Description

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A sijo, a traditional Korean verse form, has a fixed number of stressed syllables and a humorous or ironic twist at the end. Like haiku, sijo are brief and accessible, and the witty last line winds up each poem with a surprise. The verses in this book illuminate funny, unexpected, amazing aspects of the everyday—of breakfast, thunder and lightning, houseplants, tennis, freshly laundered socks. Carefully crafted and deceptively simple, Linda Sue Park's sijo are a pleasure to read and an irresistible invitation to experiment with an unfamiliar poetic form. Istvan Banyai's irrepressibly giddy and sophisticated illustrations add a one-of-a-kind luster to a book that is truly a gem.

About the Author

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Istvan Banyai is the creator of the award-winning children's book Zoom and The Other Side. He lives in Connecticut.

Linda Sue Park is the author of the Newbery Medal-winning A Single Shard, the best-seller A Long Walk to Water, and the highly-praised novel Prairie Lotus. She has also written several acclaimed picture books and serves on the advisory board of We Need Diverse Books. She lives in western New York with her family. www.lindasuepark.com, Twitter: @LindaSuePark

Praise For…

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"Fresh and collegial, this offering stands out." Kirkus Reviews, Starred

Banyai's illustrations enhance the collection with an extra element of wit and imaginative freedom.
Horn Book

Park wants readers to try sijo for themselves, and in an extensive author's note she offers history, advice and encouagement.
Publishers Weekly

A smart and appealing introduction to an overlooked poetic form.
School Library Journal, Starred

With this lighthearted collection of her own sijo, the form will take a flying leap into the consciousness of both children and teachers.
Booklist, ALA, Starred Review