You Read to Me, I'll Read to You by Mary Ann Hoberman

Hoberman, Mary Ann. 2004. You read to me, I'll read to you: very short fairy tales to read together (in which wolves are tamed, trolls are transformed, and peas are triumphant). Ill. by Michael Emberley.  New York: Little, Brown. ISBN 978-0316207447

Part of a series of books by Hoberman that feature poems written to be performed by two readers, this volume features poems based on familiar fairy tales.  Short lines, rhyme, and rhythm are an important to each poem.  The illustrations by Emberley add humor and support to the text.  

The volume contains a table of contents, with each poem titled with the name of the fairy tale.  An author's note discussing the purpose and origin of the concept provides guidance for the performance of the poetry.

Featured poem:

The Three Little Pigs

I'm Big Bad Wolf.

I'm Little Pig.

You're very small.

You're very big.
Bug now I've got you
In my pot.

The water's getting

Very hot.

I'll cook you up
And make a stew.

Why, that's an awful

Thing to do.

Now that's a silly
Thing to say.
You ate my brother
Yesterday.

Why, so I did!

I had forgot.

(This water's getting 

Really hot.)

And on the day before
It's you
Who ate my other
Brother, too.

Did I do that?

That wasn't nice.

(Could you put in 

A little ice?)

They built their houses
In the town.
You huffed and puffed
And blew them down.

Well, they were made

Of straw and sticks

While yours is made

Of good strong bricks.

First I built
My house of bricks,
And then I fooled you
With my tricks.

And now you've got me

In your pot.

This water's really

Really hot!

Say you're sorry
Loud and clear.

I'm sorry.  Let me

Out of here!

Louder!  Clearer!
Give a shout!

I'M SORRY, PIG!

NOW LET ME OUT!

Now do you promise
To be nice?

I promise Pig.

Then here's some ice.
Sit down and cool
Yourself a bit.
I'll read you something
While you sit.

What will you read?

A tale that's true.
A tale about
Both me and you.

Can I read, too?

If you know how.

Of course I do.

Then let's start now.

(Unison)

We'll read Three Little Pigs

Right through

You'll read to me.

I'll read to you.

Since the poem is meant to be performed by two people, I would enlist a second reader and rehearse the poem before presenting to students.  Because the animals are the speakers of the poem, I would use a pig and a wolf puppet to present the poem.

After modeling a performance of the style of poetry contained in the book, I would ask students to team up and present some of the  poems contained within.  Providing costumes, puppets, or props can allow students to create unique performance experiences.