Bartholomew Quill

Bartholomew Quill

A Crow's Quest to Know Who's Who
by Thor Hanson
illustrated by Dana Arnim

published by Sasquatch Books

Bartholomew Quill was a crow long ago,

when all of the world was new.

When the bears and the bees

and the hares and the trees

were all learning to tell which was who.

Thus starts this book by acclaimed biologist Thor Hanson,which takes us on a lyrical journey back in time when our dear protagonist, Bartholomew Quill, the crow, wants to know who he is.

He flies around encountering various animals and compares features to see if he is one of them. At the edge of the ocean, he sees black birds like himself and asks if he is one of them. The bird answers:

I dive and I float in a waterproof coat

My diet is fish and crustacean.

We are both black and sleek, but you lack a bright beak,

so you cannot be my close relation.

And from the lovely illustrations by Dana Arnim, we know this is a puffin, not a crow.

As our Bartholomew encounters other creatures, he quickly realizes he cannot be one of them, until he sees someone very much like himself, only much bigger - the Raven.

Finally, he looks in nature's mirror - the still lake - as he flies over it and realizes he is a crow.

The ability of many species to recognize their own must have evolved somehow, but this story is set when the world was new, so, possibly Bartholomew has not yet developed self-recognition/other-recognition.

One question that cropped up with the resident 7 year old is, at each stage, without introduction or explanation, how does Bartholomew know what that creature is that is different from himself. For example, after encountering the creature that soars and catches fish all day and has sharp eyes and pale head and tail feathers, we simply read that "Bartholomew thanked the bald eagle," which the young readers deduce from the illustrations but may be puzzled as to how Bartholomew arrived at that conclusion.

Back of the book has a "Get More Out of This Book" section that has some interesting suggestions.

Biologist Thor Hanson is renowned for his adult books about nature -- The Impenetrable Forest, The Triumph of Seeds, and Feathers. He won a PNBA Award and The John Burroughs Medal for Feathers, which was also a finalist for the Washington State Book Award. Hanson is a Guggenheim Fellow, a Switzer Environmental Fellow, and sought-after public speaker.

Illustrator Dana Arnim has a Certificate in Art from the Children’s Market from UW Extension and serves as Co-regional Advisor for the Western Washington SCBWI.

[Disclosure: I received a review copy of this book. The opinions shared here are entirely mine.]

Sy Montgomery's Brilliant Animal Books for Children

Quite casually, a few months ago, the seven-year-old and I were researching flightless birds of the world, trying to get past the well-known large birds like ostrich and emu and penguin and cassowary and kiwi. That's when we came across Kakapo, a nocturnal ground-dwelling parrot endemic to New Zealand.

Naturally, we wanted to learn more and so when I came across Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World’s Strangest Parrot by Sy Montogomery and Nic Bishop, at the library, I brought it home, hoping to read it with the younger child in installments whenever he is ready.

I was not ready for the wild enthusiasm he showed for this book! I can see why the book was so well-received, though. Sy Montgomery's books have the right balance of information, real-life drama, engaging storytelling, and intrinsic beauty.

Fewer than 90, yes nine-zero-ninety, of these gorgeous, friendly birds remain in the wild on the remote Codfish Island off New Zealand's south coast. Sy and Nic journeyed there to record the work done, mostly by volunteers, to prevent these sweet birds from going extinct.

The photographs by Nic Bishop, along with an easy-flowing, clear, heartwarming account of her journey of discovery makes this book a huge favorite with me.

The shared experience of reading this to the kiddo and learning about the plight of these birds that were indiscriminately killed when humans took over and settled in its habitat made us so aware of the large impact we have on our environment simply by going somewhere and being there where we were never before.

We ended up reading this book every single night and finished it within a week, coming out of it as if we had traveled to the place ourselves and seen and interacted with the individual birds ourselves. We felt the pain when one of eggs was destroyed, or didn't get fertilized. We couldn't help rooting for these naive and cuddly birds.

[Read an excerpt here]

We were hooked! I borrowed every other book by Sy Montgomery that was available at our library.

In Quest for the Tree Kangaroo, we learnt about this odd-looking creature that resembles a stuffed toy that is determined to stand-out as incongruous: "Impossibly soft, with a rounded face, button eyes, pink nose, upright ears and long, thick, furry tail, the 25-pound animal hops like a kangaroo, carries babies in a pouch like a koala, and climbs trees like a monkey."

In Saving the Ghost of the Mountain, Nic and Sy are on an expedition among Snow Leopards of Mongolia. "Prowling along ridges, slinking below skyline, the snow leopard is as invisible, yet as powerful, as the wind, and as elusive as a ghost." Collaborating with Snow Leopard Trust scientist Tom McCarthy and his team in the Altai Mountains of the Gobi Desert, Sy and Nic try to learn about and save an animal they can’t see—before it becomes a ghost for real.

Among the "Scientists" series of books, the kid loved Octopus Scientists -- no surprise there as Octopus is an all-time favorite for him. From its ability to totally camouflage and blend into its surroundings, its ink, its beak, to its tendency (mama octopus) to starve and die after its eggs hatch, everything about them is curious and intriguing. Sy and Keith Ellenbogan take us along for a wild underwater ride in this book.

One of my personal favorites is The Man-eating Tigers of the Sundarbans by Sy Montgomery. It is poetic and heart-wrenching and fearsome and hopeful all at the same time.

Currently, we are reading Encantado: The Pink Dolphins of the Amazon. One fine day, the kid brought it home from school, checked out from his school library. I sat back knowing my work is done for now.

Next on our list: Snowball the Dancing Cockatoo. Our library does not have it, so, I'll be looking for a used copy to bring home sometime soon.

[image source: Sy Montgomery's website]

3 Awesome Animal Picture Books

Egg: Nature's Perfect Package 

by Steve Jenkins & Robin Page
published by HMH Books for Young Readers, March  2015


Trademark cut-paper collage on stark white background with crisp, precise nuggets of information make Jenkins's books perfect for animal-non-fiction-loving young readers.

The book is all about eggs as the title suggests: little eggs, big eggs,, where to lay eggs, how many to lay at a time, egg consumers, egg protection, egg packaging, egg carrying, incubation, and getting out of the egg... all are laid out with plenty of animals showcasing their techniques and ideology.

Everything needed to create a new living creature: The Egg.

[image source: HMH Catalog]



How to Swallow a Pig
Step by Step Advice from the Animal Kingdom
by Steve Jenkins & Robin Page
published by  HMH Books for Young Readers, September 2015


A recent top favorite book for the seven year old, he rattles off fascinating facts about animals from this book that surely caught my interest and attention.

Like how a Capuchin monkey smears itself with millipede after rolling the said millipede in its mouth to get it to release its toxins. Why does it do that? Well, that's nature's own insect-repellent right there.

Or, like how smart a crow is that it chooses a stop light and plants its hard-to-crack nut on the road and waits for a car to go by and crush the nut open.

Or, as the title suggests, swallow a whole pig after squeezing it to death as a python does.

The tongue-in-cheek format of the book and the clever presentation is sure to fascinate the curious-minded child, and maybe incite them to imitate these creatures.

[image source: HMH Catalog]


Unusual Creatures
A Mostly Accurate Account of Some of Earth's Strangest Animals

by Michael Hearst
Artwork, Diagrams, and Other Visuals by
Arjen Noordeman, Christie Wright, and Jelmer Noordeman

published by Chronicle Books,  July 2014


"Unusual Creatures is a rich and fantastic book of charming imaginary animals who... what? They're real? I'll be under the bed." -- Lemony Snicket.

That quote on the cover had me chuckling right away.

The book starts out by explaining the biological classification in a kid-friendly way, with the mnemonic:

Kids Place Candles On Foot Gravy Sausage
↠ Kingdom ➢ Phylum ➢ Class ➢ Order ➢ Family ➢ Genus ➢ Species.

I was hooked right on that page, and so was the kiddo.

The book is laid out alphabetically, starting with Axolotl. "Mama, did you know an axolotl can regenerate its body parts, even its heart? We had an axolotl in our classroom last year, remember? They are so cool!" And we learn that the name axolotl comes from the Aztec language, most common translation being "water dog".

Each double-page spread focuses on one animal. The informational text and related diagrams, with K-P-C-O-F-G-S laid out next to the animal's common and scientific name, plus a full page illustration of the animal with a scale to show its size makes it easy to digest the information in small chunks and marvel at nature's creativity.

Turn to any page at random, and you are sure to find a fascinating and rather unusual creature like Barking Spider, or Giraffe-necked Weevil, or Hammerhead Bat, or Long-eared Jerboa, or Magnapinna Squid, or Sea Pig, along with some unique but slightly well-known creatures like Echidna, Honey Badger, Platypus, and Slow Loris.

A must-have for our bookshelf, along with every one of Steve Jenkins's books.

Watch video clippings of featured creatures at unusualcreatures.com

[image source: Chronicle Books]

Seven Must-Read Non-fiction Animal Picture Books from the Seven Year Old

There is a ton of animal non-fiction picture books out there! It feels like kids can't possibly read all of them in one childhood. The seven year old at home devours animal books - not just non-fiction picture books but visual encyclopedia and collections like Lang Elliott's Songs of the Wild Birds.

While Prehistoric Life is still on his radar, he has circled back to learning more about some of the curious traits of the present-day animals and why they evolved so.

Of course, out of every dozen books we bring home on the subject, perhaps only about two or three manage to fascinate him for one reason or another and elicit repeat reads. Based on the latest set, these seven (a dozen, to be accurate) books have become firm favorites with the seven year old in the last few weeks, ordered on a scale of out-of-this-world-book to what-a-fun-book-to-read.

Why "seven" and not "twelve" books in the title? Well, I decided to group them by author/illustrators so there's seven groups, with a total of twelve books. Plus, "seven books from the seven year old" has a nicer ring than "a dozen books from the seven year old."

Ideally, I would have dedicated a single post of about 500 words to each of these books purely to sing the virtues and gush over them, but, time is in short supply and so this cluster post will have to do justice for now.

This is not really an authoritative or exhaustive list. This is just the set of books that has currently impressed us. Am sure there'll be more and I'll be sharing them as and when we read them.



Creature Features: 25 Animals Explain Why They Look the Way They Do,

Eye to Eye: how Animals See The World
by Steve Jenkins

Steve Jenkins is much-loved in our house for all the brilliant books he has presented in such an attractive and digestible form. His unique style of collage art, uncluttered use of space, with dense text in short doses to get to the point is just perfect!

The seven year old has been wanting to write to Steve Jenkins asking him how he researches his animals and how he picks them for his book. Plus, he has earmarked a few favorite animals he'd like Mr.Jenkins to write a book about! He doesn't care for fictional superheroes - doesn't care for Batman, Spiderman, Superman, no Transformers, no television, -- but, he has met Kurt Cyrus a few times and even picked his brain this year at the Oregon State Fair regarding making books, and he is totally enamored by Steve Jenkins' creativity and wants to make books like he does. He emulates Kenn Nesbitt by trying to write poetry as in My Hippo has the Hiccups, and re-reads Shel Silverstein for fun when he wants to relax.

Anyway, this is a clever book, zooming in on the one feature or trait of each animal that is unique to that creature, and posing a crisp question to the animal, which the animal sportingly responds with equal facility.

A double-page spread of blobfish looking like a blob prompts the question:

Dear Blobfish: What on earth happened to you?

Being on dry land -- instead of the ocean -- is my problem. At home, deep in the sea, I look like just another fish. But, I'm out of the water, and gravity is smushing me...

Another favorite:

Dear pufferfish: You've got me worried -- are you going to explode?

No, I won't burst. I've inflated my body with water to make it tougher for a big fish to swallow me.

Making of the book was fascinating, as always.

[Creature Feature Mask Kit]

[image source: HMH]

Eye to Eye is another fantastic book about how animals see. At the beginning we learn about the various types of vision that evolved when life began on earth.

From simplest eyespots that are light-sensitive to pinhole, to compound, to camera eyes, we see how each adaptation suits each creature's lifestyle, primarily to hunt prey, find food -- survival.

Back of the book has bite-sized information about evolution of the eye and animal facts.

[Interview with Steve Jenkins]

[image source: HMH]


The Most Amazing Creature in the Sea

by Brenda Z. Guiberson
illustrated by Gennady Spirin

Thirteen sea creatures state exactly why they think they are the most amazing creature in the sea. Written in first person, the text immediately establishes a connection between the reader and the animal on that page.

While it is not necessarily a competition, each animal speaks as if it is vying for the coveted "Most Amazing" title:

I am a Box Jellyfish. My venom is the deadliest. I have millions of stinging toxic cells in my tentacles...

and so it goes. Each animal makes its claim thus, and each one has a point. Until the end, where we encounter the Helpers, without whom none of the other creatures can carry on. And, we incidentally realize how interdependent the ocean eco-system is.

This format absolutely thrilled the kid that he went on to write about it for his school homework.

[Read a few pages in full glory at Google Books]

[Look Inside the book at Macmillan USA]

[image source: Macmillan]

Seabird in the Forest
The Mystery of the Marbled Murrelet
by Joan Dunning

I fell in love with this book when the seven year old brought it to me one morning and said, "Mama, you have to listen to this!" and proceeded to read from the book:

"For nearly two hundred years, people tried to figure out where the marbled murrelet hatches and raises its young, but not one nest could be found."

He paused and repeated it for effect. And I could tell that this fact impressed him the most.

I did pick out this book from the library to read with him, but he beat me to it one night when I was not feeling well, so the next morning, I heard all about the virtues of this book. I wish there was some way to package this joy and enthusiasm and send it to the author to let her know how much her work has impacted this one child.

Unlike most seabirds that prefer offshore rocks and islands for nesting, the marbled murrelet goes far from the shores into the forest. Only a few decades ago, marbled murrelet chick was found high on a Douglas-fir tree in California, miles from the ocean.

The illustrations are gorgeous with sidebar tidbits on each page about the coastal redwoods, flying squirrel, wandering salamander and other related elements in this habitat, in addition to murrelet's own life cycle. The inside front and back covers show this two-page spread of an ancient coastal redwood 365 feel tall in portrait-orientation, in its full glory, with a puny six foot human at the base to show the scale.

Author shares her deep personal connection to the woods and the marbled murrelets in this post compiled by a fourth grader.


[Author reads from the book]

[Science Netlinks Video of Marbled Murrelet]

[image source: amazon.com]


A Little Book of Slime

Everything that oozes, from killer slime to living mold
by Clint Twist

Not my favorite, I have to admit, but the kid loves it -- especially the slime-ometer ratings from 1 to 10 for each of the slimy examples in this book.

Starting with what is slime, we go on to read all about Slimy Stuff in Water like Slime Tube and Hagfish and Sea cucumber, to Slimy Stuff on Land like Cane toad and Velvet worm and Banana Slug and Froghopper to Other Slimy Stuff like Phlegm and decomposing vegetables and Snot mold.

Why is it "Little" Slime Book even though it is packed with a large amount of slime? Well, the book itself is about 7.5 inches by 6 inches by about 0.5 inches, making it small and handy.

[image source: random house]

Curious Critters,
Curious Critters Volume Two,
Curious Critters Marine
by David FitzSimmons

It's a tie between who liked this book more - the kid or me! Of course, we loved this set of books for our own reasons - me, for the brilliant photographs and clever writing that varies the voice and presents each animal with its own personality; the kid, for the fascinating facts and the wealth of information therein.

Dramatic closeups and vivid colors on full page makes this an instant attraction. Plus, the clever text, some with the Texan drawl, some with prim politeness, and some set to popular tunes makes it a pleasure to read, providing an instant personality for these critters, which apparently was the toughest thing to do.

Predaceous Diving Beetle sings:

Row, row, row my legs,
out across the pond,
look for fish, frogs, or worms,
I eat whatever's found.

Down, down, down I dive,
my prey I try to spy,
If my food is getting scarce,
I can also fly.

Eastern Cottontail was a favorite as the little rabbits discover that they eat their own poop -- eating grasses twice helps them get more nutrients the second time through.

As the author shares in this candid article, Writing Curious Critters, it is a challenge to come up with twenty different voices and match them with the personality of the animals -- assuming one is able to assign such personalities to these widely varying critters.

Curious Critters site has goodies for kids like coloring pages and word search and eCards.

[View Sample Pages as Flipbook - does not work in Chrome, fine in Firefox]

[image source: Wild Iris Publishing]

Vulture View,
Woodpecker Wham
by April Pulley Sayre
illustrations by Steve Jenkins

April Pulley Sayre is another much-loved author in our house. Trout, Trout, Trout: A Fish Chant; Ant, Ant, Ant: An Insect Chant; Bird, Bird, Bird: A Chirping Chant; Meet the Howlers; Honk, Honk, Goose... were all much enjoyed, with many repeat-reads.

And, when two fantastic book creators teamed up in Vulture View and Woodpecker Wham, and Eat Like a Bear, I knew we had to read them!

Lilt and rhythm typically characterize Ms. Sayre's books and this one is no exception.

Up, up!
Turkey vultures tilt, soar, scan
to find the food that vultures can...
...eat!

Vultures smell the air.
They sniff, search, seek
for foods that...
...REEK!

Vultures rise with the sun and hunt for carrion, and by the end of daylight, they settle in trees with their families and sleep, only to wake up the next morning and do it all over again. Nature's scavenger.

[View sample pages at Google Books]

The lilt and beat in Woodpecker Wham! reminded us of Bird, Bird, Bird -- a catchy, bouncy read.

Various kinds of woodpeckers are showcased in this book in gorgeous cutpaper collage that is Steve Jenkins' unique style.

We start the book with a Pileated woodpecker swooping and landing on a tree stump, beginning to shred it. As we go along, we find them tapping messages for communicating with each other, flaking the tree trunks to find crawling insects, drilling when spring sap oozes. Then, spreading their feather to dry in the sun and preening and prancing to find a mate, then building a nest:

Start a home.
Bill to bark.
Dig it, dig it --
deep and dark.

We see a Northern flicker diligently making a hole in the tree for nesting. Having observed Northern flickers in our own backyard for a few years, returning to the same hole in the tree for raising a new generation, it was perfect to see them in action in the book.

Hawk's a-hunting.
Stop. Drop. Hide.
Quiet
on the other side.

Of course, in Fall, they fill their tree hole with acorns and other seeds. Some migrate, some stick it out.

Leave that tree hole.
Start one new.
Who will move in
after you?

[View sample pages at Google Books]

[image source: April Pulley Sayre]


Behold the Beautiful Dung Beetle

by Cheryl Bardoe
illustrations by Alan Marks

What's not to like about a book all about poop, especially if you are a seven year old?

Though they all scramble as soon as a fresh pile is available, each of the three types of dung beetle has its own way of enjoying the poop.

Rollers roll them into perfect spheres taking it away from the throng. The Tunnelers hoard it underground, right beneath the pile. Dwellers just sit there and carry on eating while the other two kinds take it away bit by bit.

We learn about their life cycle -- and how the eggs are in the dung pile safe and warm until they hatch; and how the grub eats and eats until it grows bigger, and how it eventually transforms. Which might explain why they have been the ancient symbol of life and renewal.

Illustrations are earthy and gorgeous, focused on dung beetles, with intimate perspectives. One of our favorite pages is where the champions are reaping their rewards up close on the foreground while far in the distant background the giraffes and antelopes graze on, and poop on. Another favorite is when the new adult male with shiny hard exoskeleton finally emerges and we read, "Behold the beautiful dung beetle!" we see him up close in the foreground, large and mighty, while an African elephant grazes in the background, smaller and unsung.

[Book trailer]

[Sample pages at Google Books]

[image source: Publisher Charlesbridge]

Galápagos George
by Jean Craighead George
paintings by Wendell Minor

From the amazing naturalist, Jean Craighead George, we learn about the ancestry of Lonesome George, the lonely long-necked, last of the saddleback tortoises of the Pinta Islands, that has been driven to extinction.

The illustrations captured the time and the mood and the beauty of life on earth. The final illustration conveyed a whole lot more than words can express.

Although more poetic than scientific, the book sparked the kid's interest wondering about how scientists speculate about a common ancestor nicknamed "Giantess George" in the book. How can one *know* is the question that bothers him, and the answer is one cannot know for *certain* but one can draw intelligent conclusions from observations.

The kid refused to believe that the last of this species is gone. He stuck to his belief that Lonesome George mated and made babies a while back and no one knows about it yet. He has half convinced himself that Lonesome George is not quite dead yet, and scientists have found ways to bring back this species, like they did the California Condor.

[image source: Harper Collins]

The One and Only Ivan

The One and Only Ivan

by Katherine Applegate
illustrations by Patricia Castelao


I am Ivan. I am a gorilla.
It's not as easy as it looks.

It's this brilliant opening that hooked the 7 year old (and me)  in.

Loosely based on a true story about a gorilla that was plucked from its habitat and family at a tender age and raised among humans, and paraded as a caged curiosity in an animal-themed mall in Washington state, the author weaves a memorable tale that is powerful, endearing, funny, life-affirming, gentle, heart-wrenching, and heartwarming all at the same time.

Mack got Ivan as a baby and took care of him until Ivan got too big and too rambunctious as is wont for gorillas. Finally, at the Big Top Mall and Video Arcade, Mack settles down with Ivan and Stella, a female African circus elephant who was trained to contort and balance her mighty frame in impossible ways for the entertainment of humans.

The daily life in these surroundings as related by Ivan, along with his sidekick/friend Bob the dog, makes up the first part of the book.

Some animals live privately, unwatched, but that is not my life.

My life is flashing lights and pointing fingers and uninvited visitors. Inches away, humans flatten their little hands against the wall of glass that separates us.

Here in my domain, I do not have much to do.

In my domain, I have a tire swing, a baseball, a tiny plastic pool filled with dirty water, and even an old TV.

The janitor's daughter Julia is a breath of fresh air. She hangs out at the mall doing her homework while her dad does the cleaning at nights. She strikes up a rapport with Ivan. They bond over art. See, Ivan is an artist. So is Julia. Ivan's finger-paintings sell for a good price at the mall gift shop that puts food on Mack's table. Stella's circus antics with Snickers the dog presumably feeds Mack's little menagerie. Julia brings extra art supplies for Ivan on and off. She shows her original works to Ivan as often as inspiration strikes. Ivan reciprocates.

Then, Ruby arrives. A baby elephant. The lurking mother in Stella surfaces to envelop Ruby in as much warmth as can be shared under the circumstances. Suddenly the festering wounds in Stella's legs worsen and she dies within a few hours, overnight, before any help can arrive. But, Stella extracts a promise from Ivan before she dies: Take care of Ruby as best as you can. Ivan agrees, no questions.

The rest of the book is an uplifting tale of how Ivan finds a way to save Ruby from a life of confinement and indignity that Stella endured. And incidentally, he ends up improving his own quality of life as well.

All's well that ends reasonably well. Ivan and Ruby are settled in a zoo thanks to Ivan's efforts and Julia's unwavering support. Ivan gets his own gorilla family. Ruby is showered with love by the wise matriarchs. And the book ends with Ivan accepting his role as the Mighty Silverback.

The words are perfectly chiseled, none wasted. Told in Ivan's voice, the narration is not bitter or accusing in any narrow sense. It flows with gentle wisdom and acceptance of certain realities. Almost every sentence in this book is quotable.

Humans waste words. They toss them like banana peels and leave them to rot.

Humans speak too much. They chatter like chimps, crowding the world with their noise even when they have nothing to say.

I learned to understand human words over the years, but understanding human speech is not the same as understanding humans.


The short chapters in Ivan's voice kept us completely enthralled. I strongly believe in reading aloud, so, I read a few chapters every night to the kid and before we knew it, the book was done, leaving us wanting for more.

The 7 yo was quite upset that the book ended, just like that, with Ivan accepting his new family, his domain at the zoo, whispering, "Mighty Silverback." What did he do after that? What was his daily life like? Did he ever get to talk to Ruby again? Did Julia and Bob visit him every day? Won't Bob miss Ivan so much? Why can't Stella have been alive a little longer so she can go to the zoo too with Ruby? Did Mack really use the claw-stick on Ruby? Why would Mack hurt the baby? How did Ivan know to make the letters that spell 'HOME'? Can Ivan really read? So many questions that the kid wanted desperately to know very specific answers to - no ambiguity...

Oh, and "me-balls" was such a hit, of course.

A me-ball is made by rolling up dung until it's the size of a small apple, then letting it dry. I always keep a few on hand.

For some reason, my visitors never seem to carry any.

And, the two chapters side-by-side - "Three Vistors" and "My Visitors Return" - simply outstanding! The kid asked me to go back and read them over and over. The role of the glass both as a barrier of confinement and as a barrier of protection is beyond brilliant.

The boy spits at my window. The girl throws a handful of pebbles.

Sometimes I am glad the glass is there.

...

The children pound their pathetic chests. They toss more pebbles.

"Slimy chimps," I mutter. I throw a me-ball at them.

Sometimes I wish the glass were not there.


[Image source: http://theoneandonlyivan.com/book/]

Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold

Winter Bees & Other Poems of the Cold

by Joyce Sidman
illustrated by Rick Allen
published by HMH Books for Young Readers


Filled with vivid illustrations and exuberant form poetry, the book is a delight to behold and experience, as it takes us on an excursion into the winter life of the creatures living in the extreme north.

Joyce Sidman, a master poet, has invited the kids to experience the magic of winter, as well as its harshness.

I’m a big brown moose,
I’m a rascally moose,
I’m a moose with a tough, shaggy hide;
and I kick and I prance
in a long-legged dance
with my moose-mama close by my side.
...

We instantly love this baby moose who is not afraid to tough it out in the tundra.

Chickadees song in collective voice is energizing.

From dawn to dusk in darkling air
we glean and gulp and pluck and snare,
then find a roost that’s snug and tight
to brave the long and frozen night.
...

Image Source: HMH Young Readers

Not just animals, but plants are celebrated as well -- skunk cabbage gets a dedicated triolet.

Skunk cabbage peeks up through the snow:
the first flower in the wood.
Wreathed in an eerie purple glow,
up through the slick of soggy snow,
smelling of rotten buffalo,
...

Even the snowflake!

Snowflake wakes,
whirling,
arms outstretched,
lace sprouting from fingertips

Leaps, laughing
in a dizzy cloud,
a pinwheel gathering glitter
...


The Whole World is Melting leaves us with the warmth and hope of Spring.

Printmaker extraordinaire, Rick Allen, adds intricate detail via the linoleum blocks cut precisely to present the exact image that livens up the poems. The hours of work involved in making these block prints is astounding but even more astounding is the results! Each page is a work of art that is simply brilliant!

Sidebar on each page provides notes about the animals.

We revisited this book for the National Poetry month and dream of housing a copy on our bookshelf soon. Also by Joyce Sidman, the Dark Emperor & Other Poems of the Night is a treat to read as well.

[image source: houghtonmifflin]

Non-fiction Picture Books on Prehistoric Life

Since early this year, the younger child has been interested in all things prehistoric. Starting with what "pre-historic" means. And after explaining it and introducing "pre" and "post" prefixes with examples, he has started outlining the "post-historic" world. I am guessing he means "post-historic" to be "futuristic" but for now, "post-historic" is entirely a figment of his creative extrapolation.

Meanwhile, we read a lot of non-fiction books, to learn about Prehistoric Life. We used the web to find more information as needed.

First step was to get a handle on the geological timeline as agreed by archaeologists and geologists and paleontologists. Once we got familiar with the various eras and time periods, from Precambrian to Quaternary, we were happy to explore life in those times.

[image source: Britannica Kids]

What do we know about the early life on earth - before we humans came, before we started recording our observations for posterity? There was a time when we thought we were the beginning of all things important. But, now we have enough research to show a rich and diverse world that thrived without us, that predates our existence.

How far back did the first life on earth begin? What was this life form? How did it get there? And how did we evolve from these seemingly bizarre creatures that have nothing to do with the level of sophistication and predominance we command today?

Paleontologists are still discovering bits and pieces of the jigsaw puzzle, and we have enough information to piece together an overall slightly-blurry picture, but, not enough to get a definitive crystal clear unequivocal picture of what happened so far on earth.



Prehistoric Life: The Definitive Visual History of Life on Earth 
by David Burnie


The book. Comprehensive. Filled with pictures. Short, crisp information. Much-loved at home. A perfect reference book. Index makes it easy to look up.

Shows not just animals but plant life as well and other early forms. The one book that the kid wanted to have in his bookshelf, his own copy, to refer to and read at pleasure.

Starting at about 3.8 billion years ago, we learn about the earliest-known form of life on Earth, a bacteria that still exists today, and we continue through mind-boggling millennia during which this-can't-be-possible type of life forms evolved, and we also learn about the massive extinctions that wiped out entire species, lost to us forever.

[image source: Google Books]



Prehistoric Actual Size
by Steve Jenkins


Take any fun non-fiction topic for learning that kids might be interested in, and there sure is bound to be a book by Steve Jenkins, filled with succinct kid-friendly information and gorgeous cut-paper collage illustrations.

Having read every one of Jenkins' books, the younger kid easily recognizes the format and pictures. And, I was thrilled when I heard him say that he wants to make books when he is older, just like Steve Jenkins.

Anyway, about the book: as the title says, prehistoric creatures are shown in actual size. So, a double-page spread showing the face of an eight-foot terror bird indicates that is its actual size. A foot long double-page spread of a partial millipede lets us extrapolate and gauge its 6 feet long body.

The kid liked this book so much that he had it on his wish-list for his recent birthday. And he got it. Much like last year, when he got Jenkins' Down, Down, Down for his birthday - a book that still thrills him to read when I put it back on his bookshelf for circulation.

[image source: Steve Jenkins Books]



Paleo Bugs: Survival of the Creepiest

by Timothy J. Bradley

As the subtitle states, some of the creepiest inhabitants of early Earth are showcased in this book.

Each page shows one creature with its name, how long ago it lived and some information about its possible lifestyle in its time.

Among the Sanctacaris, Meganeura, Calymene and suchlike, the kid zoomed in on a handful that impressed him, one of which is Pterygotus, a ferocious 9-foot long "sea scorpion". Possibly because Walking with... series showed their amazing adaptations.

[image source: amazon.com ]



Giant Sea Reptiles of the Dinosaur Age

by Caroline Arnold
illustrated by Laurie A. Caple

The prolific Ms.Arnold has written countless non-fiction picture books about animals. This book walks us through some of the ocean dwellers in prehistoric waters.

Starting with early sea reptiles like Nothosaurs (kid's favorite) to fish-like Ichthyosaurs to gigantic long-necked Plesiosaurs and the top predator, the Mosasaurs, the book is packed with child-friendly information.

The focus is on the Mesozoic aquatic reptiles, sharing whatever information is agreed-upon at the time of writing the book. While one creature's diet and reproduction is known, another's size and predatory habits are known.

Our favorite section was about Mary Anning, the fossil-finder.

[image source: Caroline Arnold Books]



Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure

by Marfe Ferguson Delano

A companion book to National Geographic's film of the same name, the book fascinated the kid who is partial to prehistoric sea monsters much more than land animals.

Enchodus, Styxosaurus, Caproberyx... we learn about a lot of the fantastic creatures of the time. The photo-like pictures are amazing.

The story starts by saying how Kansas, so far away from any body of water, came to have fossils of the prehistoric ocean creatures.

We are introduced to "Dolly" (Dolichorynchops osborni) and the book follows along her story and ends with how millions of years later when the sea is gone and the land is part of the vast plains of Kansas, paleontologists will find our Dolly and figure out her story.

[image source: amazon.com ]



Giant Shark: Megalodon, Prehistoric Super Predator

by Caroline Arnold
illustrated by Laurie A. Caple

Megalodon has held a certain fascination for the kid for a while and this book showcases its ferocity and its world.

Full of information - from its replaceable teeth and its babies, to theories about why the Megalodon disappeared, the book was a good read for all of us.

The only thing that bothered him about the book - at least the edition we borrowed from our library - is that on page 8, where we learn about ancient and modern sharks with a timeline showing when Megalodon lived, the text says "Invertebrates (animals without bones)". Is it animals without bones or animals without back bones?

[image source: Caroline Arnold Books]



Pterosaurs: Rulers of the Skies in the Dinosaur Age

by Caroline Arnold
illustrated by Laurie A. Caple

Another informative book by the same team, which shows the prehistoric skies criss-crossed by the flying giants.

Pterosaur fossils have been found in all continents and paleontologists are still trying to learn all they can about these magnificent avian creatures that went extinct with their terrestrial kin at the end of Mesozoic era.

As a result, the drawback of any such book is that the information is only current up to the time of publication. Naming schemes change, new fossil evidence uncovers or invalidates earlier conclusions.

However, this exceptional 40-page book takes us back to the times when Pterosaurs ruled the skies. The illustrations don't just show the details of each of the nearly two dozen creatures, but also lets us peek at what the world might have looked like at that time.

Although organized as a chapter book, this picture book with its large font and brilliant illustrations has a flowing narration that makes it an absorbing read. We learn about distinguishing features of each pterosaur, as well as its possible dietary preferences and behavior.

[image source: Caroline Arnold Books]



How Whales Walked into the Sea 
by Faith McNulty
illustrated by Ted Rand

Prehistoric sea creatures being the top favorite, Dorudon easily became a household name right along with Basilosaurus and Mosasaur and Pleisiosaur.

And, while digging deeper into Dorudon, we learnt about Ambulocetus ("ambulo" = walking, "cetus" = whale"); and came upon rhodocetus.

While searching for picture books on the topic, I came upon this absolutely wonderful book that combines scientific discoveries and facts with the story of how a four-legged mammalian creature eventually turned into a purely aquatic whale as we now know it.

Why was this so fascinating? Well, most cases we've encountered till then indicated that life originated in the oceans and finally walked out of the water to occupy the land. Whereas, this particular case shows that a land mammal walked into the ocean.

The author describes the adaptations in physique and diet for each of these stages in evolution that possibly resulted in the creature we know as whale now.

Each of the large, colorful, full-page illustration shows the ancestor of our whale with slow adaptations like shorter legs, broader feet, fusing of fingers/toes turning to flippers, broader jaw, wider tail for propelling and directing motion...

As with such books, the information is only current at the time of writing. Since its publication, through DNA studies, in addition to fossils, scientists believe the oldest known ancestor is not Mesonychid (as in this book), but is Anthracotheriidae.

This is a one-of-a-kind book, as it traces the incremental changes of just one species (whales as we now know them) while providing scientific discoveries/studies/evidence that led to this conclusion.

[image source: amazon]



National Geographic Prehistoric Mammals

by Alan Turner
illustrated by Mauricio Anton

Dinosaurs have fascinated one and all, and have been the poster-child for the prehistoric drama of life - their heft, their variety, their unchallenged reign, and their sudden extinction all adding to their enigma; and the small mammals that hid from the thundering lizards remained obscure.

This book showcases not just the well-known mammalian stars of the time, like Smilodon (sabre-toothed cat) and Mammoths (woolly, pygmy, imperial, Columbian, Jeffersonian...),  but also the massive rhino-like Indricotherium and elephantine sloth Megatherium among other megafauna.

The pictures are carefully constructed from available fossil evidence - these well-researched artist's rendition has to suffice for now as we have not enough evidence to state much about their looks and behavior for certain. The text does seem to suggest a lot of speculation, and the information is mostly superficial, but enough to get us interested in learning more about our mammalian roots.

[image source: amazon]



After the Dinosaurs: Mammoths and Fossil Mammals

(I Can Read Book 2)
by Charlotte Lewis Brown
illustrated by Phil Wilson

Perfect for Kindergarten through Lower Elementary Prehistory fans, this book introduces a variety of mammals and mammoths after the dinosaurs went extinct.

The pronunciation guide is handy and the information is presented in a child-relatable way. The detailed watercolor illustrations with each spread devoted to one animal makes it easy to flip through the pages and land on a particularly interesting one and read without feeling overwhelmed.

Browse Inside at Harper Collins

[image source: Harper Collins]


Mammoths on the Move
by Lisa Wheeler
illustrated by Kurt Cyrus

Two of my favorite people in the picture book world, not that they know me or anything, were teamed up to make this brilliant book.

Fourteen thousand years ago
the north was mostly ice and snow.
But woolly mammoths didn’t care-
these beasts had comfy coats of hair.

Thus starts this book with upbeat rhythm and catchy refrain that tell the story of these herds of woolly mammoths that traveled to warmer pastures over winter braving predators and slippery ice; only to reach there and turn back and do the trek all over again.

Crafted with wit and wordplay, the book is a pleasure to read aloud, foot-tapping optional. The illustrations are stunning, with snow and cold creeping from page to page, putting us right in the ice age, leaving us reaching for our woolly sweaters. Much like Mr.Cyrus did while creating these pictures, as the back flyleaf informs us.

Captured from various angles, especially low ones, the mammoths tower over us on the pages as they trek purposefully along, while also holding some comic postures with their trunks held high as they cross deep icy waters; their protective circle during a smilodon encounter and their jaunty motion are all rendered brilliantly to a story within a story, that Mr.Cyrus is well-known for.

[View more images at Kurt Cyrus website]

[image source: amazon]


Mammoths and Mastodons: Titans of the Ice Age

by Cheryl Bardoe

Relating the true story of how a well-preserved baby woolly mammoth was found by two Nenet brothers, Kosti and Edik, of northern Siberia, in 2007, the book intersperses the scientific process of studying the animal using modern technology with facts and relevant information as we learn more.

Baby Lyuba, the baby woolly mammoth, who died about 40,000 years ago, finally put an end to speculation and allowed us to know about these lumbering giants of the ice age. And, learning about them could help us keep our elephants from going extinct.

Colorful charts, diagrams, Proboscidean family tree, illustrations, and photographs, along with information boxes and glossary makes this an engaging read for the Upper Elementary kids.

[Activities based on the book]

[image source: amazon]

[This post written for Saffron Tree's CROCUS 2014: Prehistoric Life and Ancient Civilizaions]

Ant, Ant, Ant!: An Insect Chant

Trout, Trout, Trout!: A Fish Chant 

Ant, Ant, Ant!: An Insect Chant
by April Pulley Sayre
illustrated by Trip Park

Bird, Bird, Bird!: A Chirping Chant
by April Pulley Sayre
illustrated by Gary Locke


April Pulley Sayre is the author of many popular non-fiction animal picture books. Some of her books we liked are shared in the Non-fiction Animal Picture Books post. Her commitment to accuracy of facts and her talent with lyrical text makes many of her books popular with the kids, especially for read-aloud sessions.

What's not to love about American freshwater fish? Being in trout and salmon country here in the pacific northwest, the younger kid has been learning about fish and other sea creatures as and when they catch his fancy.

As the title says, it is a fish chant. The rhythm sets the pace, making it addictive after the second read.

Threespine Stickleback.
Freshwater Drum.
Lake Chub. Creek Chub.
Chum, chum, chum!

Sockeye salmon. Arctic Char.
Mooneye, Walleye,
Gar, gar, gar!

The book is filled with freshwater fish names some of which are quite silly - makes one wonder how they got their names. The illustrations capture this silliness of the names while not straying far from what the fish really look like. There is a certain wild humor woven into the pictures that my kids easily picked up on and enjoyed heartily.

At a certain level, it is possible to dismiss it as just a gimmick of listing names of fish in some enchanting order, but at another level, it is pretty clever and multi-layered for learning and read-aloud fun.

What's the point of a good formula, if there aren't more along the same lines, right? So, we came upon Ant, Ant, Ant!: An Insect Chant. Unlike some sequels that disappoint, this one is a winner again, at least with the 6 yo.

Employing a similar catchy rhythm, Ant, Ant, Ant! lists various insects,some of which I had never heard of until now. And by the third read, we get curious and start researching these new insects.

Billbug, bed bug,
bark beetle, bee
Painted lady butterfly,
flea, flea, flea!


Cockroach, Earwig.
Like them? Can't!
Firefly, Flower Fly,
Ant, Ant, Ant!

Again, Trip Park has cleverly integrated some subtle humor that kids pick up on. For example, one of the pictures shows an insect reading Trout, Trout, Trout! and a Perch leaps out of the water to make a cameo. Enough to make the resident 6 yo squeal with delight at the discovery.

While Bird, Bird, Bird! is not illustrated by Trip Park as with the other two books, it still has the same lilt and charm and eye-catching popping-out-of-the-book caricature-ish appeal.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker,
picture that!
Chachalaca, Chickadee,
Chat, Chat, Chat!


Kingbird, Kingfisher,
Kinglet, Kite,
Frigatebird, my word,
what a sight!

While most of the birds were familiar to us, there were quite a handful that we enjoyed learning about.

The only thing that the 6 yo objected to: The inconsistency in title of the 3rd book! While the first one is "Trout! Trout! Trout!" - a particular fish, and the second one is "Ant! Ant! Ant!" - a particular insect, the 3rd book should have been "Chat! Chat! Chat! A Chirping Chant" --OR-- Keep the 3rd the same, and the first should have been "Fish! Fish! Fish! A Bubbling Chant" and the second should have been "Insect! Insect! Insect! A Buzzing Chant" to be in alignment with "Bird! Bird! Bird! A Chirping Chant".



[Teacher's guide for Trout, Trout, Trout!]
[image source: April Pulley Sayre website]

Ten Picture Books of Animal Poems

I was planning to write separate post for "Picture Books of Bird Poems", then decided that they are animals too, so, why not just be inclusive here...

The animal poetry books are listed here in no particular order. Some are for the older readers while others are easily enjoyed by all.


Feathers
Poems about Birds
by Eileen Spinelli
illustrated by Lisa McCue

Eileen Spinelli needs no introduction. Her Polar Bear, Arctic Hare is a firm favorite in our bookshelf.

The poems in Feathers are short and lyrical, and most a quite humorous, plus all of them are delightfully entertaining and educational - we learn a little about each bird as we chuckle at the apt titles. And, we might learn a bit about the various poetic forms from Haiku to Limerick to Cinquain.

The illustrations by Lisa McCue are bright, colorful and the birds are shown quite realistically in their natural habitat.

We learn about the somewhat unfamiliar lyrebird of New Zealand and plover, the wading bird of Egypt, as well as the familiar favorites like the crow and woodpecker and weaverbird.

[image source: Eileen Spinelli's website]


Birds of a Feather
by Jane Yolen
photographs by Jason Stemple

Jane Yolen has written such a wide range of children's books from Owl Moon, How Do Dinosaurs... books, Child of Faerie, Child of Earth, to Dragon's Blood, but her poetry collections seem to be lost in the mix somehow.

In Birds of a Feather, 14 stunning up-close photographs of birds are accompanied by creative and playful poems, and a brief paragraph of facts about each bird.

Haiku for a Cool Kingfisher

Hey, girl, fish lover,
Sitting on the dead gray tree,
Love the blue Mohawk.

With clever titles like Solitary Wood Duck, terns Galore, Regal Eagle, Cedar Waxwings Unmasked, we learn about the birds as much from the facts box as from the poem itself.

The poems probably will appeal to older children better as they can probably get some of the nuances.

[image source: google books]


Omnibeasts
Animal Poems and Paintings
by Douglas Florian

It looks like anything we get interested in, we invariably find a book by the prolific Mr.Florian!

As always, the illustrations are appealing. The poems are short and funny and quirky and weird at times. To give an example, there is one about Jaguarundi (a.k.a eyra cat native to Central and South America)

The jaguarundi hunts by day
Then sleeps inside its lair
And when it wakes it likes to play
In jaguarundi-wear

Sure to incite peals of laughter in the young. How can one go wrong with the "underwear" motif :)

Of course, not all of the poems are as silly. We learn about each animals as we take the poems in, one by one, wondering, Are these for real? 

Between the Jaguarundi, the Skink, and the Blenny, the fairly uncommon animals are covered. We also encounter the usual suspects like the cheetah, the porcupine, the armadillo, the bat, the tiger, the boar; and, some of the unusual like the mayfly, the daddy longlegs, and the chihuahua.

All in all, a fun read. The kind of book that brings joy to adults and kids alike. (At least in our household. And, at least for this adult.)

Also by Florian that we enjoyed: Mammalabilia, Beast Feast, and On The Wing.

[image source: scholastic]



National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry
200 Poems with Photographs That Squeak, Soar, and Roar!
edited by J.Patrick lewis

Essentially, this is a photo book. Full of breathtaking animal photos that we've come to expect from National Geographic.

And, it is also a magnificent poetry book. From thoughtful to playful, from silly to evocative, from classic to modern, the book presents poems by such poets as Emily Dickinson, Rober Frost, Lord Tennyson, J.Patrick Lewis, Jane Yolen, X.J.Kennedy, Georgia Heard, Jack Prelutsky, John Ciardi, to name a few.

The book starts with a section called "Welcome to the World."  The rest of the book is presented in sections titled "The Big Ones," "The Little Ones," "The Winged Ones," "The Water Ones," "The Strange Ones," "The Noisy Ones," and "The Quiet Ones," the book showcases a wide array of animals that naturally fit in each category. A section called "Final Thought" concludes the book.

Not all poems in an anthology can appeal equally. We pick and choose and relish what resonates with us. Considering there are 200 poems in this anthology, at least a few are sure to leave a lasting impression in the young minds.

[image source: National Geographic]


Animal Poems
by Valerie Worth
illustrated by Steve Jenkins

Twenty-three poems by Valerie Worth are presented in this posthumous collection of free verses that capture the qualities of each of the animals featured - from wasp to wren, jellyfish to star-nosed mole, porcupine to tiny snail, humming bird to blue whale.

The poems are rather sophisticated and may elude the very young. But, what might hold their attention is Steve Jenkins' stunning trademark cut-paper collage art work. That's the primary reason the younger child reached for this book, not the poems themselves as his leanings are towards Kenn Nesbitt's style.


[image source: MacMillan]


A Gopher in the Garden, and Other Animal Poems
by Jack Prelutsky
illustrations by Robert Leydenfrost

The Snake

Don't ever make
the bad mistake
of stepping on snake

because
his jaws

might be awake.

The Multilingual Mynah Bird, The Bengal Tiger, The Giggling Gaggling Gaggle of Geese, Do Not Confuse the Brindled Gnu are some of the teasing titles; and there are the usual The Owl, The Ostrich, The Rabbit etc.

Scramble was an instant favorite as the first stanza probably indicates why:

If the zebra were given the spots of the leopard
and the leopard the stripes of the zebra,
then the leopard would have to be renamed the zeopard,
and the zebra retitled the libra.

[image source: personal photograph]


Animal Mischief Poems
by Rob Jackson
illustrations by Laura Jacobsen

Words made up just to rhyme are tricky especially for the young whose vocabulary is still growing and they are trying to figure out if it is a "real" word or not. At the same time, thanks to Dr.Seuss' bold approach, such new words do work when done right, in a funny context.

The poems in this book are delightful and informative. Take for example Camels:

Consider now the dromedary,
Domesticated desert ferry
Piled high with heavy crates
It loses up to half its weight
Especially when dinner's late.

So far so good, but the next two lines are visually entertaining as the letters are arranged to show two humps in the first line and one hump in the second lines:

While other camels have two humps on their bactrian
The dromedary has just one, an interesting factrian.

"bactrian" and "factrian" is easily a giggle inducer for the 7/8 year olds who probably know this fact by now.

The one I liked, titled What's in a Name? wonders if the animals were named by men? Take for example the penguins - why are they King Penguins and Emperor Penguins and not Queen and Empress? And what about Gentoo - can we rename it in the sense of the ladies and not the gents?

Sidewinder was another appealing one because of its concrete/shape poetry format - the words are arranged on the page resembling the snaky zigzags of the creature stating, "If you've never seen a side winder, its track in sand will help you find her."

The illustrations complement the light-hearted poems well.

[image source: amazon.com]


Animal poems of the Iguazú poems
by Francisco X Alarcón
illustrations by Maya Christina Gonzalez

This bilingual poetry book is a treat to read, with side by side placement of Spanish original and English translation. The indigenous Guarani people have been fascinated with the Iguazú waterfalls in the northeastern part of Argentina. The author shares that he wrote these poems in a small notebook during his visits there - many of the plants and animal species are in serious danger of extinction and he hopes that these poems will motivate us to take action to protect and preserve the wild Iguazú  area.

The English version is simple, not heavy on rhyme or meter, mostly free verse, short and yet with a refreshing take. Example, Yacaré (Caiman):
on the rocks
of the Iguazú river
I'll always lie
under the sun
a smiling happy
caiman.

[Preview on Google]

[image source: Powells books]



There's a Babirusa in my Bathtub
Fact and Fancy about Curious Creatures
by Maxine Rose Schur
illustrated by Michael S. Maydak

You've heard of cats and you've heard of bats / And giraffes and zebras, of course.

Starts the book. And goes on to say, But outside the zoo what would you do / with an animals you didn't know? / Do you think you'd be frightened? / Or want to be enlightened? / If so... turn these pages and go!

And on page one, we encounter Babirusa. With the poem in one column and facts in the other, each page is a treat to read. And the picture accompanying it is realistically presented in the animal's natural habitat. Plus, there is a short paragraph of Fabulous Fact. "To prove who is the strongest, male babirusas stand on their hind legs and box each other."

Babirusa, Civet, Colugo, Jerboa,Kinkajou, Matamata, Tamandua, are some of the featured animals! Fairly uncommon and easily interesting.

Back of the book has activities based on the book. The popular one at home is the Hidden Picture challenge. Each page of illustration has something concealed in it - something alluded to in the poem. There's also a phonics and phonemic awareness activity. Also, an exercise to pick an animal from the list given, research them, and write an acrostic poem about its characteristics.

This is easily my top favorite so far for the format, the choice of animals, and the supplemental activities at the back. It is geared towards slightly older children, possibly Upper Elementary level.

[Preview at Dawn - click on the cover to look inside]

[image source: Dawn publications]


Alphabestiary (anthology)
collected  by Jane Yolen
illustrated by Allan Aitzen


As Jane Yolen shares in her blog, it is a labor of love - a collection 72 of kid-friendly animal poems from A to Z.

From Robert Louis Stevenson, Lilian Moore, Jack Prelutsky, John Ciardi, to Hilaire Belloc, Christina Rosseti, Ogden Nash, we encounter many familiar poets whose works we admire as adults and are eager to introduce to our kids.

In any A to Z presentation, it is tough to find something for Q, X, Y, Z, but Jane Yolen has rounded up quite a few for us.

[image source: Multcolib]

Also shared earlier:

Hotel Deep

Around the World on Eighty Legs

Cat Poems

Imaginary Menagerie