Curious Creatures, Wild Minds part seven, Poetry Portraits

Curious Creatures, Wild Minds

Dogs and Cats and Bears and Bats
Jack Prelutsky

Mammals are a varied lot;
some are furry, some are not;
many come equipped with tails;
some have quills, a few have scales.

Some are large, and other small;
some are quick, while others crawl;
they prance on land, they swing from trees;
they're underground and in the seas.

Some have hooves, and some have paws;
some have fangs in snapping jaws;
some will snarl if you come near;
others quickly disappear.

Dogs and cats and bears and bats,
all are mammals, so are rats;
whales are mammals, camels too;
I'm a mammal ... so are YOU!

From: The Walker book of Poetry for Children page 52

Here is a pdf of this whole book Curious Creatures. I especially like the poem The Fly. There are fifteen poems about curious creatures in this book. Filled with humorous and thought-provoking poems, this collection introduces young readers to some of the world's oddest animals including the earthworm, the echidna, the flying paradise snake of Borneo, and Western Australia's quokka.

This is Home. In this book you might enjoy reading Triantiwontigonglope by CJ Dennis. Here is a video of this famous poem. Here is a set of questions from the State Library of NSW.

Winter Bees and other poems of the cold.  Here is a set of teachers notes from the author. In this outstanding picture book collection of poems by Newbery Honor-winning poet, Joyce Sidman, discover how animals stay alive in the wintertime and learn about their secret lives happening under the snow. Paired with stunning linoleum print illustrations by Rick Allen, that celebrate nature's beauty and power.

Here is the Kirkus Star review for this book. Guess Who, Haiku is a unique poetic guessing game illustrated by bestselling and beloved artist Bob Shea. Author Deanna Caswell’s playful take on the inventive Japanese form of poetry offers clues about the creatures hiding on every page in this creative and clever picture book of charmingly illustrated poems for the very young. As readers meet a cow, a bee, a horse, a bird, a frog, a fish, a mouse, a cat, and a dog, they will be delighted to learn that they are the subject of the final poem. Parents will appreciate the simple guide to understanding the haiku.

From leaping, flying fish to dancing butterflies, and camels that "trollop along," Eric Carle's brilliant and colorful collage designs bring to life animal poems from such diverse sources as Shakespeare, Lewis Carroll, Rudyard Kipling, Emily Dickinson, and Jack Prelutsky, as well as Bible verses, Japanese haiku, American Indian poems and more. 

Each of the exquisite twenty-three poems in this posthumous collection by Valerie Worth carefully distinguishes one animal from all other creatures and captures it in all of its wonderful singularity – from wasp to snake to wren. The way Worth perfectly illuminates the uniqueness of each animal in her precise and elegant free verse will delight both fans of her celebrated Small Poems and readers encountering her poetry for the first time. Breathtakingly rich cut-paper illustrations by Steve Jenkins provide a perfect counterpoint to Worth's spare style, and together poetry and picture bring every animal vividly to life.

Lois Ehlert is at her Ogden-Nashian best in this lively collection of poems about animal camouflage and adornment. Birds and beasts from all walks of the animal kingdom are gathered here, beautifully illustrated in Lois's signature bold and bright collage style.

Another stunning lift-the-flap book introducing children to Australia s nocturnal animals in a delightful guessing game. Some of the eyes that stare out of the dark are endangered, making the book educational as well as fun. Detailed fauna facts for parents and teachers are also included. 


Insect
by Tony Mitton 

Inspect 
an insect
and you'll see
how perfect
it can be.

Listen 
and hear
the tiny song
it sings,

as bits of rainbow 
glisten
on its wings.

From: I am the seed that grew the tree, Nosy Crow, 2018.  page 160.
If you haven't seen this poetry book I highly recommend it as an essential edition for every primary school library.

Previous posts for Curious Creatures, Wild Minds

1. The Giraffe - a curious creature in Paris
2. Guessing game
3. Emotions - is your dog really smiling?
4. Our Platypus - UK Scientists thought this creature was a hoax
5. ABC - listing all those endangered and curious creatures
6. Collective Nouns