Rhymes may have a hard time making it into high rotation at story time. Troutt’s verse is slightly awkward to read aloud. The rhythms are irregular and the stresses unpredictable. Readers may find themselves repeatedly stumbling in front of their audience, especially if they’re reading the book for the first time.

The preschool set and adults alike may also wonder what, exactly, Troutt is trying to convey with his rhymes. In “Justin,” Troutt writes, “Linguistics calm/ his inner beast –/ Justin stops/ to enjoy the feast.” Though Preston-Bloor’s illustrations are kid-friendly, Troutt’s poetry isn’t as light and accessible as it ought to be. Besides “linguistics,” be prepared to explain “bestial,” “oscillate,” and “unleavened” to your audience.

 

Reviewer: Sara Forsyth

Publisher: Palimpsest Press

DETAILS

Price: $21

Page Count: pp

Format: Cloth

ISBN: 978-0-9784917-4-1

Issue Date: 2008-9

Categories: Picture Books