I’m Just No Good at Rhyming

And Other Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and Immature Grown-Ups

Contributors

By Chris Harris

Illustrated by Lane Smith

Read by Robert Petkoff

With Cassandra Morris

Read by Chris Harris

Formats and Prices

Format

The instant New York Times bestseller featured on NPR’s Weekend Edition with Scott Simon! B. J. Novak (bestselling author of The Book With No Pictures) described this groundbreaking poetry collection as “Smart and sweet, wild and wicked, brilliantly funny–it’s everything a book for kids should be.”

Lauded by critics as a worthy heir to such greats as Silverstein, Seuss, Nash and Lear, Harris’s hilarious debut molds wit and wordplay, nonsense and oxymoron, and visual and verbal sleight-of-hand in masterful ways that make you look at the world in a whole new wonderfully upside-down way. With enthusiastic endorsements from bestselling luminaries such as Lemony Snicket, Judith Viorst, Andrea Beaty, and many others, this entirely unique collection offers a surprise around every corner. Adding to the fun: Lane Smith, bestselling creator of beloved hits like It’s a Book and The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, has spectacularly illustrated this extraordinary collection with nearly one hundred pieces of appropriately absurd art. It’s a mischievous match made in heaven!

“Ridiculous, nonsensical, peculiar, outrageous, possibly deranged–and utterly, totally, absolutely delicious. Read it! Immediately!” –Judith Viorst, bestselling author of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

  • Praise for I'm Just No Good at Rhyming: And Other Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and Immature Grown-Ups:

    A New York Times Bestseller
    A New York Times Editors' Choice
    An NPR Best Book of 2017
    An Amazon Best Book of 2017
    A Publishers Weekly Best Book of 2017
    A News & Observer Wilde Award Book of 2017
    A Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth 2017 Selection
    A Kirkus Best Middle-Grade Books of 2017 Selection
    School Library Journal's Best Books of 2017
    Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Books of 2017
    An Iowa Public Radio Best Children's Books to Give in 2017
    100 Scope Notes Top 20 Books of 2017
    School Library Journal's Fuse #8 Blog - 2017 Poetry Books for Kids
    A Nerdies 2017 Selection
    NCTE's 2018 Notable Poetry Books
    ALA-ALSC Notable Books for Children List 2018
    A Parents' Choice Award Gold Winner for Audio Books 2018

  • *"A frolicking romp through the zany world of nonsense verse.... Visual, aural, and downright guffaw-inspiring puns and riddles abound in this wildly imaginative and cleverly illustrated debut collection. The inspired and inspiring sense of play knows no bounds."
    Kirkus Reviews, starred review
  • *"Those who claim to hate poetry will enjoy this riotous compilation.... A surefire winner for reading aloud or for snickering with under the covers."
    School Library Journal, starred review
  • *"Hits a poetry trifecta: high energy, rhymes that can rival Cole Porter's, and a torrent of ideas...a worthy heir to Silverstein, Seuss, and even Ogden Nash."
    Publishers Weekly, starred review
  • *"A magnificently wacky romp through verse... This moving, madcap anthem to language is sure to stand the test of time."
    Booklist, starred review
  • *"There's not a dud in the bunch."
    The Horn Book, starred review
  • *"Comedy gold... This is one collection that rewards repeat visits."
    The Horn Book, starred review
  • "This Hollywood writer and award-winning illustrator might just make all of us--the kids and the grown-ups--smile again."
    The New York Times
  • "It's a veritable sundae of delights-layers of puns, word games, visual jokes-that I honestly would give to any kid ages short to tall."

    NPR's Book Concierge
  • "This inspired collection of nonsense verse from the executive producer of How I Met Your Mother showcases a rare gift for wacky wordplay."
    People
  • "Funniest book of the year for kids? Gosh, there's a lot of competition out there but...YES, YES, ALL RIGHT, YOU GOT ME! This is probably the funniest book of 2017 for kids."
    Betsy Bird, A Fuse #8 Production

On Sale
Mar 27, 2018
Publisher
Hachette Audio
ISBN-13
9781549197901

Chris Harris

Chris Harris

About the Author

Chris Harris is a writer and executive producer for How I Met Your Mother and The Great Indoors, and a writer for The Late Show with David Letterman. His pieces have appeared in The New Yorker, Esquire, ESPN, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and on NPR. He was also the author of the anti-travel guide Don’t Go Europe! He lives in Los Angeles.

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Lane Smith

About the Illustrator

Lane Smith wrote and illustrated Grandpa Green, which was a 2012 Caldecott Honor book, and It’s a Book, which has been translated into more than twenty-five languages. His other works include the national bestsellers Madam President and John, Paul, George & Ben, the Caldecott Honor winner The Stinky Cheese Man, The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs, Math Curse, and Science Verse, among others. His books have been New York Times Best Illustrated Books on four occasions. In 2012 the Eric Carle Museum named him an Honor Artist for lifelong innovation in the field of children’s books, and in 2014 he received the Society of Illustrators Lifetime Achievement award. Lane and his wife, book designer Molly Leach, live in rural Connecticut.

Learn more about this illustrator