Book of Animal Poetry

Edited by J. Patrick Lewis, U.S. Children's Poet Laureate, this new volume of children's poetry about the animal world is a stand-out.  200 poems with beautiful color photographs of each animal comprise this collection produced by the National Geographic Society in Washington, D.C.  The compilation includes poems by such noteworthy poets as Robert Frost, Jack Prelutsky, Emily Dickinson, Ogden Nash, Jane Yolen, Lilian Moore, Valerie Worth, David McCord, and J. Patrick Lewis.  As with most books of poetry, the reader does not have to read it straight through, but can open it anywhere and start reading.  The poems are more than just a description of various animals; many are a revelation.  The poems in these pages resonate with wonder at the variety, beauty, and strangeness of the animal world around us. They are arranged by chapters that are described as the big ones, the little ones, the winged ones, the water ones, the strange ones, the noisy ones, and the quiet ones.  There is an index by title, poet, first line, and subject.  The photos are first-rate as would be expected.  Book of Animal Poetry; 200 Poems With Photographs That Squeak, Soar, and Roar! would make a wonderful birthday present for some lucky child who loves animals.  Check it out and enjoy it during April which is National Poetry Month.