Poetry Break - NCTE Award Poet

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Grimes, Nikki. 2007. When Gorilla Goes Walking. Ills by Shane Evans. New York: Orchard Books. ISBN 9780439317702

INTRODUCTION: Begin this poetry break by sharing with the students a time when you got in trouble as a child. If you have no experience of being in trouble, share a story about a sibling or your own children. Children will most likely relate to your experience, as many of them will have done something they shouldn’t have at some point.

The Doghouse
By Nikki Grimes

Mom says I’m in the doghouse.
Gorilla’s in here, too.
Which of us made the bigger mess?
I’ll leave that up to you.

I made a finger painting
and left it on the floor.
Gorilla walked across it
and tracked paint to the door.

EXTENSION: Discuss what the phrase “in the doghouse” means. See if they can identify clues in the poem that help them with the meaning. Have the students share with a neighbor about a time that they were “in the doghouse.” If time allows, have the students create their own “doghouse poems.”