Harris, Chris. My Head Has a Bellyache: More Nonsense for Mischievous Kids and
Immature Grown-ups. Andrea Tsurumi, Illus. Little, Brown, 07/2023. 192pp. Poetry. Trade
$19.99. 978-0-3165-9259-8. GRADES 2–6. OUTSTANDING.
Harris follows up his popular I’m Just No Good at Rhyming (2020) with a companion collection
of “zany poems and nonsense” that offers just as much laugh-out-loud fun as the original.
Wordplay abounds with oxymorons, malapropisms, puns, and hyperbole within multiple poetry
forms. Andrea Tsurumi’s illustrations, created in Photoshop using only shades of green and gray,
blend seamlessly with the text — sometimes even physically like in “A Poem About Snakes…”
where snakes are supposed to represent the letter “S” but slither into other words with hilarious
results (think Mad Libs). The illustrations also feature people with a range of different skin colors. The
book wraps up with several poems titled “Detritus” that contain outtakes, while the final poem
doubles as a funny glossary of arcane literary terms. Many poems are set up for parents to read
with children at bedtime, while others will work well for readalouds. An occasional selection
falls flat, at least to this semi-mature reviewer, but ultimately this book overflows with clever
humor for kids and adults alike. Includes a title index and subject index.
Cindy Gullikson—Joaquin Miller School, Oakland Unified School District