Poetry Picture Books

On my latest visit to the public library I wandered by the 811 section and decided to check a few out.


Dinothesaurus: Prehistoric Poems and Paintings by Douglas Florian
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

OOPS! How did I get behind on his books? I love his poetry!
I wish I could write poetry that didn't sound like a pathetic teenager.
Here is one short snippet about the Troodon ...

"Said to be brainy.
Said to be bright.
But what did it read?
And what did it write?"

Or here's one that shares some info on the Stegosaurus ...

"Ste-go-SAUR-us
Her-bi-VOR-ous
Dined on plants inside the forest.
Bony plates grew on its back,
Perhaps to guard it from attack."

Must add this to our collection. And quick!

Poetrees by Douglas Florian
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Another one I will have to get ... would be fun to add to a plant study.
One of my favorites?

"Ancient seers
Of three thousand years.
Heavenly high.
Friends to the sky.
Spongy thick bark.
Large as an ark.
Gargantuan girth.
Anchored in earth.
Grow by degrees
To world's tallest trees.
Never destroy a
______________ _________________."

PS The blanks are not in the real poem. Can you guess what they are?

Also loved the ones about Paper Birch and Yews. In the interest of full disclosure I'm not as big a fan of the art in this book as his others but that's OK. The poetry is still beautiful.

Vulture View by April Pulley Sayre
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Four or four point five for Steve Jenkin's illustrations. I love his artistic style.
And maybe even four for the text. It's nice and easy to read and beautifully written.

Only ... really? Why a book about vultures?
Oh, yes. Because kids are fascinated by gross or super ugly things.


Can You Dig It? by Robert Weinstock
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

If I hadn't read this one the same day as Dinothesaurus: Prehistoric Poems and Paintings it probably would have gotten three stars ... because some of them really are cute.
Just not quite at Douglas Florian's level.
A possible purchase though I think in the end it would be used more for browsing. Not as much lesson possibility in it.


Dear Hot Dog by Mordicai Gerstein
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I liked some more than others but on the whole this was a great book of poetry that kids will enjoy.

Because come on. It's July. Haven't we all had (or at least craved?) that perfect hot dog?
Or on the other end of the spectrum ... experienced the joy of fuzzy socks on a cold winter day?


Hallowilloween: Nefarious Silliness from Calef Brown by Calef Brown
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked this one ... but I felt the quality of the poems was all over the map. Some were really fun and the rhythm "worked" ... whiles others felt more than a little forced.

My favorite might have to be the Oompachupa Loompacabra. Or maybe the Lonestar Witches.


bow wow meow meow: it's rhyming cats and dogs by Douglas Florian
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I like Douglas Florians work and I think the kids would really like this one just for the subject matter. So four stars for that.


Only ... it should really be called more BIG cats and dogs. Cause that part seemed a little off ... poems about pet dogs and then poems about ocelots and lions and panthers.

My favorite? Probably The Chihuahua.

"Chihuahua seems a sorry sight:
So small in stature, weight, and height.
But it can bark a brouhaha:
Chi-hua! hua! hua! hua! hua!"


PS He actually had the proper upside down exclamation points in the last line. I just am too lazy to figure out how to put them in here in Goodreads. ;]

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