At the Sea Floor Cafe: Odd Ocean Critter Poems [Hardcover]

Leslie Bulion (Author), Leslie Evans (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2011 | Age Level: 9 and up | Grade Level: 4 and up

Let s visit a habitat shallow and deep,
and boiling hot, where acids seep,
and frigid and pressured and mountainy-steep,
Come explore the sea!

Examine odd critters, enormous and tiny,
sunlit reef toasty and arctic ice briny,
jelly-ish, delicate, venomy, spiny,
They all live in the sea!

What sea creature literally spills its guts when disturbed?
Why do bottlenose dolphins wear sponges on their heads?

Dive in to find the answers to these questions and along the way discover some of the incredible ways ocean creatures forage for food, capture prey, trick predators, and protect their young in this collection of witty poems and astonishing facts.

A glossary of scientific terms, notes on the poetic forms used, and resources for more information about ocean creatures are included at the back of the book. Stunning block prints by Leslie Evans enhance and enliven the colorful underwater tour.

2011 Parents' Choice Award
2011 American Academy for the Advancement of Science Summer Recommended Reading List

Editorial Reviews

Review

Dexterous formal verse about sea creatures pairs
with pleasingly abstract block prints in this informative,
fun collection...Sidebars further educate readers...while appended notes
offer a crash course on poetic form. Beguiling lines...should spark readers' interest in poetry and
marine biology alike.  Publishers Weekly

This collection...begins with an invitation to explore. The first few lines...read: "Let's visit a habitat shallow and deep/And boiling hot, where acids seep" The fact that parts of the ocean are boiling hot is just the first of many surprises...The attractive design features appealing colors and block-print illustrations.SLJ

From snapping shrimp with bubble-shooting claws to the Osedax worm that digests whalebones on the ocean floor, intriguing and unusual sea creatures are introduced in this collection of 18 engaging poems written in a variety of forms. Kirkus

About the Author

LESLIE BULION is the author of several children's books, including Hey There, Stink Bug!; Tall Ships Fun; and Fatuma's New Cloth, winner of the African Studies Association's 2002 Children's Africana Books. She lives in Connecticut.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Peachtree Publishers (April 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1561455652
• ISBN-13: 978-1561455652
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #860,653 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Leslie Bulion writes funny science poetry and middle grade novels for readers ages 6-100. Her newest poetry collection AT THE SEA FLOOR CAFE: ODD OCEAN CRITTER POEMS is on the American Association for the Advancement of Science 2011 summer reading list, and is a 2011 Parents' Choice Award winner. Visit lesliebulion.com for information on Leslie's workshops and virtual visits.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Odd Critters make for Interesting Poems, March 1, 2011

By 

Laura A. Jackson "laurelprincess" (Houston, Tx, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: At the Sea Floor Cafe: Odd Ocean Critter Poems (Hardcover)

Bulion, Leslie. 2011. At the Sea Floor Café Odd Ocean Critter Poems. Atlanta: Peachtree. ISBN: 978-1- 56145-5652.

The ocean and its creatures have always been a fascination for humans. Explorers have only investigated about give percent of the oceans, and man's curiosity begs for more information. This compilation of poems by Leslie Bulion takes a look at the odd creatures that live under the sea. The eighteen poems explore fish, octopus, squid and other animals, focusing on the obscure and the different like the sea spiders and the coconut octopus. Next to each poem, there is a paragraph or two giving interesting information about the creature in the poem. Some of the paragraphs include the pronunciation of the more scientific words, which is helpful. The glossary in the back also helps readers understand words they may not have read before. The illustrations support the theme of ocean life, but they do little to reinforce the idea of the odd creatures. The typical drawings do support the idea of the critters described as being different or unique.

What makes this book special is its eclectic style. Each poem is told in a different way: a triolet (eight-lined poem with just two rhyming sounds), free verse, lyrics, and a cinquain. The different rhythms and designs give the reader a broad range of poetry in which to read and, in the case of beginner writers, to imitate. In the back of the book, each poem's style is explained, which gives a young writer an idea of how to write a similar poem.

One of the poems that embodies the idea of the book (odd critters) with diverse poetry is "Dolphin Fashion," a limerick.

A bottlenose counseled her daughter:

"Put this sponge on your beak underwater.

You can scare out more fish,

Poke sharp stones as you wish,

And your skin'll stay smooth like it oughter" (Bulion 19).

The additional paragraph explains how some dolphins near Australia have sponges on their noses. Researchers believe one mother started using the sponge to protect her nose while feeding on the ocean floor. Her babies imitated her, and a tradition began. The unique behavior of these dolphins is told lightheartedly in this limerick while exposing children to a new format for a poem.

To demonstrate how poetry can be fun, a teacher or librarian can use the poem "Upside Down and All-Around," which is about a snail. The words curve around in a circle, creating the image of a snail. After reading the poem and discussing how the set-up adds to the feel of the poem, students can pair up to write a poem about a favorite animal, twisting the words into the shape of the animal. Students who may not enjoy poetry may like putting the words into a shape, thus engaging them in poetry.

I reviewed this book for my poetry class at Texas Woman's University.

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