Florian Poetry

Book Review: Mammalabilia




Florian, Douglas. 2000. Mammalabilia. Harcourt, Inc. ISBN 9780152021672

1. Review of Book:
In Mammalabilia, Douglas Florian writes and illustrates a collection of twenty-one poems about both common and not-so-common mammals living on earth today. Each of the poems are short (about 5-10 lines), rhyme, and use humor to describe the animal's characteristics or to simply rhyme with the animal's name. Florian also uses alliteration along typography and shape to describe animals' features with sound and shape, such as the porcupine and the camel. The author molds the words into the shapes of spikes to describe the porcupine, and as he describes the camel, the words look like the camel's two humps. Florian also paints an illustration of each animal, which helps form connections because they look as though a child painted them. The paintings add color and wit to the poem, such as in, The Rhebok, where the Rhebok is wearing tennis shoes on each of its four feet. Children ranging from grades K to 5 will enjoy reading these poems, but they will also learn from them. Some vocabulary words used throughout are higher level, such as emphatic, charismatic, and slumber, and words such as these will help enrich children's vocabulary. Children will also benefit from this book because they will be exposed to new animals that they may not have heard of before such as the tapir, lynx, and ibex. This book of poems is one that children will gravitate to and not be easily forgotten.

2. Classroom/Library Connection:
Follow Up Activity:
After sharing several of the animal poems, focus in on a few in particular such as The Coyote and read it aloud to children once or twice.

The Coyote

"I prowl.
I growl.
My howl
Is throaty.
I love
A vowel,
For I am coyooooote. "

After sharing, have children volunteer to read it again. Encourage them to really emphasize and howl as they say the last word aloud, coyoooote! Then have children choose another poem from the book that they liked. Have them create a paper bag puppet of the animal. Then for fun have them present and read their chosen poem aloud having their puppet or animal do the talking.

3. Review Excerpts/Awards Won:
Claudia Lewis Award, 2001, Winner United States
Cuffies: 2000 Honorable Mention Best Book of Poetry United States
Irma S. and James H. Black Award for Excellence in Children's Literature, 2000 Honor Book United States
New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books of the Year, 2000, Winner United States
Parents' Choice Award, 2000, Recommended Picture Books United States