Bibliography:
Sidman, Joyce. 2006. Meow Ruff: A story in concrete poetry. Ill. by Michelle Berg. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN: 0618448942.

Plot Summary:
A dog escapes the confines of its house and a cat is seemingly dropped off in the street.  The dog begins a swift pursuit of the cat, who is at first oblivious to being tracked.  The dog eventually catches up to the cat, but suddenly the weather proves to be a more formidable foe.  In an effort to hide from the terrifying thunderstorm, the dog and the cat discover that they might be better suited as friends after all.

Critical Analysis:
Unlike other poetry and illustration techniques, concrete poetry lends more insight and depth to an otherwise simple subject.  Sidman’s Meow Ruff could have been a typical picture book depicting the natural rivalry between a dog and a cat, but by using concrete poetry Sidman is able to incorporate humor and detail into the story that might not otherwise fit into a poem. 

The animals featured in the book are given personification, which is particularly reflected in the reactions between the dog and the cat lamenting their excitement, fear, and moods.  It is important to pay close attention to the illustrations in this book in order to notice some of the other animals and the comments coming from them (such as the little mouse peeking out from its burrow when it senses the dog, and all of the humorous comments from the crows).  The poetry does not feature rhyme or verse, but there is some alliteration and a slight beat to some of the words, which ties the elements together.  Onomatopoeia is also featured, such as the “drip drop” of rain and the snoring and snuggling of the cat and dog.

Illustrator Michelle Berg undoubtedly had to work closely with the author to create the layout of the story. The words are the illustrations and vice versa.  Font size, style and color are used to convey shape, movement, and meaning.  The copyright page explains that all of the illustrations were done with Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, which means the computer generated images have a crisp, bold, professional look that is in strong contrast to the popularity of watercolor and other “analog” art used by most children’s book illustrators.  Some shadowing is also used to indicate movement, and transparency is evident in the clouds.  Though some may feel that the use of typography in the illustrations leaves the page cluttered, this is part of the intrigue of concrete poetry, and looking at the text as the whole picture shifts the idea of cluttered into art.

Review Excerpts:
Booklist starred review: “a glimpse of the world as a poet sees it: in images cloaked in words. – Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
School Library Journal – “Some of the language is creative, and the beat is catchy, but occasionally the crowded monochromatic text is difficult to read, and many of the pages are cluttered with words and graphics.” – Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Connections:

• Direct children on how to create their own concrete poetry using their favorite illustration technique (markers, crayons, paint, or even computer design).
• Compare this title with other picture books written in concrete poetry:
  • A Poke in the Eye: A collection of concrete poems edited by Paul B. Janeczko and illustrated by Chris Raschka
  • Doodle Dandies: Poems that take shape by J. Patrick Lewis