Best Selling Books by J. Patrick Lewis

Children''s Poets Laureate J. Patrick Lewis and Kenn Nesbitt team up to offer a smart, stealthy tour of the creatures of shadowy myth and fearsome legend—the enticing, the humorous, and the strange. Bigfoot, the Mongolian Death Worm, and the Loch Ness Monster number among the many creatures lurking within these pages. Readers may have to look twice—the poems in this book are disguised as street signs, newspaper headlines, graffiti, milk cartons, and more!

Rhyming text provides facts about Valentine''s Day.

Thirteen classic poems by poets such as Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, Emily Dickinson, and David McCord are paired with parodies that honor and play off of the original poems in a range of ways. For example, "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" is paired with "Stopping by Fridge on a Hungry Evening" to hilarious effect, whereas the combination of Emily Dickinson''s "''Hope'' is the thing with feathers" with Lewis''s "''Grief'' is the thing with tissues" is profound, and both David McCord''s "This Is My Rock" and Lewis''s "This Is My Tree" hum with a sense of wonder. This playful introduction to classics will inspire imagination and wonder even as it tickles funny bones.

Based on true events, this tale recounts the 1911 theft of history''s most famous portrait, Leonardo da Vinci''s MONA LISA, through the spririted narration of the proud thief himself.

An old man, known as the Wren, plays his hurdy-gurdy, and with the help of his student, the Sparrow, brings hope and inspiration to the people of a small Polish town. A beautifully illustrated Holocaust fable by US Children''s Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis.

Children’s Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis and the inimitable Jane Yolen team up in this ironic and witty take on the last moments in the lives of a variety of animals. Each satirical poem in this darkly humorous collection is an epitaph of a different animal. Grouped by animal type, these posthumous poems are full of clever wordplay and macabre humor that will appeal to kids (and adults) of all ages. From the humble chicken to the great blue whale, this laugh-out-loud poetry collection is sure to be a hit at storytimes and around Halloween.

Who has kissed the most cobras? Eaten the most live scorpions? Sailed highest on a skateboard? Been stuck the longest in an elevator? These and 21 other vexing superlatives are the subject matter of this zany collection of verse by one of America''s most well-loved poets, J. Patrick Lewis. Comic illustrations by Keith Graves make this the funniest, wackiest, rhyming-est book on the shelf.

In moving verse, Children’s Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis gives new voice to seventeen heroes of civil rights. Exquisitely illustrated by five extraordinary artists, this commanding collection of poems invites the reader to hear in each verse the thunder that lies in every voice, no matter how small. Featuring civil rights luminaries Coretta Scott King, Harvey Milk, Mohandas Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Sylvia Mendez, Aung San Suu Kyi, Mamie Carthan Till, Helen Zia, Josh Gibson, Dennis James Banks, Mitsuye Endo, Ellison Onizuka, Jackie Robinson, Muhammad Yunus, James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner.

Moving poetic lyrics and beautiful artwork combine to pay tribute to the noble character and accomplishments of Amelia Earhart, Ella Fitzgerald, and twelve other women.

''One lazy grey afternoon, as I was sitting in my studio, my imagination, apparently angry at being ignored, took a holiday - and never returned.''On an afternoon like any other, an artist''s imagination abruptly disappears - and never returns. His quest to recover it leads him to The Last Resort, a remote seaside hotel inhabited by some extraordinary guests. As he searches for his lost imagination, he soon finds that he is not the only one looking for something . . .

A collection of poems about the humor and magic of the Christmas season.

This book details the legends, myths, and real-life adventures of the most notorious pirate.

Introduces Michelangelo''s life, character, and most important works of art throught illustrations and text in prose and verse.

In this tasty collection, J. Patrick Lewis displays the breadth and depth of his talent, giving readers of any and every sensibility something to make them laugh out loud. He stirs humor into an astonishing array of subjects—from animals to school to dragons to food. And he delivers them in a remarkable variety of forms, including riddles, limericks, nonsense rhymes, parodies, anagrams, story poems, haiku, and more. Baked in Lewis''s brilliant imagination and sprinkled with Matthew Cordell''s warm, witty drawings, the result is a collection to delight the taste buds.

Presents poems that adopt the voices of soldiers, commanders, and slaves and other civilians during the Civil War, pairing each poem with a period photo, and includes facts on the conflict.

A stray cat finds a happy home in a kindergarten classroom.

A collection of poems that describe people, places, and things associated with science, including oxygen, the ocean, and germs.

Come to the grand opening of the Face Bug Museum where readers can join an insect crowd to see amazing close-up photographs of bug faces, meet the bugs featured, and participate in interactive museum exhibits. In this innovative book of poetry, drawings, and photographs, J. Patrick Lewis''s sly, humorous poems introduce readers to each of fourteen bugs. Kelly Murphy''s black-and-white drawings create a funny visual story about two beetle friends gleefully exploring this memorable museum. In addition, awe-inspiring, dramatic (very) close-up photos of bug faces decorate the museum walls. A book of poetry and photographs and a picture-book story rolled into one, Face Bug is a unique collaboration.

"Robert Johnson was born in rural Mississippi and died young, leaving little behind except blues like no one sung the blues before him. A legend says that Robert sold his soul to the devil in return for becoming King of the Delta Blues."--From source other than the Library of Congress

Twenty-one entertaining, thought-provoking poems chronicle the good that people have done in service of others. Bypassing those of mere fame, this striking collection is a celebration of such persons as Gandhi, Rosa Parks, teachers, a thirteen-year-old child-labor crusader, firefighters, Cesar Chavez, a feisty nun, and: . . . the valiant and the brave. Those simple people known by Two simple words: They gave. Each portrait includes an expressive illustration and additional factual material, and an eloquent afterword tells of Mr. Lewis''s own childhood hero. This memorable book invites readers to explore the legacy of human generosity which lights the path for tomorrow''s heroes.

Describes the changes the earth has experienced through the years and provides insight into the importance of global awareness and the connection with our environment.

Thirteen witty and wacky poems pose riddles that challenge readers to "Name That Book." With a glass slipper here and a spiderweb there, Lynn Munsinger''s adorable illustrations lead young readers to the solutions. From Goodnight Moon to Madeline, children and parents alike will delight in recognizing their most cherished stories.

Poems framed as epitaphs for extinct prehistoric animals hit the proverbial (coffin) nail on the head in this darkly humorous collection from expert poets Jane Yolen and J. Patrick Lewis. Macabre, ironic, and witty epitaphs share how prehistoric creatures like the terror bird, the woolly mammoth, and the T-rex met their demise. The ever-entertaining J. Patrick Lewis and the inimitable Jane Yolen offer a collection organized by era, with posthumous poems paired with short secondary text providing additional, factual information about each creature.

Who is making all the mischief in this house? It''s not the baby! Short rhyming lines in this board book pose a toddler-appropriate whodunit and expressive art shows the true culprits. Little ones will chime on the repeated title refrain and will delight in the surprise ending—when of course—it finally IS the baby.

A collection of nineteen haiku with themes from nature and the outdoors.

A collection of humorous poems that are riddles as well as rhymes.

Rhymed text, featuring rebuses, describes the wonders of the store run by Mr. Nickel and Mrs. Dime.

Is this poetry? Math? A brainteaser? Yes! It’s all that and more. The poet J. Patrick Lewis has reimagined classic poems—such as Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” and Langston Hughes’s “April Rain Song”—and added a dash of math. Between the silly parodies and the wonderfully wacky art, kids will have so much fun figuring out the puzzles, they won’t guess they’re learning! Answers appear unobtrusively on each page, and engaging information about the original poets is included. Math games and concepts, poetry and poet biographies—it’s all so cleverly put together. This funny book is a treat for fans of words and numbers alike.

Lost in a snowstorm on an English heath on Christmas Eve, Liddy and Will meet the magical and mysterious Wee Mary Fever, who summons St. Nick himself to take them home.

Warm funny illustrations that make this the perfect treat for any book lover.

Birgitta, the brave princess, asks five children to disguise themselves as immortal goats and outsmart a dangerous band of outlaws threatening to take over the land.

Rhyming text and illustrations present a variety of math problems.

The powerful poems in this poignant collection weave together multiple voices to tell the story of the March on Washington, DC, in 1963. From the woman singing through a terrifying bus ride to DC, to the teenager who came partly because his father told him, "Don''t you dare go to that march," to the young child riding above the crowd on her father''s shoulders, each voice brings a unique perspective to this tale. As the characters tell their personal stories of this historic day, their chorus plunges readers into the experience of being at the march—walking shoulder-to-shoulder with strangers, hearing Martin Luther King Jr.''s famous speech, heading home inspired.

Know some twins, or expecting to? This twinspired collection pairs poems and pictures in a lighthearted salute to the many twins among us. Old twins, new twins, famous twins, not-at-all-alike twins, side-byside twins, let''s play twins, not-yet twins, mirror twins — all kinds of twins! — come together in a collection of original poems by two of our most celebrated authors for young people: J. Patrick Lewis and Jane Yolen. From a wave and a wink to a twin switcheroo, from a rocket to the moon to the old woman who lived in a shoe, these poems and mini facts, whimsically illustrated by Sophie Blackall, will leave even singletons with a twinkle in their eyes. Here is the perfect book to share with the twins in your life — and everyone who loves them.

This paperback picture book features fresh, quirky poems by two picture-book poetry veterans which explore practically every kid''s favorite topic: CARS! The U.S. Children''s Poet Laureate and an award-winning children''s poet join their prolific forces in this picture book of poems about cars. But they''re not just any cars: there''s the "Sloppy-Floppy-Nonstop-Jalopy" ("So unique there is no copy"); the Bathtub Limosine ("With hot water heating / And porcelain seating"); and the "High Heel Car." Each of the thirteen quirky, inventive poems will speak directly to the imaginations of children, as will Holmes''s high-concept, detail-filled illustrations.

In this unique poetry collection, J. Patrick Lewis''s words are transformed by John Thompson''s artwork into unforgettable images of beauty and bravery, revealing the experience of courage and human struggle in the lives of 13 inspiring African America

Gorgeous illustrations surround a collection of poetry written for children about the magic, beauty, and promise of sea voyages.