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
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.