Animals in Surprising Shades: Poems About Earth’s Colorful Creatures
By Susan Johnston Taylor, Interior Illustrations by Annie Bakst
Rosy pinks, regal blues, radiant greens Adorn birds, bugs, snails, slugs. Instead of paint on canvas, Nature colors feathers, fur, skin, scales. But if some see these creatures as Oddball or off-the-wall, Why not delight in their whimsy and wonder?
For young poets who love science and young scientists who love poetry, this thoughtful collection of poems about fascinating and colorful creatures found throughout the world invites readers to linger and wonder on every page. Learn why the Blue-footed Booby puts on a special dance or how the Picasso Bug uses its masterful chemical defense against predators. Explore simple and fun poetic forms like the tanka, haiku, and quatrain. Just be sure to take good notes! An interactive component rewards practicing poets seeking to challenge themselves further. 6-10 years
Cricket in the Thicket: Poems About Bugs
By Carol Murray, Illustrated by Melissa Sweet
Pray tell us, Mr. Mantis, Do you pray or simply prey? Do you scout about for victims Or fold your hands all day?
In addition to the playful rhyming poems, the supplementary text highlights surprising facts about bugs of all kinds―from familiar ants to exotic dragonflies, cringe-worthy ticks and magnificent fireflies. Melissa Sweet’s collage-inspired mixed-media illustrations beautifully render these creatures and compliment the poems’ whimsical tones. This is an fun and informative look at a perennial topic of interest for kids―cool bugs! 6-10 years
The Dirt Book: Poems About Animals That Live Beneath Our Feet
By David L. Harrison, Illustrated by Kate Cosgrove
Chipmunk, for such a little squirt you sure do move a lot of dirt, you sure do dig your tunnels deep, you sure do find some nuts to keep, you sure do know your underground. Chipmunk, you sure do get around.
Illustrating life underground, 15 funny, fascinating poems explore dirt and the many creatures that make their homes underground. Spiders, earthworms, ants, chipmunks and more crawl across the pages, between stretching roots and buried stones. This celebration of dirt– what makes it, what lives in it, and the many wonderful things the soil does to support life on our planet– is a whimsical illustrated pick for kids who love animals… or who just love playing in the mud. 5-9 years
Commotion in the Ocean
By Giles Andreae, Illustrated by David Wojtowycz
This collection of poems includes fun rhymes about the creatures who live in and around the ocean. Children will enjoy the snappy poems and colorful illustrations about whales, walruses, penguins, polar bears, stingrays, and sharks. 2-4 years
National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry: 200 Poems with Photographs That Squeak, Soar, and Roar
Selected by U.S. Children’s Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis and paired with vibrant animal photography, this collection of poems is a celebration of the animal kingdom and an introduction to poetry.
Divided into chapters that group the poems by theme, 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) 4-8 years
After Dark: Poems About Nocturnal Animals
By David L. Harrison, Illustrated by Stephanie Laberis
This collection of twenty-two poems explores the fascinating lives of North American nocturnal animals.
When the sun goes down, many animals come out. Crickets chirp their crickety song hoping to attract a mate. Cougars bury their leftovers for later, leaving few clues for others to follow. Armadillos emerge from their dens to dig for worms, leaving holes in the lawns they disturb. This collection of poetry from children’s author and poet David L. Harrison explores the lives of animals who are awake after dark. Stephanie Laberis’s atmospheric illustrations will draw in readers, and extensive back matter offers more information about each animal. 5-9 years
Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright: An Animal Poem for Each Day of the Year
By Fiona Waters, Illustrated by Britta Teckentrup
Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright! is a lovely illustrated collection of 366 animal poems—one for every day of the year. Filled with favorites and new discoveries written by a wide variety of poets, including William Blake, Christina Rosetti, Carl Sandburg, Grace Nichols, Matsuo Basho, Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve, Lewis Carroll, Emily Dickinson, and many more. This is the perfect book for children (and grown-ups!) to share at the beginning or end of the day. 3-7 years
The book descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and/or leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
