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35th out of 103 books
—
26 voters
A Whiff of Pine, a Hint of Skunk: A Forest of Poems
In a watery mirror the rugged raccoon
admires his face
by the light of the moon:
the mysterious mask,
the whiskers beneath,
the sliver of cricket
still stuck in his teeth.
Take a lighthearted romp through four seasons in the forest with these whimsical poems. Marvel at the overachieving beaver, applaud the race-winning snail and its perfect trail of slime, or head off to be pampe...more
admires his face
by the light of the moon:
the mysterious mask,
the whiskers beneath,
the sliver of cricket
still stuck in his teeth.
Take a lighthearted romp through four seasons in the forest with these whimsical poems. Marvel at the overachieving beaver, applaud the race-winning snail and its perfect trail of slime, or head off to be pampe...more
Hardcover, 40 pages
Published
March 10th 2009
by Margaret K. McElderry Books
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Usually I don't like rhyming poetry very much. It always seems trite to me, I guess. But the poems in this picture book don't come across that way. They're clever, brief, and illustrated--all the things I would've needed in a book of poetry for it to keep my attention when I was a kid.
One of my favorites, and one that's perfect for use in the classroom around Thanksgiving, is "A Wild Turkey Comments on His Portrait", where the turkey complains about kids tracing around their hands to draw his p...more
One of my favorites, and one that's perfect for use in the classroom around Thanksgiving, is "A Wild Turkey Comments on His Portrait", where the turkey complains about kids tracing around their hands to draw his p...more
There are many poetry books about the seasons, but A Whiff of Pine, A Hint of Skunk: A Forest of Poems offers a fresh perspective. Ruddell's personification of woodland creatures is truly unparalleled. Whether the poem is about fighting woodpeckers, a badger in love, suited chipmunks or caroling coyotes, readers are sure to be amused and awed by Ruddell's insightful, creative and informative descriptions. And Rankin's whimsical watercolor illustrations will give both nature lovers and the lighth...more
PreK-3 Read aloud/Independent reading
Ruddell takes us through the seasons in a forest full of different creatures big and small. The poems are rhyming and have sense of fun in them. The front endpapers are illustrated with the different animals seen in a forest, some peeking from inside and behind the trees. The pages have some white space drenched in beautiful watercolor illustrations. The poems have a sense of the moods of the different animals, ie the turkey is very disturbed by the fact that...more
Ruddell takes us through the seasons in a forest full of different creatures big and small. The poems are rhyming and have sense of fun in them. The front endpapers are illustrated with the different animals seen in a forest, some peeking from inside and behind the trees. The pages have some white space drenched in beautiful watercolor illustrations. The poems have a sense of the moods of the different animals, ie the turkey is very disturbed by the fact that...more
This is a fun collection of poems about the animals found in the forest. All the poems rhyme, although they are all done in different styles with different rhyme schemes. I really liked some of the poems - some are very funny and clever. Other poems I just didn't really like - sometimes the rhymes felt forced or overdone. (Or maybe I just wasn't in the mood for lots of rhyming poems when I read the book. I'll have to read it again later and see if my opinion changes.)
Overall, this is a fun book...more
Overall, this is a fun book...more
Charming nature poems about a variety of woodland creatures, including a wild turkey, squirrel, woodpecker, badger, and others. Many of them have a clever gag line at the end. But they bring smiles, not guffaws. Pleasant watercolor illustrations. Some favorites:
Chipmunks Inc.
They work all day
In pinstriped suits
Without a word of thanks,
Faithfully investing
In the Acorn Savings Banks.
And another:
Biography of a Beaver
Bucktoothed Cleaver
Tree Retriever
Building Conceiver
True Believer
Waterproof Weaver
Ov...more
Chipmunks Inc.
They work all day
In pinstriped suits
Without a word of thanks,
Faithfully investing
In the Acorn Savings Banks.
And another:
Biography of a Beaver
Bucktoothed Cleaver
Tree Retriever
Building Conceiver
True Believer
Waterproof Weaver
Ov...more
My 1st graders would love hearing this read-aloud! It is a terrific introduction of poetry as told by forest animals, along with details to learn about them. It would be fun to change how you read each poem, putting a "voice" to each animal. For Grades K-3.
Curriculum Connection: This book is a good cross-curricular choice, tying in poetry and science. Students will learn some facts about forest animals while enjoying some delightful rhymes. At almost a 5th grade reading level, it does have some...more
Curriculum Connection: This book is a good cross-curricular choice, tying in poetry and science. Students will learn some facts about forest animals while enjoying some delightful rhymes. At almost a 5th grade reading level, it does have some...more
I really enjoyed this book. The poems were whimsical, fun and portrayed the animals well. It personified them because it gave them character and you could relate to them or picture them with the great illustrations. I enjoyed reading this one the most of my 3 childrens poery books. I think it would be enjoyed for kids of higher and lower ages and grades. My most favorite one (and I think Valentine's Day has something to do with it) was the badger. He is writing another badger a love poem or not...more
ALA ALSC Notable 2010
CCBC Choices of 2010
Pre-K-5
This reverent and hilarious collection of woodland poems explores the sometimes overlooked details-some real, some invented-of forest creatures: a squirrel's "teeny shoulders tied in knots; a raccoon's "sliver of cricket still stuck in his teeth; a woodpecker's "cutting remark."
Ruddell's poems are the perfect combination of rhythm, rhyme, humor, silliness, and wonder to inspire young readers, writers, and naturalists. One caveat: Deborah Ruddell...more
CCBC Choices of 2010
Pre-K-5
This reverent and hilarious collection of woodland poems explores the sometimes overlooked details-some real, some invented-of forest creatures: a squirrel's "teeny shoulders tied in knots; a raccoon's "sliver of cricket still stuck in his teeth; a woodpecker's "cutting remark."
Ruddell's poems are the perfect combination of rhythm, rhyme, humor, silliness, and wonder to inspire young readers, writers, and naturalists. One caveat: Deborah Ruddell...more
There's more than meets the eye to this one. Not only does it have entertaining poetry, but each poem is a unique type of poem (for example Haiku). This book has an explanation at the back of the different types of peoms. I did tell them about Haiku when we read a Haiku poem... I'd like to check this one out again and go over all the kinds of poems with my children... just didn't get to it... we read for fun.
This is a Beehive Nominee for 2011 (Children's Literature Association of Utah) in the po...more
This is a Beehive Nominee for 2011 (Children's Literature Association of Utah) in the po...more
This book of poems is a quiet success. Some of the poems are straight up nature and animal poems, but many of them have humor in them that raises them up. The short and rapid "Biopgrahy of a Beaver" is an excellent example of rhyming with attitude. "Woodpecker Feud" explains a lot, and "A Wild Turkey Comments on His Portrait" should be mandatorily read in every grade school. Rankin's art is a bit uneven in places, and not all of the poems are memorable, but the overall feel is one of fun and app...more
Notes: Good variety of poems about different animals in nature.
Book Review: Deborah Ruddell does a great job of writing poems about nature and Joan Rankin does a terrific job at illustrating the text. This book offers a lighthearted romp through four season in the forest with these whimsical poems. Good introduction to poetry for younger students.
Recommendation: This book would be good for a teacher who is talking about nature and poems or a student who likes nature.
Book Review: Deborah Ruddell does a great job of writing poems about nature and Joan Rankin does a terrific job at illustrating the text. This book offers a lighthearted romp through four season in the forest with these whimsical poems. Good introduction to poetry for younger students.
Recommendation: This book would be good for a teacher who is talking about nature and poems or a student who likes nature.
with gorgeous illustrations and poems of the many creatures of the forest...from beaver,to toad, to wild turkey...a squirrel who proposes a spa day, and a race of snails...this poetry book was really delightful! I kept going back to many of the pages and just soaking in the colors.
Here's "Biography of a Beaver: Bucktoothed Cleaver/Tree Retriever/Building Conceiver/True Believer/Waterproof Weaver/Overachiever/Roll-Up-Her-Sleever/Hooray for the Beaver!"
Here's "Biography of a Beaver: Bucktoothed Cleaver/Tree Retriever/Building Conceiver/True Believer/Waterproof Weaver/Overachiever/Roll-Up-Her-Sleever/Hooray for the Beaver!"
A lovely collection of poems, several different types here. Some are moving and realy capture a sensation (like the title quote from the first poem, "Eau de Forest: A Woodsy Cologne"), others are more whimsical and funny (like the feuding woodpeckers: "one of them taps out a cutting remark/that shoots out a shower of sparks from the bark."). Most rhyme. Really nice soft watercolor illustrations.
Savory! I enjoyed these poems while drinking my afternoon tea off desk :) I love the way this book invites readers into the quietness of the forest. We get to see the animals intimately and peacefully; at times they are cunning, at other times they are endearing but always they are delightful. I know that poetry can be a hard sell (to patrons) but this book is well worth the effort.
The title made me believe this would be a fun book, and it had its moments but over all it wasn't a fun as the title led me to believe it would be. The poems are good and I would recommend them for elementary school kids who need a book on poetry . I think my favorite poem was "A Wild Turkey comments on his portrait" and the "proposal for a squirrel spa" was amusing.
The woodland animals come to life through poetry in a beautifully illustrated volume. Watercolor is just right to softly portray these characters, and the poetry -while mostly simple rhyming couplets- is fun and often humorous. A nice addition to a poetry unit, or just to share after a walk in the woods. Lovely.
Really enjoyable poems about forest animals. There is a mix of "realistic" nature poems and some fun ones about animals. Proposal for a Squirrel Spa is a hilarious tribute to the hard working squirrel. "So I propose a squirrel spa- someplace very la-di-dah." Beautiful illustrations from Joan Rankin.
This poetry collection is incredibly well done and kids love it. I've read a few of the poems to a number of different groups and they've always responded with laughter. That's all I require in order to say that this book is a winner. Give it a try. Toad's Lunch is particularly popular among my students.
I'm not always big on poetry books, save for Shel Silverstein, Jack Prelutsky, and the like, but I really loved this one. The poems are brief, but oh so clever and the illustrations are too cute! The beaver biography, the snail race, the insulted turkey, so lyrical and such new perspective!
The poetry and illustrations in this book are a perfect blend. It takes the reader through the seasons in a whimsical way. My favorite poem that demonstates the wonderful language in this book is, Spring Welcome.
A million arms in woddy sleeves way a zillion brand new leaves.
A million arms in woddy sleeves way a zillion brand new leaves.
I especially liked "Toad's Lunch" as a writing prompt, and "A Wild Turkey Comments on His Portrait" would be fun to share with older kids who've all made the hand-tracing-turkey. And anyone who invites me to "ponder yonder salamander" has my heart!
This is a book of poems about life in the forest. Individual poems from the smell of the forest to the bugs that crawl through it. Poems capture the essence of the animal with beautiful and informative descriptions.
A collection of hilarious poems with a unique look at the "ordinary" things in nature. I seriously laughed out loud...both times that I read it.Very creative and unique! I truly loved it.
Rhyming poems about nature with watercolor illustrations. Point of view varies from poem to poem, some told from a narrator's perspective and some by the animals themselves .
This book is also on the Oklahoma Children's Sequoyah List for 2011-2012. It was a very cute book of poems about animals in the forest.
A great poetry book about forest animals and their habitats. Fun for kids and adults to read. I laughed out loud a couple of times.
A great book for introducing young children to different woodland creatures. The poems are short, funny, and very creative!
A wonderfully entertaining introduction to poetry for young readers. I, too, loved this beautiful illustrated collection.
Fun to read, beautiful illustrations. Sparked some conversations, further research, and some animal pretending. Very nice.
library copy isn't good enough in this case. I need one for my classroom. Great vocabulary.
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May 23, 2010 04:58pm