Stains and pains

  I morgon firar världen Internationella Barnboksdagen. Jag passade på och läste högt för tre klasser på skolan i fredags. Det blev min favorit bland bilderböcker, Hästfesten, av Grethe Rottböll och Lisen Adbåge. I kväll blir det brittisk och amerikansk barnpoesi.

***

  Det är åter dags för en bok med "funny verses", en typ det tycks publiceras åtskilliga av i Storbritannien. Den nordirländske författaren John Dougherty lämnade läraryrket 2004 och har sedan dess slagit igenom med böckerna om Stinkbomb & Ketchup-Face. Han har också suttit med i styrelsen för britternas motsvarighet till Författarcentrum.
  Nu har han kommit ut med sin första diktbok för riktigt unga. Den heter Dinosaurs & Dinner-Ladies.
  Boken har några olyckliga exempel i inledningen av boken som nog inte hade funkat i en svensk motsvarighet. Jag tycker att samlingens sex första texter förstör stämningen totalt. Boken tar sig och blir bättre efterhand men återhämtar sig aldrig riktigt. Ni får två roliga limerickar och en fin längre dikt.

A slightly serious limerick, by John Dougherty
(From Dinosaurs and dinner ladies, by John Dougherty. Otter-Barry Books, 2016.)

If ever your heart is in pain
Feeling like it's been hit by a train
I can quite recommend
The love of a friend
To stop it from happening again

*

Luca, by John Dougherty
(From Dinosaurs and dinner ladies, by John Dougherty. Otter-Barry Books, 2016.)

There was a young fellow called Luca
Who found, on his foot, a veruca
Which, to his dismay
Would not go away -
So he shot at it with bazooka.

**

Noah's diary, by John Dougherty
(From Dinosaurs and dinner ladies, by John Dougherty. Otter-Barry Books, 2016.)

- What's this? I say, pointing to his red-raw
        graze-streaked elbow.
He grins as he climbs into the bath.
Aw, Dad, that was a great game! Me and Ben,
we were being secret agents, and Alex was the bad guy
and he nearly got away, but then
I grabbed him and I didn't let go, even though
my elbow scraped against the wall, and it was really sore.
- Did you win? I say.
That grin again.
- And what about this one? I ask, What happened
        to your shin?
That was when Oscar tackled me, and I got a penalty
and I scored. It was so cool, Dad, the best goal
of the whole match.
- Oh yes?
Now tell me, what's that pink bit here
with the green stains all around it?
I was playing in the woods, he says, and I got stung by a
        nettle.
- Right, I nod, seeing. So the green stuff would be...
Dock leaf, he tells me. I rubbed it on like you
        always say
and it didn't hurt a bit.
- Grand, I say. Well, it'll have done its job.
And then I see his hands, and I can't believe
how mucky they are, or how I haven't noticed
        them before.
- How on earth, I say, how on earth
did you get your paws in such a state as that?
His face lights up, the best one yet.

Aw, Dad, it was wicked.
I caught a newt, a real one, in the pond.
I held it, and it crawled on to my hand.
It had an orange tummy, Dad, really, really bright.
I'll catch one tomorrow and show you, if you like.
- I'll look forward to that, I say, but for now
we ought to clean that off, don't you think?
        Otherwise
where are you going to put all the muck and dirt
from tomorrow's adventures?
He smiles again, that big wide beautiful grin.
Do you think, he says, tomorrow's
going to be as good as today?
- I hopeso, I say. I hope all your tomorrows
make you so happy.
And suddenly that smile lights up his face again.
My lovely Daddy! he says, bursting with all the fun
        he's had.
And before I know it, he's grabbed me
and given me the best kiss ever,
one I'm never
ever
going to try to wash away.

***

  Kvällens andra bok fick förvånansvärd uppskattning från min dotter, trots att den är på engelska och trots att texten är väldigt repetitiv. Jag trodde inte att hon skulle gilla den.
  Boken heter Nanette's baguette och handlar om Nanette som för första gången ska få gå ensam till bageriet och köpa baguette. Så klart händer det som inte får hända; hon kan inte hålla sig utan äter upp den på vägen hem . . .

(Ur Nanette's baguette, by Mo Willems. London, England : Walker Books, 2017.)

There is no
more baguette!
Nanette begins 
to fret
Will Mom be upset?
WILL MOM REGRET SHE LET NANETTE GET THE BAGUETTE?

Now Nanette is wet.
Wet with no baguette.
This is as bad as it can get.
Nanette wishes Mom had never
let Nanette get that baguette!
Maybe Nanette will move to Tibet.

Tibet is as far away
as you can get.
Nanette would need a jet.
Can Nanette go home instead?
Can Nanette face her mom?
What will she do?