Beast Feast

Bibliography

Florian, Douglas. 1994. Beast Feast. San Diego, California: Harcourt Brace & Company. ISBN 0-15-295178-4

Plot Summary

This is a collection of 21 funny poems about real animals. Each poem is paired with a colorful illustration. There are a variety of creatures, both large and small, and familiar and unfamiliar featured.

Critical Analysis

This collection of short, humorous poems is sure to appeal to children of all ages. My teenage daughter read the book to me, and we both busted out in laughter at some of the silly rhymes. The lighthearted rhymes are perfect to be read aloud both in and out of the classroom.

The author uses spacing and arrangement to create visual appeal in many of the poems. In the poem about bats, the author flips some of the words when describing how bats sleep upside down.  The watercolor illustrations add to the humor of each poem. I especially liked the illustration that accompanied the boa poem. I’m sure children will laugh at boa wrapped around the man.

Review Excerpts

Publisher’s Weekly – “An ideal read-aloud, this volume will leave young listeners as lighthearted as its own contents.”

School Library Journal – “The book's design is as appealing as the verses themselves, pairing each selection with a full-page, splashy, bordered watercolor. Large type, surrounded by plenty of white space, will appeal to younger readers. This collection is an uncluttered, short presentation by an author/illustrator who knows what children will find funny-add to that the bonus of factual information tucked into each poem, and the result is a winner."

Connections

·         Students can write and illustrate their own animal poetry.

·         Invite an animal worker to visit and talk with students.

·         Other poetry books about animals:

o   Carle, Eric.  Eric Carle’s Animals Animals.  ISBN: 978-0698118553.

o   Paben, Gayle.  The Poetry of Animals.  ISBN: 978-1614934141.

o   Lewis, J. Patrick. National Geographic Book of Animal Poetry. ISBN: 978-1426310096.