From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 3-A collection of 20 easy-to-read poems that celebrate pets of all shapes and sizes. Featuring such poets as J. Patrick Lewis, Tony Johnston, and Alice Schertle, among others, the selections sing the praises of turtles, ants, iguanas, and tarantulas along with more common animals like cats and dogs. Manning's cheerful watercolor illustrations suit both the format and the poetry perfectly. Smiling children of all sizes and colors hold, stroke, wave to, and play with their pets in obvious enjoyment. In one selection, a freckle-faced boy smiles down at the reptile resting blissfully in his lap as he proclaims, "I love my small iguana/I think that he loves me." In another, a girl and her cat are shown curled up together, encircled by broad bands of pastel colors. The accompanying poem asks, "You-me-/Lost in/Fragile fur./Why/would/we/ever/stir?" For storytime, classroom sharing, or quiet reading, this is a charming addition to either poetry or easy-reader shelves.
Jane Marino, Scarsdale Public Library, NYCopyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Gr. 1-3. Beginning readers will like reading these poems in this entry in the I Can Read series. The topic of pets is an appealing one, and it gets fine treatment from well-known authors. Karla Kuskin wistfully longs for a companion in "I Would Like to Have a Pet; X. J. Kennedy extols dogs in "Dog Love." The poems themselves are quite short, usually 10 or so lines, but they capture the lure of pets, both unusual (hedgehogs and iguanas) and familiar (birds and turtles). Manning's sprightly artwork, marked by imaginative twists and geometric flourishes, complements the poems nicely.
Ilene CooperCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
