Class Pest
by Kathy Kenney-Marshall
The boy who sits behind me
Is really, really mean.
He tells me I have cooties and
I smell like a sardine.
He tries to steal my pencils
And my favorite crayons, too.
I wish his folks would move away
And lock him in the zoo.
He cheats on every spelling test
And blames it all on me.
He always pulls my ponytail.
I wish he'd let me be.
He talks too loud, his laugh is weird.
I wish that he were mute.
But the worstest thing about him is…
I think he's kinda cute.
1. Why does the author uses details like “I wish that he were mute”?
2. What is the purpose of including the illustration?
3. What does the author use the phrase “but the worstest thing about him is…”
Homework, I Love You
by Kenn Nesbitt
Homework, I love you. I think that you’re great.
It’s wonderful fun when you keep me up late.
I think you’re the best when I’m totally stressed,
preparing and cramming all night for a test.
Homework, I love you. What more can I say?
I love to do hundreds of problems each day.
You boggle my mind and you make me go blind,
but still I’m ecstatic that you were assigned.
Homework, I love you. I tell you, it’s true.
There’s nothing more fun or exciting to do.
You’re never a chore, for it’s you I adore.
I wish that our teacher would hand you out more.
Homework, I love you. You thrill me inside.
I’m filled with emotions. I’m fit to be tied.
I cannot complain when you frazzle my brain.
Of course, that’s because I’m completely insane.
1. In line 15, why does the author say “I cannot complain when you frazzle my brain”?
2. What is the meaning of the word “boggle as it is used in line 7?
3. Why did the author include the illustration?