In the Wild

Illustrator: Holly Meade
ISBN: 9780763644970
Format: Hardcover
Pub. Date: August 2010
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Age Range: 4 to 7

From the lion standing alone on the African savannah to the panda in a bamboo forest, from the rhinoceros with its boot-like face to the Arctic polar bear disappearing in the snow, the earth is full of curious and wonderful animals, each more extraordinary than the next. David Elliott’s pithy, lyrical verse and Holly Meade’s stunning woodcut and watercolor illustrations reveal a world of remarkable beauty and wonder — and offer an enticing introduction to both favorite animals and poetic forms.

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

*An ALA Notable Book

*Raising Readers Selection 2011

*Selected by Indie Booksellers for the Autumn 2010 Kids’ Next List

*A Texas 2×2 Selection

*New York Public Library: 100 Books for Reading and Sharing

*Chicago Public Library Best of the Best

 WHAT THE CRITICS SAY

“A stunning combination of poems and illustrations celebrating some of Earth’s wildest and most beautiful creatures. Meade’s woodcut-print–and-watercolor illustrations fill page after page with striking images of each featured animal in its habitat. Every page spread is saturated with vivid colors and shapes, simultaneously drawing attention to the boldly rendered animal at its heart and making space for a poem, printed in large, clear type, that pays further tribute to the creature pictured. Elliott’s poems, with their spot-on rhythm, playful rhyme and precise use of language, capture something essential about each animal. …The poems, though they employ some sophisticated vocabulary, are short and direct, a feature that will demonstrate to verse-averse young readers that poetry can be powerful and pleasurable without being too complicated or threatening.” –Kirkus Reviews

“…Elliott’s spare verses vary in length and form with bits of humor, some lovely use of language and imagery, and an occasional thought-provoking reference…Meade’s woodblock prints, striking dark forms washed in watercolor, have just a hint of humor and capture the powerful wild nature of the creatures as well. The poems are read-aloud gems…” –School Library Journal

“Reading In the Wild, children will learn so much about wild animals across the globe. The possibilities are endless on every page, and there is a well-balanced mix of serious and humorous poems to be read aloud again and again. Holly Meade’s woodcut and watercolor illustrations are gorgeous.” —- Emily McLean, IndieBound

“Holly Meade’s woodblock illustrations pop off the page and pull the reader in, and David Elliott’s poems make you look again and think and sometimes laugh out loud…Every one of Elliott’s poems captures the essence of the animal in description …His poems are short and accessible and perfect for reading aloud.” –A Year in Reading

SOMETHING YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT THIS BOOK

I wrote over twenty different tiger poems until I had one I liked. Clearly, this animal didn’t want to to be captured by the likes of me.