Please Bury Me in the Library by J. Patrick Lewis

Bibliography
Lewis, J. Patrick. 2005. Please Bury Me in the Library. Ill. by Kyle Stone. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Books. ISBN 0152163875.

Plot Summary
In Please Bury Me in the Library, J. Patrick Lewis created 15 fun and catchy poems that are all connected by the themes of books and reading. He brings humor into his poetry by asking the question, What If Books Had Different Names? and also explains that a book person "has a spine, a heart, a soul, and a goal" in Are You a Book Person?. Children will love to read these poems over and over again.

Critical Analysis
J. Patrick Lewis shows us how much fun reading poetry can be in Please Bury Me in the Library. In this collection of 15 poems, he reminds readers of the power of reading and how words can carry us to a new and Ab-so-lu-tas-ti-cal place.

Kyle Stone does a wonderful job with the illustrations. Bright colors and childhood images are carried throughout. He created a garden from books and flies a girl to the sky in a paper airplane. From the content page to the acknowledgments page, each illustration adds to the excitement of the book.

Reviews
Kirkus Reviews: "Finishing with "Acknowledgements" to "Shel and Jack and Myra Cohn," plus other "word wizards," this offering from the prolific Lewis won't stay buried long, no matter where it's planted."

Children's Literature: "For a wild and whimsical time, let acclaimed poet J. Patrick Lewis accompany your kids on their next book-borrowing trip."

Connections
*Have children create their own poem using the letters of their first and/or last name like Lewis did in Necessary Gardens and the word language.
*Have children pick out their favorite poem from the collection and create the illustrations for it.