retrieved from charlesbridge.com on March 1, 2013

Last Laughs Animal Epitaphs

Lewis, J. P., Yolen, J.. Last Laughs Animal Epitaphs, Watertown:  Charlesbridge,2012. ISBN 9781580892605

Illustrated by: Jeffrey Stewart Timmins

Critical Analysis:

Sometimes darkly humorous, sometimes laugh out loud funny and sometimes falling short of the mark the text in this book sometimes fails to deliver on the expectations readers might have of the authors. The epitaphs to fallen animals range from average rhymes and rhythmic poems to one liners. A few times, such as in Firefly's Final Flight, not even the illustration can elicit a laugh from this two word work. This is quite a letdown since the opening poem is entitled Last Laughs.

Often a bit grim, sometimes morbid, the text in this book is propped up by the illustrations. Comprised of mostly black and brown digitally adapted ink and gouache artwork with an added splash of red, to more than hint at a bit of blood, this book might lure those reluctant poetry readers or entice the older child that understands the dark humor. Without the illustrations making the humor stand out in an otherwise average bit of verse some of the text just fall flat. No Longer Horsing Around  really isn't that funny until you read the words,

                                                                       

                                                            First he was just

                                                            a little hoarse,

                                                            then the fever

                                                            took its course.

and then notice the illustration of a sheep with his hind end over the creek taking care of business while a very dark stream of something flows below the illustration of a very ill looking horse. 

This work is definitely not a picture book for the young and uninitiated. Besides the morbid humor and the dark, almost monochromatic illustrations young children just aren't going to understand the play on words often used, nor are the more sensitive of the little folk going to be able to appreciate the gallows humor. An okay read but definitely one in which the audience must be chosen with care.

Book Reviews:

But those itching to move beyond the positive messages and bright colors so ubiquitous in picture books will find this just the thing to elicit appreciative playground groans. Gallows humor at its finest. Booklist, Sep. 15, 2012 (Vol. 109, No. 2))

The charms here will appeal to lovers of Edward Gorey, Tim Burton, and their deliciously creepy kin, and the entries could make a ghastly and hilarious choice for older reading aloud with the right irreverent group. The Bulletin of The Center for Children’s Books, September 2012 (Vol. 66. No. 1))

Connections:

I once took a college course on loss, grief, and coping. Reading a select few of the poems in this book during class would be a great way to introduce a bit of humor into the lessons on the stages of grief or on how people deal with grief in different ways. Know your class before you do this.

Read this at Halloween time and have the students write epitaphs for imaginary people or animals. Let them know that humor is okay even if it is a bit on the dark side. Remember, this isn't a book for the little ones but might work well in a middle school or high school setting.