Don't Put Mustard in the Custard (Picture Books)

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My daughter, when she was six or seven, copied out one of the poems from this collection and read it aloud in the 'Show and Tell' time at school. They are brilliant poems and even though I think this book is out of print now there are plenty of Michael Rosen poetry books available. This volume includes Michael Rosen's 'You Can't Catch Me' and 'Don't Put Mustard in the Custard' with illustrations added by the incomparable Quentin Blake. You Can’t Catch Me' won the Signal Poetry Award in 1982, and both books went on to become bestsellers. Both books went on to be bestsellers and both poet and artist are stellar names in the world of children’s books.

Mustard, Custard, Grumble Belly and Gravy - BookTrust

We are often So consumed by time and schedules that we completely bypass the wonderful amount of things there are to procrastinate with in the bathroom like the boy in “ Bathroom Fiddler”. The rhyming verse helps devlop children's vocabulary whilst encouraging them to participate in speaking out as they find themselves remembering what words come next. This book is aimed at children in key stage one and early key stage two, it could be used in the classroom to show children that creativity and expression is important when writing poems.

The combination of Michael Rosen's poetry with Quentin Blake's illustrations results in a fantastic book, as the language is funny and engaging and the illustrations help to bring the poems to life. When I was at school there were “rules”, the ones I remember were “Never start a sentence with ‘and’ or ‘but'” and “Poems need to rhyme”. I absolutely loved reading this book, as all of the poems are very well written and they bring back fond memories of my own childhood and getting to grips with poetry in primary school.

Don’t’ by Michael Rosen Activity sheet for ‘Don’t’ by Michael Rosen

Keith's Cupboard' is an example, when he won't get his tent out for his friend to play with, his mother intervenes and says, 'Keith, why don't you get your tent out? To Sea' is a lovely little poem, with a delightful illustration, 'I put out to sea/in a wooden row-boat/with a cheese and pickle sandwich/and a yellow hat and coat' conjures up a simple pastime that is so enjoyable.There has been a lot of talk recently about the changes to the literacy curriculum and the expectations being placed on very young children in primary schools. A wonderfully accessible introduction to poetry for Rec-Y2; with rhyme, word-play and repetition many of the poems roll off your tongue like music helping children learn how to read. They are also perfect for whatever time of the day; they can be used for bed time stories or for acting out poetry within the classroom. I loved this book and think it is great for grabbing children's interest, as it emphasizes how fun and light hearted poetry can be.

Mustard, Custard, Grumble Belly and Gravy | Michael Rosen Mustard, Custard, Grumble Belly and Gravy | Michael Rosen

And the words that he uses in many of them indicate that very fact, he has picked them up and put them together to make onomatopoeic poems that are a delight to read aloud or, as is possible with this volume, to listen to on the associated CD. And we sometimes forget just how absolutely great it is to be cuddled as the baby in “ Who Likes Cuddles? The book consists of various poems written by Michael Rosen, all of which are illustrated by the brilliant and talented Quentin Blake.The general style of the poems can all be said to be conversational, this vital as it would allow children to easily relate to the pieces of writing. As adults we stop spending as much time pondering small things like why Keith, who has so many toys, never plays with them in the poem “ Keith’s Cupboard”. I hadn’t read Michael Rosen since childhood – I had remembered his delight of nonsense words, but as an adult I appreciated the way he captures life from the child’s viewpoint.

Don’t Put Mustard in the Custard by Michael Rosen – World Don’t Put Mustard in the Custard by Michael Rosen – World

The book is illustrated by Quentin Blake whose bold outlined, messy haired and ever so expressive characters are instantly recognisable, especially to any child of the 80s like me. He shows that any topic can be written about in any way and at any length because what makes writing exciting is being free to get your creative thoughts down on paper. Michael Rosen incorporates lots of made up nonsense words which making the poems light-hearted and very easy for children to listen to and interract with. Repetition is used to humorous effect in many of these poems which centre around everyday life and relationships with parents, siblings and friends.

g. guided reading and subject support) and is very well written and the language used and the illustrations will help to hold the children's attention. Please excuse the unidentified smears of what I can only assume is food on the front cover there – a sign that a book has been truly loved by children. Michael Rosen, a recent British Children’s Laureate, has written many acclaimed books for children, including WE'RE GOING ON A BEAR HUNT, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, and I’M NUMBER ONE and THIS IS OUR HOUSE, both illustrated by Bob Graham. Michael Rosen is a poet with a rambling gift who shows how far from ordinary are the most ordinary of events.