Harold & Hog Pretend for Real! by Dan Santat (review)

Abstract

Poet Salas turns haiku up a notch with what she calls “riddle-ku,” haiku written in the first person from the POV of someone or something whose identity needs to be guessed. Six such poems appear for each season, with spring represented by, among others, umbrellas (“we sprout on stems of people/ bloom only in the rain”), summer by mosquitoes (“wicked whine with wings”), fall by squirrels (“I search under oaks/ and gather tasty treasures”), and winter by snow angels (“give me winter wings”). The concept is inviting, adding a slightly mysterious note to the familiar form of haiku, and Salas skillfully knits her verses together with consonance and wit. The difficulty level of the guessing game is low, as most of the riddles are clearly explicated by the moody but precise acrylic art for kids who haven’t guessed the answer just from the text (readers aloud may want to hold back the pictures to allow for full solving opportunities), but audiences will still appreciate the gentle stretch. It’s also a format suitable for reading alone as well as reading aloud, and it will likely inspire emulation as well as enjoyment. Back matter offers an explanation of riddle-ku, a key to the riddle answers, and further poetic reading on haiku, riddle poems, and seasons. DS