ABOUT THIS BOOK: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC BOOK OF ANIMAL POETRY
Edited BY j.Patrick Lewis
If I could go anywhere,
here’s what I’d do,
I’d pop in the pouch of a kind
kangaroo.
I’d travel around for as long
as I pleased,
And learn to say “thank you”
in Kangarooese.
—Bobbi Katz
This selection of poems is designed for family sharing. The poems selected by Mr. Lewis are perfect for ages 3 – 8. You’ll be able to pick the level of sophistication that is right for your child. The collection contains classics from poets such as Emily Dickinson and Lewis Carroll to contemporary humorists Jack Prelutsky and John Ciardi.
The awards and citations are numerous, such as: National Council of the Teachers of English “Excellence in Poetry for Children” Award, one of the New York Public Library’s top Children’s Books of 2012, and Best Poetry Book of 2012 by Bank Street Books. I love this quote from the School Library Journal:
“Add a little natural wonder to your poetry shelves. Because if we’re talking
about the best possible compliment to your eyes and ears alike, few have
as many perks and grand moments as this.”
As you turn each page you are greeted with brilliant photographs of animals in their natural habitats. The photos range from humorous to thought-provoking and from polliwogs to elephants. The book is divided into nine sections. The sections aren’t divided in traditional ways, such as insects and mammals. You’ll find sections titled: the big ones, the little ones, the winged ones, and the water ones. Each section is about fifteen to twenty pages.
The entire book contains over 200 poems. Each National Geographic photo is a full page with one to three poems about the animal that is pictured. The poetry includes forms such as: lyric poetry, haiku, free verse, and concrete. This wide range of poetic structure leads to the Reading Comprehension Best Practice: Text Structure. The Second Reading will offer suggestions on how to use the structure of the poem to facilitate reading.
Quoting from the Introduction by Mr. Lewis: “This book is not for reading straight through. Pick it up anytime. Choose a poem and then read it out loud. You’ll want your ears to have as much fun as your mouth is having.”
When you order this book, order multiple copies to give as great gifts! For an adult who loves poetry or an educator given the pleasure of teaching poetry, the resources in the back of the book are rich and efficiently organized. It’s got everything!
Last Updated on Tuesday, 25 March 2014 09:55