Hoofbeats, Claws & Rippled Fins: Creature Poems

by Lee Bennett Hopkins, Stephen Alcorn (Illustrator)

Inspired by Stephen Alcorn's magnificent animal portraits, popular poet and noted anthologist Lee Bennett Hopkins commissioned thirteen poets to craft verses to match the eloquence of this art. The resulting celebration of art and nature captures the subtle intensity and striking textures of a renowned artist's relief-block prints in a unique homage to the power, mystery, and beauty of the natural world. Lee Bennett Hopkins and Stephen Alcorn's first poetry anthology, My America: A Poetry Atlas of the United States,, was honored as one of the best books of 2000 by School Library Journal, the American Booksellers Association, and the New York Public Library. A Junior Library Guild Selection, the book inspired an entire Reading Rainbow program devoted exclusively to it.

Genres: Poetry

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2002

About the author

Lee Bennett Hopkins was inducted into the Florida Artists Hall of Fame in 2017. He holds a Guinness Book of Records citation for compiling the most anthologies for children. He has also received the Christopher Award, the Regina Medal, and the National Council of Teachers of English Excellence in Poetry for Children Award. He lives in Florida.

For more information, please see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Ben...

Reviews

[Ciara Plackett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Personal Reaction:
I really liked this poetry book. The poems, all about animals, are interesting and make me think. The pictures are really interesting and have a lot of detail, I think they're beautiful. However, I don't know how much kids would appreciate them.

Purpose:
I would read the poems in this book aloud when we are studying poetry or even just a particular animal that is in this book. The poems in this book have a lot of interesting vocabulary words like eons and plodding and bedazzled. The shape of some of the poems in the book are interesting too, it seems like they are trying to resemble the animal that the poem is referring to. I think this book is appropriate for 3-6.

[James Govednik · Rating 2 out of 5]

For ages 8-10, this is a book of animal poems by different authors. The fourteen poems range across animal species, from "Iguana" to "Buffalo" to "Here's Frog." I felt it was a little flat, partly due to the wood-cut illustrations and their muted colors, partly because only a few poems appealed to me. For children writing poetry, there are some clever shape poems, including "She Likes to Hide" (fish) and "Porcupine." I'm not sure the illustrations would appeal to children, however, unless perhaps tied into a scratch-art project.

[Stephanie Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Using poetry, this book details the lives and personalities of different animals. The words are even arranged in such a way to represent some aspect of the animal. This book could be used when introducing poetry, talking about characteristics and even just discussing animals.

[Kelsey Yates · Rating 4 out of 5]

Filled with fun, sometimes silly poems. The beautiful illustrations are relief-block prints. The 6 year old and I agree that we would buy it.

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cool art, awesome poems, some funny, some serious. Not sure I could make it work for storytime, but could be good with older school-age kids and enjoyable for grown-ups, too!