Beast Feast

Forian, Douglas. Beast Feast.. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Company, 1995.
ISBN 0-15-295178-4

Summary:

Beast Feast is a collection of Florian’s poems- specifically about different types of animals. It gives a brief and usually funny description of each creature, and on the opposite page there is a picture of the animal being described. The pictures, are funny as well, for example the Kangaroo is described as having a “kangaroom” inside for babies, and the accompanying picture shows a window where the pouch would be.

This book is a delightful venture into rhyming poetry, and subject specific, so that it is an easy one to recommend to children interested in animals—especially the more extra-ordinary animals of the world. Most of the poems are in a predictable pattern of couplets, or have an easy ABAB rhyme scheme. The Toad for example displays couplets, “The tubby toad’s so squat and plump/That rarely does it even jump.” making this a good independent read for young students. The pictures are beautifully done, and are as interestingly silly as the poems themselves feature a camel looking at itself in a mirror, a toad on a scale, a mole wearing glasses, and much more. This would be a great addition for any classroom or library.

Reviews:
Gr 1-4-A colorful and clever assemblage of 21 animals, from the walrus (``The pounding spatter/Of salty sea/ makes the walrus/Walrusty.'') to the kiwi (``Wings so small./No tail at all./ Very rare./Feathers like hair./Quiet and shy./Cannot fly./They call you a bird,/But I don't know why.''). Each brief poem employs an Ogden Nashian twist of language, a small surprise, or a happy insight into the familiar.

School Library Journal

Enrichment Activity:
This would be a great book to incorporate into any biology unit or poetry unit. One fun activity to do with this book is for students to draw a picture of a pet at home, and then create a couplet to describe it. The teacher or librarian could then collect these pictures and short poems to make a whole book about the “beasts” that the students know.