Jack Prelutsky is an American writer of children’s poetry who has published over 50 poetry collections. He served as the first U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate from 2006-08 when the Poetry Foundation established the award.
Prelutsky’s work often features playful language, amusing scenarios, and a celebration of the absurd. Here are several titles and descriptions of his work to explore:
- “The New Kid on the Block”
- This collection is filled with humorous and whimsical poems that capture the essence of childhood imagination and play. The titular poem, along with others in the collection, often features quirky characters and laugh-out-loud scenarios.
- “It’s Raining Pigs & Noodles”
- The poems in this book overflow with imaginative scenarios and playful wordplay, true to Prelutsky’s signature style. It’s a celebration of silliness and the fun of language.
- “Something Big Has Been Here”
- This collection offers a delightful mix of short and clever poems, each brimming with Prelutsky’s characteristic wit and humor. The poems invite readers into a world where anything is possible.
- “A Pizza the Size of the Sun”
- Featuring a wide range of topics from pizzas to planets, this collection is a testament to Prelutsky’s ability to turn ordinary subjects into sources of endless amusement and wonder.
- “The Frogs Wore Red Suspenders”
- With poems set in various locations around the United States, this collection takes readers on a whimsical journey, showcasing Prelutsky’s talent for crafting engaging rhymes and playful scenarios.
- “Scranimals”
- In this inventive collection, Prelutsky combines animals with fruits, vegetables, and other objects to create fantastical creatures like “Bananaconda” or “Spinachickens,” accompanied by delightful illustrations.
- “Behold the Bold Umbrellaphant”
- This book features poems about imaginative creatures that are part animal, part object, such as the title’s “Umbrellaphant.” It’s a testament to Prelutsky’s creativity and his ability to see the world in a unique and whimsical way.
- “Ride a Purple Pelican”
- Another collection that showcases Prelutsky’s range as a poet, with rhymes that are both playful and lyrical, inviting readers into a world of imaginative adventure and fun.
- “The Carnival of the Animals”
- Prelutsky provides verses to accompany Camille Saint-Saëns’s classical music suite “The Carnival of the Animals,” adding a lyrical and humorous narrative layer to the music.
- “Beneath a Blue Umbrella”
- This collection offers a variety of poems that range from the silly to the serene, all showcasing Prelutsky’s deft touch with words and his ability to engage readers of all ages.
Jack Prelutsky’s poetry is celebrated for its humor, creativity, and ability to engage children with the beauty and fun of language. His work not only entertains but also encourages young readers to explore their own imaginations and the joy of reading poetry.
If you’re searching for famous poems ever that perfectly capture what you’d like to say or just want to feel inspired yourself, browse through an amazing collection of greatest Khalil Gibran poems.
Famous Jack Prelutsky Poems
Last Night I Dreamed Of Chickens
Last night I dreamed of chickens,
there were chickens everywhere,
they were standing on my stomach,
they were nesting in my hair,
they were pecking at my pillow,
they were hopping on my head,
they were ruffling up their feathers
as they raced about my bed.
They were on the chairs and tables,
they were on the chandeliers,
they were roosting in the corners,
they were clucking in my ears,
there were chickens, chickens, chickens
for as far as I could see…
when I woke today, I noticed
there were eggs on top of me.
Be Glad Your Nose Is On Your Face
Be glad your nose is on your face,
not pasted on some other place,
for if it were where it is not,
you might dislike your nose a lot.
Imagine if your precious nose
were sandwiched in between your toes,
that clearly would not be a treat,
for you’d be forced to smell your feet.
Your nose would be a source of dread
were it attached atop your head,
it soon would drive you to despair,
forever tickled by your hair.
Within your ear, your nose would be
an absolute catastrophe,
for when you were obliged to sneeze,
your brain would rattle from the breeze.
Your nose, instead, through thick and thin,
remains between your eyes and chin,
not pasted on some other place–
be glad your nose is on your face!
As Soon As Fred Gets Out Of Bed
As soon as Fred gets out of bed,
his underwear goes on his head.
His mother laughs, “Don’t put it there,
a head’s no place for underwear!”
But near his ears, above his brains,
is where Fred’s underwear remains.
At night when Fred goes back to bed,
he deftly plucks it off his head.
His mother switches off the light
and softly croons, “Good night! Good night!”
And then, for reasons no one knows,
Fred’s underwear goes on his toes.
Bleezer’s Ice Cream
I am Ebenezer Bleezer,
I run BLEEZER’S ICE CREAM STORE,
there are flavors in my freezer
you have never seen before,
twenty-eight divine creations
too delicious to resist,
why not do yourself a favor,
try the flavors on my list:
COCOA MOCHA MACARONI
TAPIOCA SMOKED BALONEY
CHECKERBERRY CHEDDAR CHEW
CHICKEN CHERRY HONEYDEW
TUTTI-FRUTTI STEWED TOMATO
TUNA TACO BAKED POTATO
LOBSTER LITCHI LIMA BEAN
MOZZARELLA MANGOSTEEN
ALMOND HAM MERINGUE SALAMI
YAM ANCHOVY PRUNE PASTRAMI
SASSAFRAS SOUVLAKI HASH
SUKIYAKI SUCCOTASH
BUTTER BRICKLE PEPPER PICKLE
POMEGRANATE PUMPERNICKEL
PEACH PIMENTO PIZZA PLUM
PEANUT PUMPKIN BUBBLEGUM
BROCCOLI BANANA BLUSTER
CHOCOLATE CHOP SUEY CLUSTER
AVOCADO BRUSSELS SPROUT
PERIWINKLE SAUERKRAUT
COTTON CANDY CARROT CUSTARD
CAULIFLOWER COLA MUSTARD
ONION DUMPLING DOUBLE DIP
TURNIP TRUFFLE TRIPLE FLIP
GARLIC GUMBO GRAVY GUAVA
LENTIL LEMON LIVER LAVA
ORANGE OLIVE BAGEL BEET
WATERMELON WAFFLE WHEAT
I am Ebenezer Bleezer,
I run BLEEZER’S ICE CREAM STORE,
taste a flavor from my freezer,
you will surely ask for more.
The Visitor
it came today to visit
and moved into the house
it was smaller than an elephant
but larger than a mouse
first it slapped my sister
then it kicked my dad
then it pushed my mother
oh! that really made me mad
it went and tickled rover
and terrified the cat
it sliced apart my necktie
and rudely crushed my hat
it smeared my head with honey
and filled the tub with rocks
and when i yelled in anger
it stole my shoes and socks
that’s just the way it happened
it happened all today
before it bowed politely
and softly went away
Super Samson Simpson
I am Super Samson Simpson,
I’m superlatively strong,
I like to carry elephants,
I do it all day long,
I pick up half a dozen
and hoist them in the air,
it’s really somewhat simple,
for I have strength to spare.
My muscles are enormous,
they bulge from top to toe,
and when I carry elephants,
they ripple to and fro,
but I am not the strongest
in the Simpson family,
for when I carry elephants,
my grandma carries me.
Dora Diller
‘My stomach’s full of butterflies!’
lamented Dora Diller.
Her mother sighed. ‘That’s no surprise,
you ate a caterpillar!’
Homework! Oh, Homework!
Homework! Oh, Homework!
I hate you! You stink!
I wish I could wash you away in the sink,
if only a bomb
would explode you to bits.
Homework! Oh, homework!
You’re giving me fits.
I’d rather take baths
with a man-eating shark,
or wrestle a lion
alone in the dark,
eat spinach and liver,
pet ten porcupines,
than tackle the homework,
my teacher assigns.
Homework! Oh, homework!
you’re last on my list,
I simple can’t see
why you even exist,
if you just disappeared
it would tickle me pink.
Homework! Oh, homework!
I hate you! You stink!
A Pizza the Size of the Sun
I’m making a pizza the size of the sun,
a pizza that’s sure to weigh more than a ton,
a pizza too massive to pick up and toss,
a pizza resplendent with oceans of sauce.
I’m topping my pizza with mountains of cheese,
with acres of peppers, pimentos, and peas,
with mushrooms, tomatoes, and sausage galore,
with every last olive they had at the store.
My pizza is sure to be one of a kind,
my pizza will leave other pizzas behind,
my pizza will be a delectable treat,
that all who love pizza are welcome to eat.
The oven is hot, I believe it will take
a year and a half for my pizza to bake.
I can hardly wait til my pizza is done,
my wonderful pizza the size of the sun.
I met a dragon face to face
I met a dragon face to face
the year when I was ten,
I took a trip to outer space,
I braved a pirate’s den,
I wrestled with a wicked troll,
and fought a great white shark,
I trailed a rabbit down a hole,
I hunted for a snark.
I stowed aboard a submarine,
I opened magic doors,
I traveled in a time machine,
and searched for dinosaurs,
I climbed atop a giant’s head,
I found a pot of gold,
I did all this in books I read
when I was ten years old.
Herbert Glerbett
Herbert Glerbett, rather round,
swallowed sherbet by the pound,
fifty pounds of lemon sherbet
went inside of Herbert Glerbett.
With that glob inside his lap
Herbert Glerbett took a nap,
and as he slept, the boy dissolved,
and from the mess a thing evolved—
a thing that is a ghastly green,
a thing the world had never seen,
a puddle thing, a gooey pile
of something strange that does not smile.
Now if you’re wise, and if you’re sly,
you’ll swiftly pass this creature by,
it is no longer Herbert Glerbett.
Whatever it is, do not disturb it.
Deep In Our Refrigerator
Deep in our refrigerator,
there’s a special place
for food that’s been around awhile…
we keep it, just in case.
‘It’s probably too old to eat,’
my mother likes to say.
‘But I don’t think it’s old enough
for me to throw away.’
It stays there for a month or more
to ripen in the cold,
and soon we notice fuzzy clumps
of multicolored mold.
The clumps are larger every day,
we notice this as well,
but mostly what we notice
is a certain special smell.
When finally it all becomes
a nasty mass of slime,
my mother takes it out, and says,
‘Apparently, it’s time.’
She dumps it in the garbage can,
though not without regret,
then fills the space with other food
that’s not so ancient yet
I Went Hungry on Thanksgiving
I was hungry on Thanksgiving
But I couldn’t eat a thing
I couldn’t eat a drumstick
And I couldn’t eat a wing
I couldn’t have the pickles
Or the gravy covered rice
The pumpkin pie was luscious
But I couldn’t have a slice
I was starving for some stuffing
Or a tasty yellow yam
Or a puffy little muffin
Spread with homemade berry jam
Our dinner looked delicious
But I didn’t dare to touch
I went hungry on Thanksgiving
My new braces hurt too much!
Suzanna socked me Sunday
Suzanna socked me Sunday,
she socked me Monday, too,
she also socked me Tuesday,
I was turning black and blue.
She socked me double Wednesday,
and Thursday even more,
but when she socked me Friday,
she began to get me sore.
“Enough’s enough,” I yelled at her,
“I hate it when you hit me!”
“Well, then I won’t” Suzanna said—
that Saturday, she bit me.
Pumberly Pott’s Unpredictable Niece
Pumberly Pott’s unpredictable niece
declared with her usual zeal
that she would devour, by piece after piece,
her uncle’s new automobile.
She set to her task very early one morn
by consuming the whole carburetor;
then she swallowed the windshield, the headlights and horn,
and the steering wheel just a bit later.
She chomped on the doors, on the handles and locks,
on the valves and the pistons and rings;
on the air pump and fuel pump and spark plugs and shocks,
on the brakes and the axles and springs.
When her uncle arrived she was chewing a hash
made of leftover hoses and wires
(she’d just finished eating the clutch and the dash
and the steel-belted radial tires).
“Oh, what have you done to my auto,” he cried,
“you strange unpredictable lass?”
“The thing won’t work, Uncle Pott,” she replied,
and he wept, “It was just out of gas.”
A Wolf Is At The Laundromat
A wolf is at the Laundromat,
it’s not a wary stare-wolf,
it’s short and fat, it tips its hat,
unlike a scary glare-wolf.
It combs its hair, it clips its toes,
it is a fairly rare wolf,
that’s only there to clean its clothes—
it is a wash-and-wear-wolf.
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