In the Wild by David Elliott

Is it a crime to make so many rhymes?  Probably not if you’re as good at it as Daivd Elliot.  His book In the Wild, illustrated by Holly Meade, contains small rhyming poems about exotic animals.  All of the poems have a different rhythm and rhyme scheme that makes this book fun to read aloud.  It has a very musical feel to it, almost like a celebration song for the animals.  The illustrations are really unique and it says they are done in woodblock prints and water colors.  I like the woodblock effect because it creates unique lines that give the animals’ covering a unique looking texture that we don’t see as often.  What I did not like about this book is how he used cliché exotic animals, such as the elephant and tiger.  I would’ve liked to have seen some animals that I am not as familiar with.  Another thing I think could be improved upon in this book is some of the rhymes seemed a bit forced and out of place, such as “When peaceful, silent; when angry, loud.  Who would have guessed the Elephant is so much like a cloud?” I know poetry is all about expressing personal feelings and imagery, but as a reader I just couldn’t relate to this description of an elephant.     
            I could definitely see young children really getting into this book.  They would enjoy the bright illustrations and rhyming descriptions.  I would use this book to talk about animal habitats since it features animals that live in a variety of habitats.  I also think it would be fun to read the rhyming description of the animal to the children first and have them guess which animal they think it is.  Young children could also act out the behaviors of the animals as I am reading the story.  I think activities that make books more interactive are a great way to spark interest in reading.  After reading this book to older children I would have them write their own animal rhyming poems.  Some of the descriptions get pretty scientific, such as talking about our evolutionary connection to the Orangutan, so it would be fun to have the children right the poems about some scientific aspect of the animals after learning about them.  I think it’s a good idea for teachers to use cross curricular activities, such as this one, as much as possible because it helps children foster more connections, and thus, deeper learning.
Year Published: 2010