INSECTLOPEDIA

Bibliography:
Florian, Douglas. 1998. insectlopedia. New York: Harcourt Brace & Company. ISBN 0152013067

Introduction:
Douglas Florian is an author and illustrator of children’s books and he “lives in New York City with his wife and five children where he creates poetic tributes to creatures great and small”(storybookart.com). He received the ALA Notable Children’s Book Award for “BEAST FEAST”, received the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award and the 1999-2000 Bluebonnet Award for insectlopedia. The following link provides information on a variety of children’s book authors.

http://www.storybookart.com/meet_dflorian.html

insectlopedia is intended for children ages 4 - 8. The book consists of twenty-one poems that are descriptive of insects. Many of these are shape poems such as the words to the inchworm are written in an arch as an inchworm would crawl. The words to THE TERMITES poem are written in the shape of a termite hill. THE WHIRLIGIGS is written in a large circle and it must be read beginning on the right side, down and then circling up, ending the poem on the left side.

The illustrations appear to be crafted by young children. They are watercolor on brown paper bag and they were created by the author. Their childlike images fit well with the text as it describes each insect. Humor is added into the poems as well as the illustrations such as in the poem THE GIANT WATER BUG with eggs on his back reading a father’s day card.

THE GIANT WATER BUG
by Douglas Florian

The giant water bug can lug
His eggs upon his back.
He gives them extra care up there
And guards them from attach.
The mother glues them to the dad,
And on his back they stay.
But does he ever get a card
Or gift for Father’s Day?

From INSECTLOPEDIA



The following poem describes mosquitoes in four short lines giving the reader a visual image of the annoying mosquito.
THE MOSQUITOES
by Douglas Florian

Mosquitoes are thin.
Mosquitoes are rude.
They feast on your skin
For take-out food.

From INSECTLOPEDIA


From Publishers Weekly
"The silly, imaginative verses about whirligig beetles and waterbugs (almost) match the exquisite pictures in playfulness and wit. The result is downright stunning," said PW. Ages 5-8.

Extension:
Read the poems in the book to young school age children, allowing the children to view the illustrations.
Bring attention to the illustrations and the physical characteristics of the insects. Discuss insects that were not used in the book and ask the children to write a short poem about one of the insects. Have them illustrate the poem with a focus on the features of the insects in the book. Display on a bulletin board.

Additional works by Douglas Florian include:
ON THE WING : BIRD POEMS AND PAINTINGS (March 1996)
IN THE SWIM ; POEMS AND PAINTINGS (April 1997)
BEAST FEAST (March 1996)
MAMMALABILIA (March 2000)
MONSTER MOTEL (August 1996)
BOW WOW MEOW MEOW : IT’S RHYMING CATS AND DOGS (March 2003)
SUMMERSAULTS (2002)
WINTER EYES (1999)
AUTUMNBLINGS (2003)