The World's Greatest: Poems

by J. Patrick Lewis, Keith Graves (Illustrations)

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.

Genres: Poetry, Childrens, Nonfiction, Picture Books

36 pages, Hardcover

First published January 3, 2008

About the author

J. Patrick Lewis is the current Children's Poet Laureate. He has written more than seventy children's books, including Once Upon a Tomb: Gravely Humorous Verses. J. Patrick Lewis lives in Ohio.

Reviews

[Savanah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Level: Guided Reading: K (Lexile: 300-399)
Interest Level: K-3 grade
Genre: Poetry
Main Characters: NA
Setting: NA
Point of View: Narrator

This is a fun and wacky book that most children would seem to love. When I first read the title, I thought it was a collection of some of the world’s greatest poems. However, when I started to read the book I realized the author put a wacky twist on to this book. The poems are based off the World’s greatest records. There are 21 poems based off different subject matter. For example, there is a poem written about “the longest time someone was stuck in an elevator.” The poem would sound as if that person sitting for hours and hours in the elevator was writing it.

I think this is a book I would invest in to have in my own classroom library. Students can not only learn about some of the world’s greatest records but see how poems can be intertwined into this subject matter. I may use this in the classroom for multiple purposes. These poems would be something I could read to my students each day choosing a different one in the span of 21 days or maybe while doing a unit on poetry. I could even use these poems individually depending on what type of poem I want to teach students.

[Boni · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun text design and illustrations, interesting subjects and highly creative rhyme make this a winning poetry collection- especially for those who don't think they like poetry. This one just might win them over...

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a lot of fun this book gives! Using poems in different styles and forms to rhyme about world records! I think this would be a fabulous teaching tool to introduce the young to the different styles of poetry.

[Dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun collection of poems that highlight various bizarre records. I have to admit that I was a little surprised that, "Records written about in this book are primarily from The Guinness Book of World Records, various editions, and may have changed since this book was written." Some of the records are so wacky, I really thought they might've been made up.

The acrylic paint and colored pencil illustrations are very colorful and humorous, complementing the poems nicely. We enjoyed reading this book together.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think J. Patrick Lewis is one of the foremost, top-notch, children's poets alive today. Although this is not my favorite of his, he never fails to deliver clever, witty, and surprising poetry. I can see teachers using this one in class, showing kids how he took a Guiness Book of World Record holders achievment an dturned it into poetry. Perhaps kids can do the same thing in a workshop.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a terrific collection of poetry based on real world records and other interesting facts (i.e. "The Winningest Woman of the Iditarod Dog Sled Race," "The Longest Time Stuck in an Elevator," etc.) Funny and clever. The illustrator, Keith Graves, illustrated one of my most favorite children's books, Armadillo Tattletale.

[Sarah Huff]

This book of poems was a funny collection of poems that children will love and enjoy reading. Most of the poems are ridiculous events in a person's life or illogical things that people do on the daily. I would have this book be part of my classroom in order to make the kids laugh and it is a good example of rhyming poems and the different rhyming schemes that exist in poetry.

[Ruth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like the pairing of the world's records with Lewis and Graves' zany poems and illustrations. It is the right combination of crazy facts with funny, yet thought-provoking poems. The poems made me re-read the world record and see it in a new light. Good book for a thoughtful child.

[Cindi · Rating 5 out of 5]

The neat thing about this book is that the poems are about real world records. Some of them are very funny and amazing. My oldest child read this book to the others and they were all very interested in the poems and the illustrations!

[Donalyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

J.Patrick Lewis finds inspiration from 21 strange records like the largest mantle of bees (343,000 bees) to the most kisses (10,504 people in 8 hours). A great collection for kids who've exhausted Prelutsky and Silverstein reluctant poetryphobes.

[Moorhead Public Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book of poems has fun facts from around the world. From Minnesota, the Most Kisses, took place at the Minnesota Renaissance Festival, page 20.

Reviewed by: Jolene

[Candi]

Ages 5 to 9

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun book of poems.