KIWI Magazine Review:
I can only disagree with National Geographic on one aspect of this book of poetry—it’s for all ages, including adults. Why should kids have all of the fun?
I love poetry and I love animals. When you combine National Geographic’s remarkable photography of animals from gazelles to sloths, this book can barely be pried from my grasp from my kids. I want a copy for each kid, myself, each classroom, the school library, and one for the car. The rich volume has poems worth remembering by heart, and images that will never leave your heart.
Book Description
Publication Date: September 11, 2012 | Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up
“Out of a windless August night/A luna moth in ghostly light
Beat softly on my window screen/Tick-tick-ticking-all silver green.
She whispered secrets in my ear—/I am but a stranger here.
The stars are scrawled across the sky/By ghostwriters, the Moon and I.
You will not see me here tonight—/I have a thousand stars to write.”
What could be better than cuddling up with your child and this book on your lap and allowing your imaginations to soar with the words and images? Lovingly selected by U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis and paired with vibrant animal photography, this collection of poems is an exuberant celebration of the animal kingdom and a beautiful introduction to this genre of literature. Designed for family sharing but targeted to ages 4-8, this dynamic, fresh, yet still classic collection of animal poems is a must-have for the family bookshelf.
Featured poets include J. Patrick Lewis, Dorothy Aldis, Emily Dickinson, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Frost, Rudyard Kipling, Jack Prelutsky, Elizabeth Madox Roberts, Robert Louis Stevenson, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, and many more.
Divided into chapters that group the poems by theme for extra resonance, the collection is a mix of old and new, classics, and never-before-published. A foreword from Lewis, sets the scene for helping children appreciate this gift of language and this visual feast for the eyes. Chapters include:
- Welcome to the World (birth of animal young)
- Big Ones (large animals–elephants, hippos, rhinos, bears)
- Little Ones (small animals–worms, insects)
- Winged Ones (birds and other flying creatures)
- Water Ones (aquatic animals–fish, dolphins, crabs)
- Strange Ones (curious creatures–armadillos, centipedes)
- Noisy Ones (loud animals–lions, hyenas)
- Quiet Ones (silent or still animals–hens, rabbits, snakes)
- Last Thought (a reflection on the world we share with animals)
