THE GOOF WHO INVENTED HOMEWORK by Kalli Dakos

Bibliography

Dakos, Kalli. 1996. The Goof Who Invented Homework. Ill. Denise Brunkus. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. ISBN 9780803719279

Critical Analysis

Dakos’ book of poems The Goof Who Invented Homework is filled with poems that use a variety of styles. Many of her poems rhyme and they all have their own rhythm, which appeals to school age students that would relate to the subject matter of this collection. Some of them read like a play and have a cast of characters. In these poems, the voice of each character can be heard through the language she uses. Most of her poems in this collection contain very short lines and makes them look similar on the page. This is occasionally broken up by a poem that will have staggered lines, or poems that contain just one word on each line. While many of the poems in this book are silly, there are a few poems that create a different mood that students relate to – such as a friend who has died as in “Back Away! Back Away!” or the guilt over not taking care of the class pet as in “Murder in the Fourth Grade.” This is a collection of poems that students and teachers can relate to because it highlights the funny, serious and frustrating aspects of what happens during a school year.

Example

One poem that stuck out to me was “Sunbeams for a Student.” In this poem, the day outside is described as being really dreary while inside there is sunshine. This is a poem I would introduce to students right after a really hard test where many of them did well. This is a poem that they could immediately connect to, but the teacher could also show them that teachers feel the same way when the students do well. The poem uses a lot of imagery that could lead to a discussion on why feelings like sadness or dread are compared to rainy overcast days and happiness is compared to bright sunny days. I think this would be a great poem to read especially around STAAR time when students can really begin to feel the pressure.

Sunbeams for a Student

The sky is dark as midnight,

Rain is streaming down out there.

But here inside my classroom,

Sunbeams shimmer everywhere.

A winter storm is brewing

As the rain turns into sleet,

But I can smell the roses,

And I feel the summer’s heat.

Leaves cling for life on branches

As winds howl from the west,

But the sun shines all around me,

For I passed my spelling test!