Three children's poetry books about nature with reviews from a five-year-old

Children's poetry books about aspect of nature

Today I am highlighting three children's poetry books about nature with review input from Ian, a five-year-old boy. 

At the Pond by David Elliott, illustrated by Amy Schimler-Safford

 

When the red-winged blackbird sings its friendly song, a new day has begun for all the animals who live in it and around its watery edges. The friendly duck family, the mysterious water striders, and the busy beaver are a few of the many animals included in this poetic tribute to the ecosystem of the pond. At the Pond brings readers to the pond’s sun-dappled shores, pairing David Elliott’s witty and enchanting animal poems with Amy Schimler-Safford’s luminous and evocative scenes of pond life. Back matter notes about the animals and plants will further captivate young nature lovers. (Publisher)

I honestly thought of the three books here that Ian would like this one best. As it turns out the only poems where he seemed to connect were two -- one about pollywogs and another about water snakes. When we got to the poem about the beavers, which I knew he'd like, he announced that he liked snakes better than beavers. Based on his reaction, I'd say Ian would rate this book with 3 stars. After reading this aloud to Ian and noting his reaction, I amend my initial rating down to 4 stars.

 

Alaska is for the Birds!: Fourteen Favorite Feathered Friends. Poems by Susan Ewing, illustrated by Evon Zerbetz

 

Playfully told in quick, witty verses and illustrated with gorgeously colored linocut art, Alaska is for the Birds! features 14 feathered friends found across Alaska. Willow Ptarmigan, Belted Kingfisher, Tufted Puffin, Bald Eagle—these are only a few of the incredible birds found in the cold wilds of Alaska. Explore the forest tops and open sea as you learn about residents like the Great Horned Owl, migrants like the Arctic Tern, and everything in between—from seabirds, shorebirds, and wading birds to songbirds, upland birds, and raptors. Included at the back of the book is a glossary, plus more information about each of the birds mentioned. (Publisher)

 

Ian seemed to be delighted with Alaska is for Birds! He is a junior ornithologist, after all! When I turned to page for the bird featured on the cover, Ian pointed and told me that bird was a puffin. Later we had to watch a video about sandpipers as their 'murmuration' swept the sky. Neither of us knew what that word meant until we read this book. It is when birds fly closely together, shifting back and forth as if they are one being. Ian was most interested in the poems about birds he knew -- the bald eagle, the great horned owl, and the rufous hummingbird -- but the poems about all the birds delighted us both. We both rate this book with 5 stars.

 

Behold Our Magical Garden: Poems Fresh From a School Garden by Allan Wolf, illustrated by Daniel Duncan

There’s a lot more to gardens than meets the eye! In this collection of poems filled with fun facts, young nature enthusiasts and budding gardeners are called on to help solve a mystery by the compost bin, join a Wild West–style standoff between some good bugs and a few bad ones, interview the sun to find out what happens when it drinks a glass of water, and learn the fancy names of plants to spice up dinner conversation. They’ll be spurred to grab their own gardening tools, drop in some seeds, encounter a few insects, gather fresh vegetables, and find a whole lot of magic. Allan Wolf’s playful poems and Daniel Duncan’s whimsically detailed, welcoming illustrations combine in a charming celebration of the many wonders and lessons to be learned from a school garden. For further inspiration, engaging notes on the poems and an author’s note on jotting down observations can be found in the back matter. (Publisher).

I got it wrong twice. I thought the poems too long and the illustrations too elaborate to capture the attention of my busy five-year-old. I was wrong. He seemed to enjoy each of the poems about a school garden and the tasks required to grow one. At one point Ian turned to me and said, "Grandma, my preschool had a garden." That seemed to explain everything in five words. Of course he was interested. His class had a garden last year. The witty and inspiring poems covered so many topics about gardening, too, right down to what the students did when someone stole their gardening tools. I rated the book with 4 stars. Based on his reaction, Ian's rating is higher than mine -- 4.5 to 5 stars.

 

-Anne