Friday, June 24, 2016

Poetry Friday

Poetry Friday is hosted today by Random Noodling.

My selection is "Animal Poems" by Valerie Worth with pictures by Steve Jenkins.  


This collection of twenty-three poems about a variety of animals was published following Worth's death in 1994 and is a fitting tribute to her remarkable talent for using ordinary words to create an extraordinary experience.  Worth's perceptive free verse observations invite her readers to see the familiar -- from snails to whales -- with new eyes.  At first glance, the book appears to target a young audience, and many of the poems suit a youthful demographic.  However, there are also works that require a more sophisticated vocabulary and world view that will appeal to teens and adults as well.

Each spread highlights an individual poem and features the inventive cut-paper artwork for which Steven Jenkins is famous.  Textured, multi-dimensional collages are a visual treat in harmony with Worth's word pictures.

4 comments:

Books4Learning said...

Love the cover art. I haven't seen this book yet. I am definitely going to check it out. Sounds like the type of anthology I would enjoy. Thanks.

Diane Mayr said...

I've long had a soft spot for Valerie Worth's poetry--short, to the point, and accessible to all readers! When Animals Poems came out I was tickled pink by the marriage of poems, and illustrations by Steve Jenkins. The cover animal is downright loveable!

jan godown annino said...

Oh wonderful!
This collection is such fun to read in school.
Especially with the Steve Jenkins art, which includes some great cut outs & collages.
We are having night visits from moles, so I turned to that one at the end.

I love how Valerie Worth said, in "Star-Nosed Moles"

...the moles
Fatten their
Fortunes mining
The common soil'

Appreciations for your post!

Mary Lee said...

I love this collection!

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