Lynn Brunelle on Haiku, Ew!

In this post, we feature acclaimed writer Lynn Brunelle, whose previous titles include Turn This Book Into a Beehive! And 19 Other Experiments and Activities That Explore the Amazing World of Bees, which was named a Eureka! Honor Book by the California Reading Association. You can hear her speak about her new title, Haiku, Ew! Celebrating the Disgusting Side of Nature, illustrated by Julia Patton, and try her “invitation to imagine” activity. You’ll also find other resources to explore. Thanks for joining us, and let us know what you think in the comments below!

Lynn Brunelle and the cover of Haiku, Ew!

Haiku, Ew! Celebrating the Disgusting Side of Nature

Written by Lynn Brunelle and illustrated by Julia Patton
Published by Millbrook Press, an imprint of Lerner Publishing Group
Release date: April 2, 2024

Stop right there! If you think poems about nature are all pretty flowers and rainbow sunsets, this book is not for you. If you can’t handle giant whale farts, turn back right now. If you don’t want to know how lobsters pee, do not read one word further! Seriously, if you open this book, you’re going to find out the disgusting truth about where honey comes from! All right, you’re in charge. Don’t say we didn’t warn you! The grossest haiku you’ve ever seen combines with engrossing illustrations and fascinating facts in this lively blend of science and poetry.

From Haiku, Ew! Celebrating the Disgusting Side of Nature, written by Lynn Brunelle and illustrated by Julia Patton.

“Thunderous bubbles / Erupt from schools of herring. / Secret fart fish talk. “
Click here to view a longer preview of Haiku, Ew! Celebrating the Disgusting Side of Nature, written by Lynn Brunelle and illustrated by Julia Patton..

An interior spread from Haiku, Ew! featuring a herring swimming underwater. On the left is a haiku about the herring and on the right are more prose facts about herring, including information about how they fart!

An interior spread from Haiku, Ew! featuring a toad covered in bumps walking across a leaf-strewn ground. On the left is a haiku poem about the toad and on the right are more "gross facts" about how the toad growns its young under the skin on its back.

Explore Haiku, Ew! Celebrating the Disgusting Side of Nature

Listen to Lynn Brunelle talking with TeachingBooks about creating Haiku, Ew! Celebrating the Disgusting Side of Nature. You can click the player below or experience the recording on TeachingBooks, where you can read along as you listen, and also translate the text to another language.

Invitation to Imagine

TeachingBooks asks each author or illustrator on our Virtual Book Tour to share a writing prompt, a drawing exercise, or just an interesting question to spark curiosity and creativity. Enjoy the following activity contributed by Lynn Brunelle.

Imagination Activity with Lynn Brunelle

You have just discovered that butterflies taste with their feet! (Well, because I just told you!) Do a little digging and see what new information you can come up with. Then, write a Haiku about it. You’ll need:

5 syllables in the first line
7 syllables in the second line
5 syllables in the third line.

I like to introduce the creature first and save the gross punchline for the last line—but you do you. You do EW!

Finish This Sentence . . . with Lynn Brunelle

As part of our Virtual Book Tour, TeachingBooks asks authors and illustrators to complete short sentence prompts. Enjoy Lynn Brunelle’s response.

A surprising thing that helps me work is…

A surprising thing that helps me work is to walk the dogs. Whether the walk is short or long, if I can get outside and be focused on something other than my projects for a bit, it gives me breathing room. Then I come back refreshed, often with a big glass of water or a cup of tea and write, write, write. My dogs know this about me, and they now come and pester me to walk periodically. It all keeps me sane!

My favorite books as a kid were…

My favorite books as a kid were the All Creatures Great and Small series by James Herriot. I loved the adventures of a country veterinarian! My family loved books, and we had shelves full of them in every room. Dad had a collection of tiny, beautiful Haiku books, and I cherished these as soon as I discovered them.

“You may not know that I can…”

You may not know that I play the trombone. I have been playing since fifth grade. I have a fantasy to join a swanky jazz or salsa band one day.

While working on this project, I was surprised to discover that…

While working on this project, I was surprised to discover SO MANY gross and cool facts about the living beings on this planet! Everything from how flamingos make their own sunscreen to how glow worms fish for food with snot strands!

My favorite question from a young reader was…

My favorite question from a young reader was, “How do you make up such interesting stuff?” I answered, “It’s already out there! I found it and am having such fun telling you about it!”

“I hope my book encourages readers to think about…”

I hope my book gets kids interested in observation and discovery as well as exploring the notion of creating poetry with a twist. Humor and surprise are wonderful doorways into wonder.

More Connections to Lynn Brunelle and Haiku, Ew! Celebrating the Disgusting Side of Nature

Explore all of the titles featured in the TeachingBooks Virtual Book Tour: one link with author interviews, lesson plans, activities, and more!

All text and images are courtesy of Lynne Brunelle, Julia Patton, and Lerner Publishing Group and may not be used without expressed written consent.