Poetry Friday: A Bill Peet Picture Book

I like Bill Peet's goofy picture books. The Spooky Tail of Prewitt Peacock still makes me laugh until I cry. The visual joke in that book ranks right up there with the chicken with the egg in its britches in Judi and Ron Barrett's Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing. The wordplay is pretty dang funny, too. "But this was an entirely different tail..."

For many years Peet (1915-2002) was Disney's top animator. From the Bill Peet web site I learned that he did all the storyboards for both "The Sword in the Stone" and "One Hundred and One Dalmatians"—the only "story man" in Disney history to accomplish such a solo feat. He also wrote some thirty books for children. An exhibit of his work, "The Bill Peet Storybook Menagerie," is currently running at the Art Institute of Chicago through next May.

My Poetry Friday selection is from Kermit the Hermit, about a crotchety crab who hoards junk so that no one else can have it. Not all of Peet's picture books rhyme, but this one does. Kermit has his reasons for his selfishness; alas, the reasons eventually become plain old excuses.

And his cave was soon crammed without one inch to spare
There was just enough space left for Kermit in there.
Like any old miser he wanted a lot
Of something or other, he didn't care what;
And he'd have been greedy the rest of his days
If an odd twist of fate hadn't changed Kermit's ways.

Kermit is in for some big adventures, not to mention redemption. But I'll let y'all read the book to find out the particulars. While you're in the library's Peet section, check out Prewitt, too.

Yat-Yee Chong's blog will have a list of all the Poetry Friday particpants at some point today. Not familiar with the Poetry Friday? Everyone is welcome, and you can read more about the tradition here.

Comments

[Janet]

I looked up 'Prewitt Peacock' on your recommendation, when you stopped in at my blog once and commented on a post that included Cowardly Clyde. My 7-year-old is a total Peet addict now! Most recently we enjoyed the Kweeks of Kukamundee (?). And we've enjoyed old Kermit too. :-)

[Susan (Chicken Spaghetti)]

Oh, Janet, I'm so glad for the reminder that y'all like Bill Peet, too. Aren't his books fun? I like the Kweeks--and Cyrus the Sea Serpent. I'm thinking of starting a Bill Peet collection. Usually I just check them out from the library. I couldn't stop laughing when I read Prewitt last night. "My tail has gone wild!"

[Jules]

Now, I've never read The Spooky Tail of Prewitt Peacock. I'm going to fix that right now and see if it's online at my pubalic liberry.

[Jules]

And it was there. WOOT! Any book that makes you laugh until you cry I wanna see.

[jama]

Thanks for featuring Bill Peet today, Susan!! Will definitely check out the peacock book, since I need to laugh :)!

[Susan (Chicken Spaghetti)]

Jules, Prewitt is my favorite of the Peet books we've read so far. Jr. liked Kermit quite a bit.

Jama, oh, do look for Prewitt. When Bill Peet died, the local library set up a display of all his picture books in tribute. An elderly man saw them and checked them all out; he had worked with Bill Peet at one time!

[TadMack]

Oh, this sounds really cute! I remember the 101 Dalmatians storyboards -- I think those were on The Wonderful World of Disney back in the stone ages. ;) It's great to hear he did even MORE.

[Caribookscoops]

Thanks for tipping me off to Bill Peet. I will have to check him out. I bet my daughter would love him and I am always looking for a good laugh.

[Susan (Chicken Spaghetti)]

TadMack and Cari, the author also wrote Bill Peet: An Autobiography, a children's book that I've never read. Maybe I'll get that one next. I believe that it tells about his Disney years.

My son also loved The Caboose Who Got Loose and Farewell to Shady Glade. Farewell is kind of a message book about the environment, but I was surprised at how much Jr. enjoyed it. Of course, he loves Dr. Seuss's The Lorax, too.

[Nathaniel]

I love Bill Peet's books. I haven't read The Spooky Tail of Prewitt Peacock. Thanks for the tip! My favorites are Cyrus the Unsinkable Sea Serpent, Huge Harold, and The Whingdingdilly. I also read and enjoyed his autobiography.

[Susan (Chicken Spaghetti)]

I don't know Huge Harold. I'll look for it! Thanks, Nathaniel. With his nonsensical critters, Bill Peet covers some of the same territory as Dr. Seuss, but I find Peet's art work easier on the eyes.