Genre 3 Poetry Florian

Insectlopedia
Written and illustrated by Douglas Florian – 1998
New York, N.Y. – Harcourt Brace & Company
ISBN 0-15-201306-7

This is a collection of insect poems. The poems are funny and they have a nice rhythm to them. The wording is such that you learn about the insects as you read each poem. Some of the poems have a creative text format that make it easy and fun to read, like in the Inchworm. The illustrations are very creative collages, almost childlike paintings. Students will be able to make connections with the book in various ways, especially for those students interested in insects.

Anaylsis

This book tends to blend science in a very informative way with wordplay. This wonderful book of poems captures the youthful joy and enchantment of the insect world that would equate in a child’s point of view. The arrangement of the words, accompanying the illustrations are unique and whimsical complementing the poems, take the “Praying Mantis,” for example: “upon a twig/I sit and pray/For something bigot wend my way: A caterpillar,/Moth,/or bee--/I swallow. This type of poems would be considered a Topical Collection of poems that have a visual appeal to both adults and children. This book of poems is illustrated by using watercolor paints and collages on primed brown paper bags.


Reviews

“The silly, imaginative verses about whirligig beetles and waterbugs (almost) match the exquisite pictures in playfulness and wit. The result is downright stunning,”.

Publishers Weekly

…The design adds to the overall appeal. Each selection is given its own page, allowing for the use of large type and plenty of glossy white space, and paired with a full-page watercolor with a neat border of white. These portraits building on the imaginatively integrated realistic and anthropomorphic images created in the text. There are other books of poetry about insects and lots of collections of humorous verses about animals but none match Insectlopedia.

School Library Journal

…..The clever artwork, deftly constructed, and the entertaining collection of insect and arachnid verse it illustrates will delight readers.

Booklist


Connection

Insectlopedia Book Activities
· Choose your favorite poem and illustrate it.
· Write and type your own book of poems about your favorite type of animal.
· Find an example of a poem that uses the shape of the writing to convey a
message. Write your own.
· Make a spreadsheet on the computer keeping track of the number of times you
see different insects this summer. Make a graph when you are finished.