Author: Julie Larios
Illustrator: Julie Paschkis
Target Ages: 2-7
Genre: Picture Book Poetry Collection
Publisher Summary:
Have you ever seen a yellow elephant, glowing in the jungle
sun?
Have you seen a green frog—splash!—turn blue?
Or a red donkey throw a red-hot tantrum?
In this bright bestiary, poet Julie Larios and painter Julie
Paschkis color a menagerie of animals in brilliantly unexpected
hues—encouraging us to see the familiar in surprising ways.
Poem Sample:
“Brown Mouse”
Little brown clown,
looking for crumbs,
comes sneaking, sniffing, skittering
all around—sounds
like she jitterbugging
on tinfoil, sharp toenails
clicking and clacking
through the house.
She’s in a hurry
that’s for sure,
this brown mouse.
Evaluation:
This collection of 14 colorful poems are sure to surprise
and delight young children. The lyrical
words capture the real and wonder of the animals while the vibrant pictures
illustrate the fantastic and unexpected.
Yellow Elephant: A
Bright Bestiary is a wonderful poetic experience. I recommend it for preschool and primary classrooms.
Activities and
Extension Ideas for Lesson Plans:
- Colors: Practice or review colors and color words.
- Poetry: Using a favorite color and animals, children can write their own creative sentence or short poem.
- Sound Devices: Identify and discuss sound devices like rhyme and alliteration.
- Grouping: Discuss ways to put the animals in groups like ones the students have seen in real life or touched. Other groups can be based on type of animal (reptile, mammal, etc.) or where it lives (trees, water, house).
- Art: Create one or more animals using unexpected colors, patterns, or textures.
- Fantasy vs. Reality: Use the pictures as a spring board to discuss the difference between fantasy and reality. Which parts are realistic? Which are imaginative? For older students, ask them to guess why the illustrator used some of the imaginative elements.
Visit Live Your Poem for more Poetry Friday fun!
Also visit Suzanne Leonard Hill's Perfect Picture Book Round Up.
Surprise and delight! Yes! Those are perfect words for this book. Thank you! xo
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads up. The book sounds lovely. That is a delightful poem for a mouse, in spite of the fact that discovering mice in your house in not so delightful.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorites!! I'm a big fan of both Julie's :). Enjoyed the mouse poem!
ReplyDeleteGreat pick for National Poetry Month! Love the senses used in the mouse poem. I may just buy this one for myself. Thanks for the rec!
ReplyDeleteCute book, and I LOVE the illustrations if they are anything like that cover!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun book! Love all your ideas for activities.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun idea. The cover definitely is captivating. Thanks for featuring it.
ReplyDeleteThe golden elephant reminded me of The King and I. I love the poetry you shared - perfect for this month. But, your activities are off the chart! Excellent!
ReplyDeleteLove the poem you chose. We had a few uninvited guests a few weeks ago. We live near a grain bin, so this happens sometimes. The descriptions in this poem are perfect. I love the classroom connections you've shared as well.
ReplyDeleteLOVE! I need this book. That line, little brown clown....that's what I'm going to call the mouse that's taken up residence in my library!
ReplyDeleteI have read this book, and love all parts, the words and the illustrations, sure to inspire some great poetry and to entertain, too.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun way to explore colors - and what fun activities you've included.
ReplyDeleteWhat a delightful poem you've shared here! I love the active little mouse, jitterbugging around the house. I'll have to check out this book. Thanks for sharing and for including some ideas on how one might use this in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteThank you for introducing me to what sounds like a delightful, colorful book of animal poems. I love the alliteration that mingles sound with color and animals. Fave line: "comes sneaking, sniffing, skittering"
ReplyDeleteThat really does look like a great book of poems. Thanks for highlighting it.
ReplyDeletePoetic language and vivid imagery bring each creature to life, turning the pages into a whimsical journey. A captivating read that sparks imagination and appreciation for the wonders of the animal kingdom. An enchanting blend of words and artistry.
ReplyDelete