I bought this book on a remainder table over 30 years ago for my firstborn son. It was a staple of our reading diet, as for my second son, now 17. I have passed it back to my first son that my granddaughter may learn its precious lesson. And I find I must have my own copy, because I tell the story to friends falling through the not-knowingness that is part of self-(re)/discovery, and I never tell it as well. The simple, comical search of the First Peko Neko Bird for his unique identity is related with witty pictures and sweet, rhythmic prose. It engages and delights young children, and anchors the message in their hearts for the years when it will reveal its power. As they go through moments of despair or confusion, my children now quote this book, and I know it has served us well.

Absolutely a wonderful read to pre-schoolers! It allows them to "read" the story as it is a wordless picture book. Fernando Krahn has done a wonderful job "speaking" to all the little people that have been in my classroom in the past 15 years....

Illustrations are worth more than 1000 words. A pioneer family sets off to find whatever made the tracks outside their house. Great surprise ending. The fact that there are no words made it fun for my son, (who's into monsters) to tell his own story. The characters faces are charged with meaning in each picture. We loved it.

A new-born animal meets with other animals, picture page by picture page and forms an image of a man from how he uses different animal parts. When the naive animal actually finds himself being cuddled by a man, he is satisfied with the answer, "a man is love." The repeated question "What is a man?" and the resulting image shaped from scraps of information creates suspense as the composite is humorously pictured.

Smith's Collected Nonsense is a cute book, and I'm sure children love it, as well as those of us adults who like light and nonsensical verse. It's well worth the money and the time. But Smith isn't one of the heavyweights like Shel Silverstein or Dr. Seuss, or X.J. Kennedy, or even a Nancy Willard. There were many pieces that weren't funny or that Smith missed the punchline or the poem just fizzled out. And a few are there to show how clever Smith is. Still many of the pieces were enjoyable as were most of the illustrations. I say if you are buying for a child, pick it up. If you are buying for an adult, go with one of those listed above.

Highly recomendable book of silly verse, light and fun. I have sent copies as gifts - a sure cheerer-upper!