Joyful Noise is a children's book of poetry about insects written to be read aloud by two voices--sometimes alternating, sometimes simultaneous. Here is a collection of irresistible poems that celebrate the insect world, from the short life of the mayfly to the love song of the book louse. Funny, sad, loud, and quiet, each of these poems resounds with a booming, boisterous, joyful noise.

On each page are two columns of verse for children to alternate reading aloud about the lives of six-legged creatures ranging from fireflies writing in the sky to a love affair between two lice, crickets eating pie crumbs and the single day in the life of a mayfly. Charming large scale soft-pencil illustrations enhance the comical, easy-to-read text.

Winner, 1989 Newbery Medal
Notable Children's Books of 1988 (ALA)
1988 Best Books for Young Adults (ALA)
and more...

Teacher's Perspective
Joyful Noise is a great resource for teachers to use in the classroom when teaching poetry or to spice up a unit on insects. The book consists of fourteen poems about various insects and their habitats. The poems are written for two people to read simultaneously. Students will enjoy combining their voices while reciting at times funny, and other times solemn poems about a bug's life. One of my favorite poems is titled "Honeybees" in which two bees; a worker bee and the queen bee talk about their daily life in the honeycomb. This book encourages cooperation between the two readers and makes for a pleasant poetry experience. The students can create actions to go along with their poems that will entertain their audience and allow for their creativity to flourish.
      –Kandace Logan

HarperTrophy, 1992, 64 pages, paper
ISBN: 0064460932