Butterfly Jar

Rating:
Summary: Awesome
Review: Jeff Moss was one of the creators and original head writers for Sesame Street. The man knows children.
Each poem reads like the exact thoughts of a child. Most of them are howlingly funny tales of sibling rivalry, ways to trick monsters, or descriptions of quirky friends. Sometimes there are messages behind the silliness, but sometimes Moss is just silly for the sake of being silly. Very nearly every imaginable childhood theme is in here, from loose teeth to clothes shopping, to having to sing for your parents' friends, to little the odd things you sometimes think of... like, if juice glasses are for drinking juice, are eyeglasses for drinking eyes? Occasionally, a poem with a more serious theme is slipped in. Poems about learning disabilities, or the death of a parent, still retain the perfect, authentic child's perspective. 'Sara Messenger's Mother' still brings tears to my eyes after all these years.
These poems are the kind that stay with you. I still pick up pennies and give them to my friends, often reciting the line 'If I find a penny and give it to you/ That means we'll both have a wish come true' even though most of my friends don't have a clue what I'm talking about. That's the effect this book has. When I used to babysit, and the kids were afraid of monsters, I'd hand them teddy bears and recite 'The Cuddlies' to calm them down, and would you believe, it worked every time. 'Meeting Strangers,' a poem about a shy monster who doesn't understand why people don't like him, has got to be the absolute best children's poem I have ever read. Ever.
It's a real shame this book never became as popular as Shel Silverstein's or Dennis Lee's. It deserves to be on every child's shelf, between Where the Sidewalk Ends and Alligator Pie.

Rating:
Summary: genius!
Review: Jeff Moss was one of the creators and original head writers for Sesame Street. The man knows children.
Each poem reads like the exact thoughts of a child. Most of them are howlingly funny tales of sibling rivalry, ways to trick monsters, or descriptions of quirky friends. Sometimes there are messages behind the silliness, but sometimes Moss is just silly for the sake of being silly. Very nearly every imaginable childhood theme is in here, from loose teeth to clothes shopping, to having to sing for your parents' friends, to little the odd things you sometimes think of... like, if juice glasses are for drinking juice, are eyeglasses for drinking eyes? Occasionally, a poem with a more serious theme is slipped in. Poems about learning disabilities, or the death of a parent, still retain the perfect, authentic child's perspective. 'Sara Messenger's Mother' still brings tears to my eyes after all these years.
These poems are the kind that stay with you. I still pick up pennies and give them to my friends, often reciting the line 'If I find a penny and give it to you/ That means we'll both have a wish come true' even though most of my friends don't have a clue what I'm talking about. That's the effect this book has. When I used to babysit, and the kids were afraid of monsters, I'd hand them teddy bears and recite 'The Cuddlies' to calm them down, and would you believe, it worked every time. 'Meeting Strangers,' a poem about a shy monster who doesn't understand why people don't like him, has got to be the absolute best children's poem I have ever read. Ever.
It's a real shame this book never became as popular as Shel Silverstein's or Dennis Lee's. It deserves to be on every child's shelf, between Where the Sidewalk Ends and Alligator Pie.

Rating:
Summary: For your preteens, great reading together..
Review: My 8 year old was feeling a bit left out when her sister was born. I was seeking something that we can do together that's meaningful, fun and brief. Reading Jeff's poetries was wonderful. Highly recommended. I think from an adult's point, the first 20 or so are the best. My daughter will disagree

Rating:
Summary: Great Book!
Review: The Butterfly Jar was the book that really got me into poetry. I checked it out of my school libary 5 to 10 times. I went back to my elemtrey school (I am in Jr. High) and found the book and re-read poems that I had totally forgotten about. This is a great book of poems for people that need a bit of help in the imagination deparment.

Rating:
Summary: Awesome
Review: This book of peoms will really touch you. I LOVED it. find it in your heart to BUY THIS BOOK!!!! =0p

Rating:
Summary: A Long Lost Friend
Review: When I was in 4th grade (I'm in 10th now) I had to memorize a poem for class and I chose one out of this book and that summer I moved and never found the book again. For the past 5 years I've been looking for The Butterfly Jar and now that I've found it I'm so happy!