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Summary
Summary
First published in 1997 and unavailable for three years, this ALA Notable Book of 200 poems for animal lovers is now being reissued with a price lowered from $22.95 to $19.95. Culled by Jack Prelutsky from the works of more than 100 highly acclaimed poets of the twentieth century, here is a poetic parade of the animal kingdom that ranges from the lowly earthworm to the majestic whale and just about every creature in between. Some of the poems are playful and funny; others are insightful and thoughtful--but all are brief and fun to read aloud. Whether by Ogden Nash or Seamus Heaney, William Carlos Williams or Marianne Moore, the striking images of each poem are captured in the deft brushstrokes, sure sense of color, and lyrical compositions of Meilo So, a brilliant young watercolorist.The Beauty of the Beastis a big, joyous book offering lasting value. Altogether, it is a beautiful gift for the whole family to treasure, grow with, and cherish. Complete with author and title indexes.
Author Notes
For 30 years, Jack Prelutsky 's inventive poems have inspired legions of children to fall in love with poetry. His outrageously silly poems have tickled even the most stubborn funny bones, while his darker verses have spooked countless late-night readers. His award-winning books include Tyrannosaurus Was a Beast , The Dragons Are Singing Tonight , The Random House Book of Poetry for Children , and The Beauty of the Beast .
While attending a Bronx, New York, grade school, Prelutsky took piano and voice lessons and was a regular in school shows. Surprisingly, Prelutsky developed a healthy dislike for poetry due to a teacher who "left me with the impression that poetry was the literary equivalent of liver. I was told it was good for me, but I wasn't convinced."
In his early twenties, Prelutsky spent six months drawing imaginary animals in ink and watercolor. One evening, he wrote two dozen short poetry verses to accompany each drawing. A friend encouraged him to show them to an editor, who loved his poems (although not his artwork!) and urged him to keep writing. Prelutsky listened and he is still busy writing.
Jack Prelutsky lives on Mercer Island in Washington with his wife, Carolynn.
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 5Bewarethis book may let a zoo loose in your library! These poems are alive, from one set of endpapers to the other. Prelutsky has selected a remarkable array of poems full of movement and sound from primarily English and American contemporary writers, proving that he has as good an ear for other poets' work as he does for his own. Each page has several poems and bright watercolors that writhe with texture. From an explosion of insect color to a steady wintery stream of reindeer, Meilo So's illustrations lend a different mood to each spread and bind the selections more securely than paper and thread. Almost overwhelming at times, the pictures force readers to take it slow: this is a collection to savor for years, either as a read-alone or read-aloud. A well-designed, comprehensive, and satisfying book, this is certainly a superlative collection. Of smaller breadth, Ann Carter's Birds Beasts and Fishes (Macmillan, 1991) contains completely different poems in the same style, and complements this one nicely. In sound and sight, this book is a beauty.Nina Lindsay, Vista School, Albany, CA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
Whether you are looking for a poem about a mosquito or a polar bear, this collection of over two hundred entries is sure to please. Divided into sections for insects, fish, reptiles, birds, and mammals, the poems by twentieth-century poets represent a variety of styles, from haiku to humorous to thoughtful. The expressive watercolors capture the animals and make this a most attractive volume. Ind. From HORN BOOK 1997, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Gr. 3^-7. The pictures will draw children into this large-size anthology, and then, perhaps, browsers will stop and read some of the great poetry. The double-page-spread watercolors are gorgeous, expressing both the fragility and the fluid, darting energy that is the collection's theme. Popular children's poet and anthologist Prelutsky has collected more than 200 animal poems by twentieth-century writers, loosely arranged into five sections--insects and worms, fish, reptiles, birds, and mammals--with a new Prelutsky poem opening each section. The poets include Hoberman, Lawrence, Worth, Jarrell, Roethke, and many more. On each spread, there are several poems about a particular animal or group of animals. The illustrations can be overwhelming, especially when the text is printed on a colored background of sea or sky or undergrowth. The pages that work best have lots of white space; one of the most beautiful includes poetry about crows set around a picture of a flickering landscape in shades of black, white, and brown, with bare trees and fields and birds: here words and pictures evoke the energy of the natural world and its enduring grace. A Book-of-the-Month Club and a Junior Library Guild selection. --Hazel Rochman
