Before Inside had even premiered, I was obsessing over Bo's fantastic poetry book (and audiobook!)—Egghead or, You Can't Survive on Ideas Alone.
If you haven't read or listened to Bo's book yet, it's full of his clever wordplay and witty turns of phrase. However, it is also full of profanity and sexually explicit language (which is totally fine for adults, obviously).
My issue arose when I was trying to show my then-7-year-old daughter a few funny and age-appropriate poems, but I had some difficulty finding them easily.
As such, one of my ideas that will never happen is a kid-friendly version of Egghead. I know people hate censorship and bowdlerization, but I'm suggesting a poetry book you could easily share with kids in the classroom.
I think I just really want Bo to be like Shel Silverstein or Jack Prelutsky were in my childhood!
The poetry book even has Lin-Manuel Miranda's seal of approval!
One of his poems in Egghead made my kid laugh harder than I've ever seen a kid laugh (they're not all suitable for kids but this one was.)
Anyway, here's my list of child-appropriate pieces in Egghead. Enjoy, and please share these 100+ poems with any kids you know who like sardonic humor (I know I was one!).
All of the poems can be found here. And if you'd like to purchase your very own copy of the original Egghead, it's available on Amazon here!
Egghead, a Kid-Friendly Version
Effortless
A Dog's Poem
The Squares
Magic
I Eat Words
On Poets and Farts
Flowers
Alfred
Suits
Sully (tongue-twister!)
Fitting
You
My Rabbit's Foot
Onion
Gangly
Advice
Can I Have a Word?
Angel
Toast
The Letter
Rock Bottom
Us
Baby Turtles
Cup of Joe
Entrance
Nine to Five
Pumpkin
Disembodied Heads
Benches
Count of Six
The Commercial
Homonyms
There
Lou
Another Day on the Ant Farm
Armadilla
Different
Three Little Words
Playground
Vampeers
Split Decision
Bee Guys
Hold the Cheese
This Hour
Secret Ingredient
Touch Me Back
Life
TreeHouseTree
Above and Below
Senator
Boston Poem
Sharks
Sasquatch
Light Up
Wind
Timmy
Scarf
Preposition
Judge Jesus
Fireflies
Rollersnakes
Silly
Perfect
She Waits
All Clear
The Biker Gang
Linda
From the Puppy's Perspective
Conversation
Heart Surgeon
Nothing
Stars
Hello, My Old Friend
:'(
Gypsy
Don't
Woman
God
Mannish
Ashley
Clowns
Look
Let's See What the Robots Think
Plate Spinner
Drink Umbrellas
Be Patient
A Wonderful Day to Be Dead
Up Above
Offence
Wooden Soldiers
Walk with Me
Listen
Youth vs. Man
The Future
Old
Cyclops
Sea Monkeys
Knots in the Grass
Her Eyes
Hobgoblin
Like
Bustle
You There (you can hear the "Who's on First?" influence)
Forever and an Instant
Third Person
Stuck
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