Author and illustrator Silverstein may have died in 1999, but his oeuvre lives on. Runny Babbit (2005) here gets a companion piece. As the titles suggest, Silverstein uses spoonerisms ansposing the first letters or syllables of words for humorous effect enliven his rhyming text. And here, that effect is very, very humorous. There's Runny Babbit's disappointment when he buys a "hed rot" and there's no "kustard" or "metchup" available (but that's why the dogs cost a mere "sickel"). He's excited when he gets a job being "cot out of a shannon," and he loves dancing the "bitterjug" with his gal pal. All of the ditties are illustrated in Silverstein's signature black-ink scrawl, producing pictures that are simple yet funny d, once in a while, grotesque. Kids will laugh out loud at the silly wit, but parents, teachers, and librarians can use these spoonerisms as a jumping-off place to get kids writing and show them ways to have fun with language. Jood gob, Runny Babbit!HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: New Silverstein! That's a dig beal.

This follow-up to Silverstein's posthumously published Runny Babbit is very much a continuation of its predecessor. Spoonerisms (with the first letters or sounds of words swapped, as in "nuttered boodles") make each of the forty-four poems a puzzle for kids to untangle; the verse is accompanied by characteristically entertaining line drawings of Runny and his many friends. Pure fun.

Twelve years later, a return to the ween groods for more vunny ferses.Runny Babbit and his spooneristic woodland friends are back in 41 new silly, short poems full of nonsense and linguistic play. This volume starts off with the same explanatory poem as Runny Babbit: A Billy Sook (2005): "Way down in the green woods / Where the animals all play, / They do things and say things / In a different sort of way— / Instead of sayin' ‘purple hat,' / They all say ‘hurple pat.' " Runny "Snoes Gorkeling" and loses his "trimming swunks." He rides a "coller roaster" at the "founty cair" and loses his lunch. He meets Santa Claus and an evil witch —er, "wevil itch." He eats soup, celebrates his birthday, and finds a dinosaur egg. Each poem is accompanied by one of Silverstein's scratchy line drawings, each matching perfectly. In many of the drawings, the denizens of the green woods speak in their own spoonerisms. Though these poems did not make the first collection, which Silverstein had been working on for years before his death, they do not feel second-rate. They echo all that readers loved and all that made them laugh in Uncle Shelby's work. Cead with rare and lave a good haugh; there can't be too many more like these. (Poetry. 6-12)

Turns out there were more -completed but unassembled- spoonerism poems and accompanying b&w line drawings in the Silverstein vault. Hence, this follow-up to 2005-s posthumous -billy sook,- Runny Babbit. Through 41 short verses, readers follow the eponymous rabbit-whose floppy ears are complemented by a perpetual look of surprise-back into the woods for tongue-twisting adventures and encounters. Some poems feel like a silly exaggeration of kid life: Runny Babbit loves -nuttered boodles- so much that he marries them (-You may biss the kride- says the officiant). Others speak to a growing sense of agency, as when he puts a caged -lighty mion- in his place (---And what are you, you shrittle limp?-/ And Runny answered, -Free.---). There-s even a pretty good flatulence spoonerism, courtesy of a -dire-breathin- fragon- (-If I-m inpited to your varty,/ Then I-ll fart your stire for you-). A little of this may go a long way with adult readers, but it-s the kind of comedy that can will have kids riding the giggle express-with stops for nuttered boodles, of course. Ages 4-8. (Sept.)

Gr 1-4Eighteen years after the author's death and 12 years after the publication of the first collection of Runny Babbit spoonerisms, a new book of 41 "completed but unpublished works" has surfaced from Silverstein's archive. In this volume, Runny Babbit makes discoveries, enjoys himself, and finds his way out of more than a few scrapes. Each situation becomes wackier and more entertaining with the transposed first parts of words and syllables that create the spoonerisms: "Runny porgot his farachute/And plumped out of a jane./He landed right on Doc Ocrile/Who was randin' in the stain." Well-chosen words come together to form lines with natural rhythm and punch as well as endless opportunities for amusement. In one verse, a dragon tells Runny, "If I'm inpited to your varty,/then I'll fart your stire for you.'" The distinctive line illustrations provide not only more humor but also lovable personalities to wide-eyed Runny and the other characters he interacts with on the page. Readers can choose to dip in and out of this book, or, if they have real stamina for silliness, they can plow straight through. The volume ends as all great days do, with Ramma Mabbit reading stories like "Dumpty Humpty" and "Loldigocks and the Bee Threars" and a final good night poem to Runny Babbit "and all his foodland wriends." VERDICT A new Silverstein title is a welcome addition to all poetry shelves, and this one offers plenty of joy and laughter to those who read or listen to it read aloud.Julie Roach, Cambridge Public Library, MA