bow wow meow meow: it's rhyming cats and dogs [Hardcover]

Douglas Florian (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up | Series: Bccb Blue Ribbon Nonfiction Book Award (Awards)

It's rhyming cats and dogs in Douglas Florian's furrr-ocious collection of twenty-one original poems and paintings about our favorite animal friends. From barking Chihuahuas and pointing pointers to leaping leopards and purring Persians, here is a canine and feline compendium certain to have everyone barking for joy.

(20031120)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Douglas Florian (Insectlopedia, The Mammalabilia) is at it again. The 21 poems and paintings in his new collection, Bow Wow Meow Meow, will tickle young dog and cat lovers—and just about everyone else, too. Florian’s painting of a poodle, essentially a riot of curls and a pink hair bow, accompanies a four-line concrete poem cleverly typeset in swirls on the opposite page:

Poodles have oodles and oodles of curls,
Which makes poodle boys look like poodle girls.
The curls may have whirls, while the whirls may have swirls.
Poodles have oodles and oodles of curls.

Florian has fun with bulldogs, pointers, Siamese, and Manx, but he doesn’t limit himself to domestic breeds. Wolves, lions, and ocelot ("Why ocelots have lots of spots puzzles ocelot") are also featured. All the paintings have wonderful juvenile appeal—-many of them are flat-out funny—-and the leopard painting, in particular, is worth the price of the book. In fact, you may need two copies: one for framing and one to savor with the kids. (All ages) --Jennifer Lindsay

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-5-Twenty-one humorous poems and paintings about dogs, cats, the wolf, and a few large felines. Each spread features a poem and an accompanying impressionistic full-page illustration of the breed or animal. There are short poems ("I am a cat of longhaired version./A pet-igree that's known as purrrsian"), some a bit longer, and one that curls like poodles' hair. The language has flair, and the writing is zany and creative. The watercolor paintings in primarily pastel colors are great fun, revealing an attribute or the character of each animal. This is a delightful selection to read aloud to younger children, and it offers older students models of simple poems that really work. A definite contender for "best in show."-Susannah Price, Boise Public Library, ID
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 56 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books; 1 edition (April 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152163956
• ISBN-13: 978-0152163952
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 10.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #841,576 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Douglas Florian is the creator of many acclaimed picture books including Dinothesaurus, which received starred reviews in four major publications, Comet, Stars, The Moon and Mars, a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year and Horn Book Fanfare List selection; Bow Wow Meow Meow, winner of the Gryphon Award and a Parents Magazine Best Book of the Year; and Lizards, Frogs and Polliwogs, a Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book. He lives with his family in New York.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous Florian, March 30, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: bow wow meow meow: it's rhyming cats and dogs (Hardcover)

This clever collection of 21 dog and cat ditties by children's poet Douglas Florian is one of his best yet - how does he do it?! To be as talented an author as an illustrator is a double blessing for readers of this hilarious new collection. From the subtitle " It's rhyming cats and dogs", to the shape poetry detail of the dalmatian and poodle poems, this consistently funny and original look at cats and dogs is as appealing to this adult reader as it is to younger listeners. A must-have for parent and child reading together and laughing times, even if you're not a pet owner!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bow Wow Meow Meow, April 17, 2003

By 

Margo Myer (Central NJ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: bow wow meow meow: it's rhyming cats and dogs (Hardcover)

As always, Mr. Florian writes and illustrates poetry on a young child's level. His poetry is short and to the point, and his illustrations are extremely creative. "The Poodles" and "The Dalmatian" is a great example of utilizing the features of the animal in the poem format. Mr. Florian gets young children excited about poetry and shows them that poetry can be uncomplicated and fun.

5.0 out of 5 stars A great discovery, September 24, 2011

By 

Gentle Reader (Oakland, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: bow wow meow meow: it's rhyming cats and dogs (Hardcover)

I'm hooked on Douglas Florian now. I have a 5 year old and teach college-level literature, and I find that it's really hard to find contemporary poetry for kids that isn't pseudo-deep or self-consciously wacky (I am not a fan of Shel Silverstein, needless to say). These poems are dry, witty, and well-turned.