I Found Some Ancient Hieroglyphs: Jolly Rhymes from Around the World

I Found Some Ancient Hieroglyphs is a gorgeous collection of poems that constitute a whole delight for young adult readers. They are poems that explore the themes of adventure and travel, and they take readers to gorgeous places around the world, looking at unique ways to describe some of the famous cities and to explore their peculiarities. From Los Angeles (the city of Angels), to Memphis, Cape Town, Rapid City, and many others around the world, the author introduces young readers to geography. Each poem is unique. Each poem speaks about a city, and it does so in a way that combines humor with creativity to create a powerful image in the mind of the reader. The rhyme is beautiful and it comes across the writing naturally. For instance, here are two stanzas from a gorgeous poem that speaks about Rapid City: “In Rapid City, things are fast, / And often seem repeated./ Tasks are left unfinished,/ And they never get completed.// Everyone has vertigo,/And seems inclined to shiver. / You would too if your whole life / Was spinning in a river.” One of my favorite of these poems is “I Found Some Ancient Hieroglyphs,” the one that inspires the title of the entire collection. Here is one beautiful stanza from it: I found some ancient hieroglyphs./ I found an ancient King,/ Inside a cave where rocks can roll, / And all the drawings sing.” J.R. R LaMar’s poetry is a gorgeous offering for young readers, and while it introduces them to the love of poetry, it also ignites the sense of geography and adventure in their hearts. Readers will enjoy the wonderful illustrations, the strong humor, and the music that runs through this collection. Each poem has a brief note accompanying it, notes that are interesting to read as well. The economy of word melds with the short length of the poems to make for an enjoyable read. The author’s use of imagery is one of the strengths of this collection, and it is what makes it irresistible to young readers. The rhythmic character of J.R. R LaMar’s poetry sets it apart and makes it a beautiful offering to young readers.