Poem in My Pocket - by Chris Tougas (Hardcover)

About the Book

Rhyming, fanciful allegory of the creative writing process.When a child's carefully written poem slips out of a ripped pocket, its words join randomly with other words to form funny riffs and puns all over a busy city street. The child scrambles to capture the loose words and arrange them back into poem form, only to lose them again as a storm swoops in. Eventually, the words plant themselves in the muddy ground, growing into something that might be even better than the original poem: a Poet-Tree.A poem is never really lost. The words may just need a little room to play.

Book Synopsis

In this charming picture book allegory of the creative writing process, happenstance and weather events symbolize the emotional ebb and flow of writing a poem.

I had a poem in my pocket,

but my pocket got a rip.

Rhymes tumbled down my leg

and trickled from my hip.

Thus begins the journey of a young poet's words out into the world, where they join randomly with other words to form funny riffs and puns all over a busy city street. The child scrambles to capture the loose words and arrange them back into poem form, only to lose them again as a storm swoops in on a rushing wind. Eventually, the words plant themselves in the muddy ground, where they grow into something that might be even better than the original poem: a Poet-Tree.

Not only a fanciful rhyming adventure tale, Chris Tougas's picture book is also a delightful allegory for the creative writing process. Perfect for classroom discussions about the emotional ups and downs of writing, this highly innovative book celebrating poetry and creativity is an excellent choice for National Poetry Month. It also showcases the magic of language and how much fun words can be. High-energy artwork by Josée Bisaillon is so full of words in flight and at play that children can pore over it again and again, and in the final spread, readers can search for rhyming pairs. An afterword discusses National Poetry Month and Poem in Your Pocket Day. This is a book that adult writers will also appreciate.

Review Quotes

Whether for classes that celebrate "Poem in Your Pocket Day" or students who love rhyming wordplay, this book is a gift.--School Library Journal, starred review

... as a vehicle for getting little ones excited about words arranged in a particular and pleasing order, Tougas and Bisaillon's book is right in the pocket.--Quill & Quire

Attractive and thought-provoking, Poem in My Pocket will be welcomed as a source of inspiration for would-be poets.--CM Magazine

This book about wordplay strikes the write balance between silly and sincere.--Kirkus Reviews

This is a whimsical, rhyming story that gives expression to the long frustration and toil that's often part of the artistic process.--Booklist

About the Author

Chris Tougas is a writer and illustrator whose picture books include Mechanimals and Dojo Daycare. Chris lives in Victoria, British Columbia.