Florian, Douglas. 2003.
Bow Wow Meow Meow: It’s Rhyming Cats and Dogs. San Diego: Harcourt. Inc.
ISBN 0152163956
Thank you, Douglas Florian, for another delightful contribution
to children’s poetry in this book of 21 original poems and paintings of our
favorite canines and felines in the animal kingdom.
Perfect for young ears, these tender vittles of poetic
inspiration fetch giggles and guffaws.
My personal favorite:
The
Jaguarundi
by Douglas Florian
The Jaguarundi
hunts by day
Then sleeps inside its lair.
And when it wakes
it likes to play
In jaguarundi-wear.
I have long ceased to try and understand the fascination of
young children with all things underwear related, but my long experience with
children tells me that this poem will make a classroom burst into laughter as
sure as the sun will rise.
Florian’s poetry has strong rhyme and kid appeal. Text in curls, question marks, and Dalmatian
splotches enhance the fun even more. The
dog breeds he writes about are familiar pet breeds, but six of the cat breeds
are big cats that would more likely trigger a young boy’s interest. The poetry is brief enough to hold a short
attention span, simple enough for young experience, and funny enough to tickle
the giggle box if not turn it over.
What child doesn’t love their pet or dream of a wild one. With February 20 being “National Love Your
Pet Day,” celebrate this and other animal poems in your school or library. Florian’s unique and childlike artwork whets
the natural urge of a child to draw their own pet in an expression of love,
mischief, or frivolity. The extensions
into children’s literature are too numerous to mention, but one could start with
favorites like Cookie’s Week by Cindy
Ward, Stray Dog by Marc Simont, and Some Dog by Mary Casanova. While Valentine’s Day fun is still lingering, follow
up with Palentine’s Day’s and have fun making poetic valentines for
pets or favorite animals. Here goes:
Write a pet poem,
It’s not hard to
do,
If I can do it,
So can you.
D.W.
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