I Like Mud - Book Review

 Award-winning poet Margaret Grote's book, "I Like Mud," introduces an enchanting collection of captivating poems that delve into the everyday experiences of young children. These thought-provoking verses highlight the beauty of life and its intricacies, making them an ideal fit for young readers. Parents can also use this engaging book for bedtime readings. The easily digestible content makes it simple for children to connect with and grasp the themes presented in each poem.

The cover art of I Like Mud will capture a young child's attention even before a reader notices the title. Designed to be read to young children, the vocabulary is appropriate for beginning readers with just enough unfamiliar words to challenge word building. The beautiful drawings by Marcia Wheelan Coles enable an early reader to decode the words he doesn't recognize. The poetry in lyrical verse makes the connection between poetic text and visual concepts depicted with clear drawings for the child to make associations.

The number of poetry subjects explore the simple joys of childhood, like enjoying the beach, playing in the mud, or the anticipation of the ice cream truck. In addition, family, pets, and friendship are familiar topics in the poems.
Adult readers will be reminded of their childhood as they share these poems with their children. Several topics, such as Thanksgiving on the Farm, may be unfamiliar to city children. Still, many grandparents will be intrigued by the memories that the poems and illustrations introduce and will be able to share personal experiences with young children.
The poems in the beautifully illustrated children's book, I Like Mud, were written 20 years ago by award-winning poet Margaret Grote. After her death, her son, David, retrieved his mother's poetry from storage and collaborated with his cousin, Marcia Wheelan Coles, to prepare the work for publication.

Marcia, the talented author of "The Baby Dolphin Dance," rose to the challenge of illustrating Grote's poetry. Her exceptional skills brought the short poems to life through charming and realistic illustrations. The result is a magnificent little book that pays tribute to Margaret Grote and entertains children everywhere.

This profoundly positive book should be available to all young children. It will make a great gift from a grandparent to a child and has a place in children's libraries, whether at school or home. Readers should watch for a second children's poetry by Margaret Grote titled. “A Farmer I'll Be.”