Pair this one with Joyce Sidman's earlier This Is Just to Say and be sure to share the original William Carlos Williams' poem "This Is Just to Say" in which the poet apologizes--but not really--for eating the plums that were beckoning him from the family icebox. The 46 poems all have the same title and follow the same pattern, ending with a punch to the stomach each time. Characters from fairy tales such as Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, and Jack and the Beanstalk scamper through the pages, bent on more than a little revenge. Then, too, some of the poems feature ubiquitous problems such as bullies like Louie who is about to get nailed by a flyswatter now that he's been reduced to a fly. In one case, the poet warps the sweet contentment of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" to reflect that life is more nightmare than dream (p. 74). Although I loved many of these and can easily see their possibilities for writing exercises, my favorite has to be the one written by Rapunzel who has shorn herself of her long tresses since the prince turns out to be be "not worth/ the pain/ in my scalp" (p. 62-63). A second runner-up is easily the second poem in the book in which Barbie has her face sanded since "her beauty/ was only/ skin deep" (p. 10). The illustrations add another layer of delight for readers savoring this collection perfect for middle graders who will certainly understand the book's humor.