Song of the Wild: A First Book of Animals

Reviewed by: Jill O'Connor - Harriet Beecher Stowe Elementary School, Brunswick, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: May 5, 2018

Review

This book, with its gorgeous cover and stunning illustrations, will draw attention. But it is a tricky one to place in terms of audience. It is called "A First Book of Animals" but it is oversized and heavy, so little hands will need help holding it. The text consists of poems about each of the animals or subjects and the font size of the poem text is clear and legible, but the titles of the poems are done in a cursive font and the informational pages tying each section also include a cursive font; this can be very difficult for young readers who struggle to read cursive. The book is divided into sections: "Big and Small," "Colors and Shapes," "Animal Homes," "Animal Babies," and "Animals in Action". These divisions allow Davies to play with the types of animals she includes and can give teachers a tool for teaching compare/contrast. There is a mix of animals from mammals to insects, birds to reptiles, even eggs and coral get a mention. Books like this are beautiful and feel wonderful in your hand, especially to people who love the intersection of poetry, art, and animals, but it is difficult to say if this will circulate well. Not a first purchase.

Overall Book Score: good