BEAST FEAST by Douglas Florian

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Florian, Douglas. 1994. Beast Feast. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc.
ISBN 0152017372

2. PLOT SUMMARY
This book contains a clever collection of 21 rhyming animal poems accompanied by watercolor paintings.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The poems in this collection are sure to appeal to children. Most of them are brief and all have some sort of rhythm and rhyming scheme. The majority are infused with wit and humor and several reveal some interesting observations. In terms of subject matter, Florian highlights creatures both common (pigeon) and exotic (kiwi), from small insects to large mammals. While the complexity and depth of insight is often superficial, the result is still very entertaining.

In many instances, the full-page watercolor illustrations (on the opposing page) which accompany each poem are essential for the overall effect. The Boa (“Just when you think you know the boa,/There’s moa and moa and moa and moa.”) is more enjoyable when you see the illustration of an enormous snake wrapped several times around a man. Even the use of type-style is incorporated into the visual element of some poems- upside down, expanded, oversized and artistically arranged. The result is a symbiotic relationship between poetry and art.

4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
From Publisher’s Weekly: “An ideal read-aloud, this volume will leave young listeners as lighthearted as its own contents.”

From School Library Journal: “This collection is an uncluttered, short presentation by an author/illustrator who knows what children will find funny-add to that the bonus of factual information tucked into each poem, and the result is a winner.”

5. CONNECTIONS
*Children write and illustrate their own beast poem
*Read other animal poetry collections by Douglas Florian:
Zoo’s Who ISBN 0152046399
Lizards, Frogs and Polliwogs ISBN 0152052488
Mammalabilia ISBN 0152050248
Insectlopedia ISBN 0152163352
*Perform dramatic readings of select poems