MotherReader

I've mentioned this book before as being a perfect present for a child or a teacher gift for the classroom. In booktalking, I showcased the title as being a way to read a book in the smaller bits of poetry. I opened it up to show several of the stunning photographs, and read a few poems.

National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry: 200 Poems with Photographs That Squeak, Soar, and Roar!
Complied by J. Patrick Lewis
National Geographic, 2012
If you are looking to dip into a book this summer, try a poetry collection. And if you are trying a poetry collection, don't miss this one. It combines the amazing photographs that National Geographic is famous for with poems about animals from known poets. There are serious poems and silly ones. Long and short... as little as the three lined haiku of the sandpiper: "Frantic sandpiper/ high tides erasing/ her footnotes." Here's one I particularly like:

About the Teeth of Sharks

The thing about shark teeth is - teeth,
One row above, one row beneath.
Now take a close look. Do you find
It has another row behind?
Still closer - here, I'll hold your hat:
Has it a thrid row behind that?
Now look in and.... Look out! Oh my,
I'll never know now! Well, goodbye.
- Jon Ciardi

Poetry Friday is hosted today at The Poem Farm.