mammalabilia (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "Mr. Bactrian, a question for you-about your back: one lump or two?..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Douglas Florian--creator of Insectlopedia, In the Swim, and other poetic tributes to creatures great and small--turns his unbounded talent for wordplay and shameless punnery to the order of mammals in Mammalabilia. We'll let "The Aardvarks" speak for itself:

Aardvarks aare odd.
Aardvarks aare staark.
Aardvarks look better
By faar in the daark.

Twenty-one short, original poems and splendid paintings celebrate (or jovially mock) animals from giraffes ("Rubber necker/ Double-decker/ Cloud-checker/ Star-trekker") to porcupines. The illustrations--painted in gouache on primed brown paper bags--are as tongue-in-cheek as his words; the coyote howls with visible "o's," the otter bathes in a claw-foot tub reading a book called "H20," and the rhebok is sporting sneakers. A pure pleasure for poetry fans and animal lovers alike, Mammalabilia is a welcome addition to the Florian fold. (All ages) --Karin Snelson

From Publishers Weekly

Like Florian's Insectlopedia, this collection of 21 short light verse brims with whimsy and fun. He plays with the double A in aardvark ("Aardvarks look better/ By faar in the daark") and the growling R in an ode to the tiger. In "The Bactrian Camel" the entire text of the poem forms the shape of a camel's back: "Mr. Bactrian, a question for you--about your back: one lump or two?" Many of the entries are one-liners--"Some people wear fur coats of lynx./ I/ think/ that/ stynx." More developed verse recalls Ogden Nash ("I state more emphatic:/ An otter's aquatic"). Florian's humor is eccentric, but just right for his target audience. The gouache illustrations painted on primed brown paper bags, full of unusual textures and inventive designs, match the creativity of the word play. The otter lounges in a claw-foot bathtub reading a book titled H2O. Florian specializes in the unexpected. For instance, the rhebok stands in its tennis shoes because its "main/ Claim to fame/ Is its name." The artwork taps into childlike qualities without being simplistic; the animal portraits are clever yet appropriate. An irresistible homage to mammal memorabilia. Ages 5-10. (Mar.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 48 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books; First Edition edition (March 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152021671
• ISBN-13: 978-0152021672
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 10.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #605,748 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unmammabiliable!, March 23, 2000

By A Customer

I look forward every year to Douglas Florian's latest poetic subject matter and am never disappointed! Mammalabilia is delightful stuff; brilliant, original, hilarious, and even educational...Keep up the great work!

18 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars cool mammals, April 18, 2000

By A Customer

Mammalabilia is a great dealia. That's how I fealia. It really has zealia

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars good, but not his best, December 31, 2000

By	sudphoto (CA United States) - See all my reviews

While the poems are fun and engaging, there is far less scientific information given than in some of his other works. "The Beaver" is a brilliant four line (four hyphenated words) poem packed with information, while "The Aardvarks" relays nothing except some clever spellings. If you must pick only one Douglas Florian book, "Beast Feast" or "Insectlopedia" would be much better choices.