Sea Stars: Saltwater Poems
by Avis Harley
Photos by Margaret Butschler
32 pages, ages 4-8
Wordsong, 2006
Anyone angling for a book about marine life will be hooked by this spellbinding collection, thanks to the thoughtful pairing of eloquent poems and stunning photographs. Butschler’s snapshots capture crisp, evocative images such as a baby beluga swimming alongside its mother, a hermit crab emerging from its shell, and an otter afloat on its back blissfully enjoying its lunch. Drawing inspiration from the eye-catching photos, Harley uses a variety of poetry forms to describe creatures of the deep. A tanka incorporates word-play to describe the delicate Moon Jellyfish. “How can / this moon jelly / play host to hot shocks?—Such / sea-through beauty seems too sublime / to sting.” A rhymed couplet warns readers about the prickly Lionfish: “In every lionfish’s spine / lies a foison of poison beneath the design,” while clever terse verse takes note of the fierce Reef Shark: “Surf-slicer, ghost-glider, shadow-by-the-shore / flesh-finder, frenzied-feeder, coastal carnivore…” The "Looking Deeper" pages contain additional information about these amazing plants and animals. Sea Stars is truly a “see-worthy” collection for all ages. Book source: Orland Park Public Library—Review by Heidi Bee Roemer
Avis writes and illustrates at her desk in front of a large window which overlooks flower boxes and hummingbird feeders in British Columbia. Writing in longhand with lots of space to cross out and revise, she writes, rewrites and reads her work out loud before typing. Avis says the different stages are like a metamorphosis and enjoys the revision process. Her love of children's poetry grew out of her love of working with children when she taught her first class at age nineteen. She has been fascinated with language ever since. Her other nonfiction titles include The Monarch's Progress: Poems With Wings, Sea Stars: Saltwater Poems, and Fly with Poetry: An ABC of Poetry. –Bio by Laura Crawford.
Thhis post is part of the Nonfiction Monday Round-Up hosted this week by Books Together blog.
That looks like it would be fantastic to read out loud to kids! Thanks for introducing it.
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