in the swim [Hardcover]

Douglas Florian (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up

Children will delight in the playful, witty language of twenty-one lively poems while they learn about their ocean and freshwater friends. From toothy piranhas and regal rays to itty-bitty tetras and somersaulting salmon, here is an aquarium full of fun for readers--and swimmers--of all ages. "This one, like the rainbow trout on the penultimate page, is definitely 'Divine!/Delish!'"--School Library Journal

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Even the most educated marine biologist could learn something from this whimsical, beautifully illustrated collection of 21 poems about sea life. Some of the poems are pure silly fun ("There are uglier fish than a blennie-- / But not many."), and others are gracefully infiltrated with animal facts ("Did you know the ocean's oysters / Sometimes change from girls to boysters?"). Douglas Florian, whose Beast Feast and On the Wing received high praise, accompanies each of his delightful poems with a stunning watercolor painting. In addition to capturing the liquid blur of an underwater world, the illustrations incorporate subtle visual jokes; for example, the salmon are doing the high jump, and the seahorses are wearing saddles. It's no fish story--Florian's combination of intelligent, funny rhymes and rich, irresistible paintings will make a splash in your home! (Ages 3 and older)

From School Library Journal

Grade 2-6?Twenty-one lighthearted poems about fish. Florian, whose previous collections about the denizens of land and air have delighted many, dives into the deep with equally felicitous results. In the Swim casts a humorous eye on such familiar creatures as the whale, the oyster, the eel, and the skate. What's unusual here is the sheer, unforced playfulness, the ease and fluidity informing both verse and pictures. Few readers will be able to resist the starfish sporting huge sunglasses who declares, "And though it's true/I have no brain,/I'm still a star?/I can't complain." The collection also contains some examples of concrete poetry such as the sawfish whose verse zigzags down the page. The poems appear singly on stark, white sheets, each facing its own full-page watercolor illustration done in muted, watery tones. And what zany illustrations they are. A flounder doubles as a dish; sea horses are complete with bridles and saddles. In the Swim will work equally well for story hours, poetry-writing sessions, or one-on-one sharing. Many poetry books for children touch upon marine life. This one, like the rainbow trout on the penultimate page, is definitely "Divine!/Delish!"?Ellen D. Warwick, Winchester Public Library, MA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 56 pages
• Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books; 1st edition (March 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0152013075
• ISBN-13: 978-0152013073
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 10.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,162,904 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 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Children's Poetry from Douglass Florian, July 3, 2007

By 

Lynn Ellingwood "The ESOL Teacher" (Webster, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: in the swim (Paperback)

Douglass Florian writes children's poetry and creates artworks to go with it. You may know some of his other works - mammalabila and insectopedia. in the swim continues his look at animals. His poetry is short and fun and the artwork is very beautiful to look at. As a teacher, I recommend his books for a poetry unit and a unit studying animals.