The Dirt Book: Poems About Animals That Live Beneath Our Feet($12.52Value)

Description

Unearth the glorious mysteries that lie beneath our feet with 15 fun and fact-filled poems about soil--what it is, how it's made, and who lives in it! A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year Named to the Texas Bluebonnet Master List Spectacular vertical panoramas illustrating life underground accompany 15 funny, fascinating poems that explore dirt and the many creatures that make their homes underground. Spiders, earthworms, ants, chipmunks and more crawl across the pages, between stretching roots and buried stones. Chipmunk, for such a little squirt you sure do move a lot of dirt, you sure do dig your tunnels deep, you sure do find some nuts to keep, you sure do know your underground. Chipmunk, you sure do get around. This unique celebration of dirt-- what makes it, what lives in it, and the many wonderful things the soil does to support life on our planet-- is a whimsical, cleverly-illustrated pick for kids who love animals... or who just love playing in the mud. From the creators of And the Bullfrogs Sing , a Bank Street Best Book of the Year, this intriguing, uniquely charming nature book has been vetted by experts and includes an author's note with more information about all the featured creatures, as well as a bibliography. An NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students An NCTE Notable Poetry Book Gr 2–4—A beautifully illustrated collection of poetry that highlights animals that live underground. Each double-page spread has a poem on one side and a complementary drawing on the other, making this title a lovely addition to nature-focused poetry collections. The book opens with a fact box about dirt, explaining how some dirt is millions of years old and that it can take hundreds of years for an inch of dirt to accumulate. There is no information about the geology or composition of dirt or an explanation of the difference between dirt and soil. The main focus is the animals that live in dirt, from earthworms and spiders to toads and moles, and descriptions of their connection to dirt. The poems vary in length and format, from concrete to humorous, but offer few facts about the animals. Especially fun and descriptive is the earthworm: "Earthworm squiggles, earthworm squirms, earthworm dines on dirt and germs." The best part of this title is the gorgeous illustrations, done with colored pencils and digital tools. Realistic and creative, they offer more information about the animals than the poems. Readers of many ages will enjoy poring over the illustrations and observing all the details. The book has notes at the end: Brief paragraphs on each animal with some characteristics and a short bibliography that offers little beyond acknowledging that the information about each animal is accurate. VERDICT If your nature poetry section needs freshening and your readers enjoy bugs and other creepy-crawlies, this would be a nice addition to your collection.—Susan Lissim, Dwight Sch., New York City ★ "This charming picture book is a splendid way to encourage an understanding and appreciation for nature and the often-unseen life that inhabits the planet alongside humans." — Shelf Awareness, Starred Review "An appealing mix of lively poems, engrossing pictures, and smart bookmaking."— Kirkus Reviews "The best part of this title is the gorgeous illustrations, done with colored pencils and digital tools. Realistic and creative, they offer more information about the animals than the poems. Readers of many ages will enjoy poring over the illustrations and observing all the details." —School Library Journal "Fittingly laid out in a vertical format to take readers deep down into the ground, the full-bleed illustrations showcase gorgeous earth tones sparked with turquoise, yellow, peach, and lavender. Colored pencil has been manipulated digitally to resemble pastels and depicts a charming world aglow with life. Inviting in every way, this book is perfect for units on soil and animal habitats and is every bit as pleasurable for leisure reading." —School Library Connection   "The vertical double spread layout showcases activity at different depths, with Cosgrove’s lush colored pencil and digital renderings an array of sophisticated colors and designerly patterns that fairly begs to be translated to fabric print. End matter comprises a chatty paragraph of additional information and a brief bibliography for each poem." — The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books David L. Harrison's books have received state awards in Kansas, Missouri, Michigan, Arizona, South Dakota, Indiana, Texas, Kentucky, and Virginia. Awards also include IRA/CBC Children's Choices, NCTE Notable Poetry Books, and Bank Street College Best Books. The David Harrison Elementary School in Springfield, Missouri, is named in his honor. David lives in Springfield, Missouri. Kate Cosgrove is the #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator of A Day With No Words ; winner of the Dolly Gray Children's Literatur