Susan Johnston Taylor

Animals in Surprising Shades was a treat to read. As a elementary librarian who loves science, I would recommend this title to classroom teachers who feature poetry instruction in their curriculum. I enjoyed how this book introduced animals to the reader with poems while simultaneously introducing various poem styles and additional facts about the animals featured. I had fun with the last few poems and trying to guess which style was used for each. I think students would enjoy that interactive feature. On top of all this, the illustrations were vibrant and engaging. I would love to add this to our school library.… (more)

Brilliant and colorful creatures teach children about poetry in this well-written picture book featuring a strawberry poison dart frog, an orange eastern newt, a blue roller bird, and a violet snail, to name a few. Readers will learn about these unique creatures and their hidden talents, such as hiding from predators, dancing a courting dance, and regrowing a lost limb.

The author writes and teaches a variety of poetry forms, including; tanka, concrete, quatrain, persona, and haiku. It is also beautifully illustrated in a traditional gouache painting form to showcase the colorful creatures more vividly on each page.

The author's love of the written word, unique creatures, and the education of children, is evident in this first-rate children's book. This book is suited for younger readers because of the alluring animal illustrations and is perfect for older primary-grade students who may be practicing writing through poetry forms.… (more)

Welcome to the wonderful world of nature!
Each fauna presents with theName of fauna with Poem, a simple definition of the Poetic Form for each, and a simple bit of Science. At the end there a glossary and some sources.
Loved it!
The illustrations by Annie Bakst are simply delightful, brilliantly colored, and memorable.
Well suited for reading WITH someone of any age including ESL and nonverbal, and great for gifting to anyone, but especially to a school or your public library!
I requested and received a free temporary e-book on Adobe Digital Editions from Gnome Road Publishing via NetGalley. Thank you!… (more)