Dirt on My Shirt

Dirt on My Shirt

Foxworthy, J. (2008). Dirt on my shirt. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers.

Dirt on My Shirt  was written by Jeff Foxworthy and illustrated by Steve Bjorkman. This collection of children’s poetry is a comical look at a young boy’s life. Foxworthy introduces you to the boy’s family and friends through comical experiences all kids can relate to.

The book includes a dedication page  with a message from Foxworthy to his friend Maggie, and from Bjorkman to Greentree Elementary and their principal.  This added a personal touch to the very comical collection of poetry.

One of the poems included was entitled Staring Contest the illustrator did a great job building suspense by drawing only half the illustration on the page and then drawing the actual contest in action on the next page.  The subject of this poem is very comical; how many of you had a staring contest with your cat as a child?

 

The illustrations are cartoon figures, the illustrator did a great job adding to the comedy in the poems. In the illustration to the right, I can just see the boy and the cat with their eyes open wide and the tears about to roll down their cheeks, both trying not to blink.  A staring contest is definitely something I think every child, big or small can relate to. 

Jeff Foxworthy did a great job writing about a young child’s experiences that no matter how old we are we can all relate to.