“Yolen and Van Cleave give voice to bodily noises―from butts that “BOOM” to giggles and gasps―in a riotously silly poetry collection perfectly tuned to a toilet humor–loving audience.”―Publishers Weekly

They burp. They fart. They creak. They crack. Bodies make MUSIC!

“Yolen and Van Cleave give voice to bodily noises―from butts that “BOOM” to giggles and gasps―in a riotously silly poetry collection perfectly tuned to a toilet humor–loving audience.”―Publishers Weekly

And let's face it: kids love every note! In Body Music, bestselling authors Jane Yolen and Ryan G. Van Cleave bring their trademark wit to fifteen hilarious poems that celebrate the sounds of the human body, from sniffles to snaps, sneezes to wheezes, hiccups to yawns, and more! Each poem is illustrated with bright, lively artwork and is accompanied by scientific facts that answer questions like: What is a knuckle crack? Why do we sneeze? and What makes a tummy rumble? Funny and secretly educational, Body Music has it all: science, history, language arts, and farts!

From the book:

What Is Body Music?:

It can be accidental sounds, responses to pain, surprise, fear. But there are also folk traditions of many different countries that use body percussion, which is the art of using the body to create vibrations and sounds. Examples of body percussion include West Africa’s hambone, Ethiopian armpit music, and the hand clapping in Spanish Flamenco.

Jane Yolen is the author of over 400 books for children and adults. Her books, stories, and poems have won many awards including the Caldecott Medal, two Nebula Awards, two Christopher Medals, three Golden Kite Awards, and the Jewish Book Award. She lives in Hatfield, MA.

Ryan G. Van Cleave wrote his first poem at age five, and he’s been writing, reading, and loving poetry ever since. He earned a Ph.D. in American Literature with an emphasis in poetry and has taught at numerous colleges and universities. Currently, he runs the creative writing major at Ringling College of Art and Design. As The Picture Book Whisperer, he helps celebrities and high-profile clients write picture books and kidlit projects.

The works of Mexico City artist Luis San Vicente have been exhibited in Mexico, Venezuela, Europe and the U.S. He has won UNESCO’s prestigious NOMA Encouragement Concours Prize for Illustration, UNESCO honored his work (1997, 1998 and 1999) in their prestigious Youth and Children’s Catalog of Illustrations.