Zilot & Other Important Rhymes

Emmy Award-winning and New York Times bestselling writer, comedian, and actor Bob Odenkirk and his daughter, illustrator Erin Odenkirk, present poetic nonsense for all ages perfect for fans of Shel Silverstein and Jack Prelutsky!

Bob Odenkirk began writing these poems with his children when they were little, compiling the poetry into a homemade book entitled Olde Time Rhymes. He wanted Nate and Erin to understand that actual people had written the books the family loved to read and to instill in them the feeling that they could be writers and illustrators themselves. Almost twenty years later, when the Odenkirks found themselves quarantined under the same roof, they revisited these mostly silly, sometimes poignant works. It wasn't until Erin began to create illustrations to accompany the words, though, that the book grew to be something much bigger than an Odenkirk family treasure.

From the titular made-up word for a blanket fort, an adorable dog with a penchant for the zoomies, and a father teaching his kids how umbrellas work, the subjects of these works, complemented by Erin's whimsical and detailed linework, come alive on these pages. Featuring over seventy poems, Zilot & Other Important Rhymes will delight readers young and old.

Author: Bob Odenkirk
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Published: 10/10/2023
Pages: 160
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.6lbs
Size: 9.20h x 7.80w x 0.80d
ISBN: 9780316438506
Audience: Ages 9-12


Review Citation(s):
School Library Journal 07/01/2023 pg. 87
Kirkus Reviews 09/01/2023
Publishers Weekly 09/04/2023

About the Author
Bob Odenkirk is known for acting (Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, the new AMC series Lucky Hank, and feature films like Greta Gerwig's Little Women) and for writing lots of comedy sketches for TV shows (Saturday Night Live and Mr. Show with Bob and David). In fact, he's been writing silly stuff his whole life because he sees the world as a mostly funny, pretty ridiculous place. Bob's other books include A Load of Hooey, a collection of comedic essays, and Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama, his instant New York Times bestselling memoir, but Zilot & Other Important Rhymes is the thing he's most proud of in this world. His greatest wish is that you laugh today and he'd very much like to help make that happen.

Erin Odenkirk has been creating art as long as she can remember, having first found inspiration in drawing real and made-up animals. Now a graduate of Pratt Institute, she lives in Brooklyn, New York with a lot of pencils and one bunny. Erin hopes Zilot & Other Important Rhymes makes you chuckle, maybe even chortle, but mostly she hopes it inspires you to go make something "important."

Nate Odenkirk contributed to Zilot & Other Important Rhymes both as a little kid and as a tall wisp of a man. His original "radio" play, Summer in Argyle, is kid-and adult-friendly and perfect for keeping both quiet on long road trips. As a classically trained writer, Nate has yet to make a single mistakes.