Book of Animal Poetry
(National Geographic)

Author

J Patrick Lewis

Publication Date

September 11, 2012

Genre / Grade Band

Non-fiction / 4^th − 5^th

Language

English

Format

Anthology

Includes Photographs

Book of Animal Poetry (National Geographic)

Hardcover

Description

Lovingly selected by U.S. Children's Poet Laureate 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. Full color.

Named one of the top Children's Books of 2012 by the New York Public Library!
"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." --School Library Journal starred review

"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)

Publication date

September 11, 2012

Genre

Non-fiction

ISBN-13

9781426310096

Guided Reading Level

Publisher

National Geographic Kids

Series

National Geographic

BISAC categories

JNF042000 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Poetry | General
JNF003000 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Animals | General

Library of Congress categories

Animals

Publishers Weekly

Starred Review

Gorgeous, full-bleed photographs of wild and domesticated animals accompany animal-focused poems ranging from classic works to the writings of modern children's poets. Lewis creates compelling juxtapositions on each page--the Navajo poem "Song of a Bear" appears next to Jane Yolen's "Grandpa Bear's Lullaby," and a dense school of Bali sardines, described as "ballerinas of the blue" in the accompanying haiku, almost resemble a shimmering tutu. The tone can vary from silly to sublime and sad: "Those who saw the buffaloes are gone./ And the buffaloes are gone," laments Carl Sandburg's "Buffalo Dusk." The imagery and verse delight in equal parts in this engrossing celebration of animals in nature, the backyard, and in the imagination. Ages 4-8. (Sept.)

School Library Journal

Starred Review

Gr 1-5--A captivating collection of interesting, educational, and entertaining poems. Most of the selections are by famous poets-Dickinson, Nash, Kipling, Whitman-but some are by lesser-known writers. Gorgeous, close-up color photographs accompany the poems, which feature every conceivable type of creature-owls, giraffes, horses, anteaters, snakes, etc. The photos correspond well with the specific animal being discussed, giving young readers a visual aid. A detailed table of contents is broken down by type of animal rather than alphabetically or even by species. For example, the category "The Big Ones" includes elephants and bears, and "The Strange Ones" features meerkats and seahorses. Lewis sings the praises of the diversity of the animal world in his introduction, and his "final thought" urges children to not only learn about animals and celebrate them, but also to respect them and the Earth in general. A special section on how to write poems highlights a few of the different forms. Selections are indexed by title, poet, first line, and subject, allowing for ease of navigation. This visually stunning book is sure to delight nature lovers everywhere.--Rita Meade, Brooklyn Public Library, NY

J Patrick Lewis

U.S. children's poet laureate for 2011-2013, J. PATRICK LEWIS is the author of more than fifty books of poetry for children, which find their shape in both free and formal verse and engage a wide range of subjects from history to mathematics, Russian folklore to the animal kingdom. His books for children include New York Times Best Illustrated Book The Last Resort (2002, illustrated by Roberto Innocenti and translated into more than a dozen languages) and The Shoe Tree of Chagrin (2001, illustrated by Chris Sheban), which won the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators' Golden Kite Award. His children's poetry has been widely anthologized, and his contributions to children's literature have been recognized with the 2011 Poetry Award from the National Council of Teachers of English and the Ohioana Awards' 2004 Alice Louise Wood Memorial Prize.

Cybils

Finalist 2012 - 2012

Children's Book Committee Award

Winner 2013 - 2013

Beehive Awards

Winner 2015 - 2015

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