Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright

 

Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright! An Animal Poem for Each Day of the Year is a collection of poems about animals. Fiona Waters, an anthologist, found 366 poems that she hoped children would love. Britta Teckentrup, the artist/illustrator, created a beautiful visual story on every page with her amazing artwork. She utilizes vibrant colors with what looks to be watercolor illustrations. Professor Rudine Sims Bishop said, "Books are sometimes windows, offering views of worlds that may be real or imagined, familiar or strange. These windows are also sliding glass doors, and readers have only to walk through in imagination to become part of whatever world has been created or recreated by the author. When lighting conditions are just right, however, a window can also be a mirror. Literature transforms human experience and reflects it back to us, and in that reflection we can see our own lives and experiences as part of a larger human experience." This beautiful hard cover book is part of Timberdoodles 2022 First-Grade Curriculum Kit. The poetry spans a period of over 400 years. This book is recommended for ages 3+. 

Each month lists the calendar day, poem title, and poem author. 

Some of the poets that are familiar to many in this anthology are:

William Blake

Margaret Wise Brown

Lewis Carroll

Emily Dickinson

Robert Frost

Edward Lear

Isaac Watts

Alfred, Lord Tennyson

William Shakespeare

Of course there are a lot of poets that are new to me. 

Louise Bolongaro, Head of Picture Books of Nozy Crow Publishers said: 

"A poem...Look at how a tiny collection of words, carefully arranged, can say so much. Poems are bite-size worlds that can be snacked on word by word or swallowed whole in one big gulp. And, like a picture book, a poem always makes us feel something."

The illustrator has done a fantastic job depicting a Kingfisher with its long pointed bill as it "knives the water" to catch its meal. Two of the three fish are leisurely swimming along while the fish in the middle has spotted the Kingfisher and awaits its fate. 

July 14th's poem "Kingfisher" by John Foster

Dropping

Like a splinter from the sky

It knives the water,

Swiftly strikes,

Turns, surges

Up through the splattering surface,

Back to the willow branch,

Where it sits triumphant,

Wet feathers glistening,

Its silver catch

Dangling from its beak. 

 

April 27th's poem "Rabbit and Lark" by James Reeves

"Under the ground

It's rumbly and dark

And interesting,"

Said Rabbit to Lark.

 

Said Lark to Rabbit,

"Up in the sky

There's plenty of room

And it's airy and high."

 

"Under the ground

It's warm and dry.

Won't you live with me?"

Was Rabbit's reply.

 

"The air's so sunny.

I wish you'd agree,"

Said the little Lark,

"To live with me."

 

But under the ground

And up in the sky,

Larks can't burrow

Nor rabbits fly.

 

So Skylark over

And Rabbit under

They had to settle

To live asunder.

 

And often these two friends

Meet with a will

For a chat together

On top of the hill.

 

I absolutely adore this poem. The illustration that covers both pages is beautiful. I love how the artist used soft pastel colors. The picture depicts a sunny spring day. You cannot see too well but the lark is looking down at the rabbit just as if they are talking to one another. Likewise, the rabbit is peering up at the lark.

Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright!

The cover of the book depicts a lion that is glaring into the eyes of its readers. My children had to memorize this poem by William Blake in 5th grade. The artist does a fantastic job depicting what the speaker imagines a prowling tiger with its fiery eyes in the dark of the night would look like. What "immortal hand or eye" could have created such a majestic animal. I do not know if the artist intended this but the moon is so very insignificant compared to massive frame of the tiger.  

With Christmas right around the corner I had to add one

last page. December 24th's poem is "The Oxen" by Thomas Hardy.

December 25th's poem is "The Donkey" by Gertrude Hind.

Both of these poems are so full of great meaning. 

In "The Oxen" we see how the Ox is looking reverent in the strawy pen. 

Even the animals are kneeling to pay homage to the babe Christ who is to be born. In the 3rd stanza we see how society today has lost sight of what Christmas is all about. But, "Come; see the oxen kneel." 

In "The Donkey" by Gertrude Hind is a sweet poem about a donkey that

is ONE day old! His body is awkward and after taking in his new 

surrounding he eventually lays down on the ground. And the poem 

ends, "I prayed the world Might be good to him."

My grandson may be too young to enjoy listening to poetry, but he isn't too young to enjoy looking at the colorful illustrations found throughout the 325 pages of Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright. There are so many animals, colors, and wonderful art to introduce him to. 

My grandson is mesmerized by the vivid colors in this illustration. 

Auntie Phoebe showing peanut the beautiful pages. 

I thoroughly enjoyed reading through the poems in this book. I also loved spending time studying the details in each illustration. If you love art, animals, or poems check out this book. Do you shy away from poetry because you have a hard time understanding poems? You do not always have to understand a poems meaning to enjoy it. From the Dartford Warbler to the Manatee and the Barracuda to the Codfish each month you will read about creatures both big and small. Check out  

Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright.