Relax in the Meadow

pictures from amazon.com

Butterfly Eyes and Other Secrets of the Meadow

written by Joyce Sidman

illustrated by Beth Krommes

published by Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 2006

Summary: The meadow is explored in the form of poetry and illustrations.

Strengths: The scratchboard illustrations in this book are intricate and unique designs that depict the meadow very well. I really like that the layout of the book gives children the opportunity to guess which animal is being described and that the layout of each poem is different. The illustrations also provide clues to the reader. Some of the poems, like those about the snake and the toad, are in the shapes of the animals, which adds a very fun twist. A few of the animals in the book may be unknown to students, so these poems and pictures are excellent ways of learning more about nature.

Concerns: Children may be confused reading this on their own without guidance of pronunciation and how to guess the animals. They may not want to read the information about the elements of the meadow and may just stick to reading the poems.

Classroom Use/Other Comments: This book is an excellent tool in the classroom. Not only does it provide excellent examples of poetry, but it has information about animals and other elements of a meadow. The poetry also gives children an opportunity to guess which animal the poem is describing. Teachers can add art to lessons by learning more about the technique of scratchboard illustrations, which many students may enjoy. The book also includes a glossary, so that children can learn scientific terms and practice looking up words that they do not know. (Ages 8 and up)