A Funeral in the Bathroom: And Other School Bathroom Poems

Bibliography

Dakos, K.(2011). A funeral in the bathroom: And other school bathroom poems. Ill. by Mark Beech. Chicago, IL: Albert Whitman & Co.

Review

The title alone will invoke curiosity in elementary students everywhere. The only thing better than humorous school poems, are humorous school poems that take place in the bathroom! Dakos uses rhyme schemes and visual poetry that will appeal to young children. Most of the topics are very funny such as the poem “Emergency” where a student causes a puddle after his teacher will not dismiss him to the restroom However, there are poems dealing with more serious subjects that will be familiar to children as well such as “Crying in the Bathroom” where a young girl is crying in the bathroom because her parents have separated and the bathroom is the only place where she can be alone and escape the “sadness of [her] home”. The poems are short and rhythmic which makes them great for read alouds. Once students are introduced to this book, it will never stay on the library shelf!

Classroom/Library Connection

Recommended audience: elementary students

This book includes several riddle poems. Post these in the library and allow students to put their answers in a shoebox in front of the riddle. Announce the names of students who get the riddle correct on the announcements.

Here is an example of a poem riddle from the book:

My head’s

in a muddle,

and I can’t find the puzzle

in this puzzle of a poem.

The Perfectionist in Class 4B

I’m

the

perfectionist

in

class

4B.

I always

cross

my

i’s

and

dot

my

t’s!

Can you figure out the riddle?

Answer: We dot our “i’s” and cross our “t’s” not vice versa.