Bing Bang Boing - Book Review

This post was written as a Master's course assignment for Texas Woman's University.

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Florian, Douglas. 1994. BING BANG BOING. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace & Company. ISBN 0152337709.

2. BOOK SUMMARY
With a huge helping of humor, an interesting variety of word play, and rhymes that occasionally feature made-up words, Douglas Florian's book of poems and illustrations is a delight for children of all ages. Playing on some well-known maxims and sayings, Florian takes the thoughts for a spin around the block, and usually ends up somewhere in the realm of absurdity (to the delight of the reader, of course). For instance, in AN APPLE A DAY (pg. 26), as we all know, one will keep the doctor away, but according to Florian, "if you eat eleven/you'll soon go to heaven."

The illustrations, thick pen and ink drawings by Florian himself, are fun and imaginative, allowing the reader a little more insight into the quirky mind of the poet.

The topics cover a broad range of areas that are typically familiar to children, anywhere from strange aunts and uncles, to creepy monsters, to an aversion to vegetables. Occasionally the poems have a surprise at the end, like in CITY RUSH (pg. 39), which is about people rushing to and fro all day through the city: "to places they don't want to be." Moments like these among BING BANG BOING give the reader pause, causing a "huh" moment, and an opportunity for reflection.

The emotional impact and appeal to children is unmistakable, as page after page, the reader finds things that she has probably experienced during her younger years. In WHAT I WANT FOR MY BIRTHDAY (pg. 44), the reader encounters a child with an extremely long wish list. What child, or adult, has not experienced that type of wishful thinking? There is delightful daydreaming while washing the dishes in DELICIOUS WISHES (pg. 52). Florian's wacky sense of humor really lets loose in poems like AN ANACONDA (pg. 62), who finds himself tied in a knot, and "Squares" (pg. 62), in which the poem writes itself all the way around into a square shape. 

There are hints of influence from Shel Silverstein, especially in SOMETHING'S THERE (pg. 127) about a monstrous, mysterious creature in the refrigerator, which is reminiscent of Silverstein's BEAR IN THERE (featuring a polar bear in the fridge). Some poem titles and stanzas almost seem inspired by classic rock songs of the 60's and 70's. For instance, FOG FLUB (pg. 78) begins with: "In the misty morning fog..." just like the line in Van Morrison's song BROWN EYED GIRL. And the title LIFE IN THE GRASS LANE (pg. 93) must be at least distantly inspired by the Eagles' hit song LIFE IN THE FAST LANE.

BING BANG BOING is a successful mix of innocence and at times, innuendo. Probably everyone who has ever taken a bath can admit to wondering about the possibility of there being a shark, lurking beneath the bubbles, as in TROUBLE BUBBLE BATH (pg. 99). And, FATHER SKY AND MOTHER EARTH (pg. 114), while appearing innocent to young readers, contains surprisingly suggestive undertones (and postures) by the illustrated parties: "Your lofty mountains give me thrills." 

3. POEM HIGHLIGHT
The poem I would like to highlight from this fabulous collection is "I Taught My Cat" (pg. 104). The illustration, which features a cat pulled up to a piano on a stool, playing music, is as enjoyable as the poem. As a follow-up educational activity, I would ask the listeners to write brief and funny poems about their own pets, or pets they they know, followed by a session of practiced "meow-ing."


I TAUGHT MY CAT

I taught my cat to play piano,

To ride a bike,

To sing soprano,

To drive, to draw,

To paint, to plow - 

And she taught me how

To meow.


(By Douglas Florian)