A welcome companion to A Zooful of Animals (1978): 45 poems, from sources old and new, many of them spread over several pages as Munsinger elaborates on the humor in loving detail. Whether capturing the bemused expressions of a kangaroo and an opossum comparing notes on being marsupials, following the comical disasters in Daniel Pettiward's ``Pets,'' or presenting A. B. Paterson's lonely ``Old Man Platypus,'' she brings imagination, a perceptive eye, and warm good humor to her appealing pen and watercolor illustrations. Cole has rounded up a fine supply of poems, mostly humorous; a few provide a welcome challenge with their vocabulary and intricate rhythms (e.g., Geoffrey Dearmer's ``The Giraffe,'' which merrily echoes W. S. Gilbert); most have a more immediate popular appeal. A winning collection. (Note: as is customary, the acknowledgments serve the legalities but frustrate the reader who cares about sources. Dates would be nice; so would designating poems first published here.) Index. (Poetry/Picture book. 3-10)
Pub Date: April 1, 1992
ISBN: 0-395-52278-1
Page Count: 88
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1992
BOOK REVIEW
Meet an alphabet of classroom pets in Sierra’s (The Dancing Pig, 1999, etc.) collection of quirky, entertaining verses. There’s a moose who doubles as a coat rack, Claude the feline acrobat, and Polly the Parrot, who is sent to the principal for inappropriate language. A class of unflappable children and teachers eagerly adopts each animal. Saltzberg’s cartoon-like illustrations, done in pencil, watercolor, and color pencil, nicely complement the action. The animals and children interact in a variety of settings that include a science fair and several field trips. However, the illustrations do not convey personalities. Facial features vary only slightly and expressions of emotion do not vary at all. In each illustration all characters display the same bland smiles, frowns, or looks of mild surprise. Several of Sierra’s verses suffer from uneven meters that interfere with the flow of the poems, and such tortured rhymes as “carpenter/sharpener” and “not/caught.” There is much to like about this book, some very funny concepts, in fact, but there are other collections of animal poetry that are ultimately more satisfying. (Picture book/poetry. 5-8)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-15-202033-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2000
A collection of 16 poems, in picture-book format, by the well-respected poet and anthologist examines the journey in its broadest form—the outward, the inner, the metaphorical, as well as journeys in time and space. The poems vary in their accessibility and the addition of one of Nye’s memorable Forwards might have brought clarity to a group of poems that are intrinsically elusive (The Space Between Our Footsteps, 1998, etc.). Many are abstract and mysterious, full of subtle, teasing ideas to turn over in the mind. Pondering and reflecting are invited and required. One of the most accessible and successful is “Mad,” which fixes on the universal tension in the mother-daughter relationship, beginning: “I got mad at my mother / so I flew to the moon,” and ends “My mother sent up a silver thread / for me to slide down on. / She knows me so well. / She knows I like silver.” Although the poems are somewhat somber in tone, they are filled with a calm strength and a quiet sense of wonder when read aloud. Reading aloud also underscores the ineluctability of each perfectly chosen word. The small detail of page numbers placed on small torn pieces of map and the art’s strong linearity are appropriate to the journey theme. However, the collage and mixed-media illustrations fail to extend the text and threaten to overwhelm the delicate mood set by the quiet words and insinuated ideas. The saturated palette, strong line showing hasty brush strokes and the bold composition seem at odds with the poet’s rather pensive intent. But when Nye issues an invitation, “Come with me / To the quiet between two noisy minutes . . .” it is always worth the trip. (Nonfiction/Poetry. 8-10)
Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2000
ISBN: 0-688-15946-X
Page Count: 32
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2000
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