Ben Truong's Reviews > GUYKU: A Year of Haiku for Boys

GUYKU: A Year of Haiku for Boys is a children's picture book of poems written by Bob Raczka and illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds, which is an anthology of haiku about the relationship between boys and nature.

Raczka's poetry is rather simplistic, but contains wonderful depth. Raczka cites the form's brevity and its emphasis on nature and present this anthology from a boy's perspective (hence the title Guy + Haiku). Categorized by season and progressing through the year, his "guyku" poems celebrate the mud of spring, the campfires of summer, the transformation of autumn, and the joys of winter. Reynolds' illustrations provide an expressively drawn vignette for each haiku in muted tones of mossy green, sepia, and watery blue.

The premise of the book is rather straightforward. It is an anthology haikus written from a boys' perspective and their relationship and love for nature – for each season. It has a nostalgic feeling when children spend most of their times outside – exploring and appreciating the nature around them.

All in all, GUYKU: A Year of Haiku for Boys is a wonderful collection of haikus that explores the relationship between boys and the nature around them, while directed to boys, I do not see any reason little girls would also like these haikus.