Sunday, April 12, 2009

Poetry Month -- On the Farm

On the Farm
by David Elliott
illustrated by Holly Meade
Candlewick Press, 2008

This is a great book of poetry for the youngest readers. The short poems and bold pictures make it inviting. Likewise, the familiarity of the farm is a perfect fit.

The poems take the reader on a tour around the whole farm -- up by the house, through the barn, into the meadow and pasture, and out to the corn field. The collection ends with a couple of non-farm animals -- the turtles at the pond and the rabbits in the tall, unmowed grass. Perhaps the subtle message is that the farm is good for both domesticated and wild animals; for both cultivated and wild plants.

Here are a couple of my favorites from this collection:

THE BARN CAT

Mice
had better
think twice.


THE BULL

Knows what he likes --
cows and corn.
Knows what he is --
muscle and horn.

6 comments:

  1. I am doing poetry this month with students in the library. I will have to find this book-kids will love the theme.

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  2. Oh my gosh, do you guys ever quit?? I need this one too!
    Carol

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  3. This one looks like another winner. Trip to the bookstore, again!

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  4. I love the samples! Thanks for the review. It's not easy to find poetry for this age group, so I'll look out for it.

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  5. Such a great book (and perfect for Poem in Your Pocket Day, too).

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