Picture Book

Mrs. McKeown's Poetry

Picture Book

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Picture Book

Picture Book Title - Outside Over There

written by Maurice Sendak, published by HarperCollins Publishers, 1981

I Chased A Dragon Through the Woods

Introduction:
The book "Outside Over There" and the poem "I Chased a Dragon Through the Woods" are good examples of fantasy writing in different forms. Read both to the students and have them pick out the parts that are fantasy.

I chased a dragon through the woods,
haranguing him all day.
"I'll catch you soon!" I taunted.
"You can never get away.
There's no escaping me, my friend,"
I confidently cried.
"You might as well stop running,
there is nowhere you can hide."

"I think that I will simply lop
your head off with my sword."
The dragon stopped and whirled about
and ominously roared.

"You'd better think again," he boomed,
and glared into my eyes.
"In case you hadn't noticed,
I'm a dozen times your size.
It's evident that I'd prevail
if ever we should fight,
I'm quite accomplished with my claws,
and furthermore, I bite!"

I thought about the dragons words,
and I couldn't disagree-
I chased a dragon through the woods,
and now he's chasing me.

-- Jack Prelutsky --

From It's Raining Pigs and Noodles by Jack Prelutsky, published by Greenwillow Books, 2000.

Extension:
After reading the poem and the story, have the kids brainstorm the types of characters they could include in a fantasy poem or story. Once the list is completed to their satisfaction, let them choose a character to focus on in a poem of their own. Once the poem has been written, they could also illustrate it and make their own poem picture book.