Dickens & Rumi

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Edward Lear's nonsense verse

Edward Lear · 1999

Explore the age guidance, content cautions, positive qualities, and supporting notes for Edward Lear's nonsense verse by Edward Lear. This book is content notes include Death of a character, Frightening scenes, Romance; positive qualities include Creativity & curiosity, Educational value.

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At a glance

Recommended ageNot listed

Strongest cautions

  • Death of a character1/5
  • Frightening scenes1/5
  • Romance1/5

Strongest positives

  • Creativity & curiosity5/5
  • Educational value2/5
  • Good role models2/5

What’s in it?

Death of a character1/5
Why this rating?

Death is not a theme in this work.

Strong language1/5
Why this rating?

Contains invented, nonsensical words but no offensive language.

Romance1/5
Why this rating?

Some harmless romantic sentiment exists in poems like The Owl and the Pussycat.

Frightening scenes1/5
Why this rating?

The tone is whimsical and lighthearted.

What’s good in it?

Courage & resilience1/5
Why this rating?

Minor instances of characters embarking on adventures.

Creativity & curiosity5/5
Why this rating?

Highly imaginative; a masterclass in creative wordplay and surrealism.

Educational value2/5
Why this rating?

Excellent for developing rhythm, phonemic awareness, and vocabulary through nonsense.

Kindness & empathy1/5
Why this rating?

Characters often interact with gentle, whimsical cooperation.

Positive messages2/5
Why this rating?

The message is largely one of celebrating absurdity and joy.

Good role models2/5
Why this rating?

Characters are fantastical and often eccentric rather than exemplary, but their individuality, persistence, and playful inventiveness can offer limited positive modeling.

Family discussion

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Conversation starters based on this title’s published content notes.

  1. What was the most imaginative idea in the story, and what would you add to it?
  2. How did the story approach death or loss? What helped the characters cope?
  3. Which choice in Edward Lear's nonsense verse would you have made differently, and why?
  4. Who changed the most in Edward Lear's nonsense verse, and what caused that change?
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