Tap Dancing on the Roof

Written by Linda Sue Park · Illustrated by Istvan Banyai

Discover everyday surprises through witty, twist-ending Korean sijo poems.

3.8 Goodreads · 423 ratings

48 pages· 974 words· Est. 8 min read-aloud· 650L

$16.00Save 7%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Explore the unexpected in everyday moments with sijo, a traditional Korean poetic form. Each poem offers a humorous twist, turning the mundane into the extraordinary. From breakfast to thunderstorms, these verses invite readers to see the world anew. Accompanied by vibrant illustrations, this collection is a delightful journey into the art of surprise and simplicity. Will you find the humor in freshly laundered socks or the irony in a houseplant's life? Dive into this playful exploration and uncover the hidden wonders of the ordinary.

From the publisher

A sijo, a traditional Korean verse form, has a fixed number of stressed syllables and a humorous or ironic twist at the end. Like haiku, sijo are brief and accessible, and the witty last line winds up each poem with a surprise. The verses in this book illuminate funny, unexpected, amazing aspects of the everyday–of breakfast, thunder and lightning, houseplants, tennis, freshly laundered socks. Carefully crafted and deceptively simple, Linda Sue Park’s sijo are a pleasure to read and an irresistible invitation to experiment with an unfamiliar poetic form. Istvan Banyai’s irrepressibly giddy and sophisticated illustrations add a one-of-a-kind luster to a book that is truly a gem.

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