NOW YOU SEE THEM, NOW YOU DON'T: POEMS ABOUT CREATURES THAT HIDE

NOW YOU SEE THEM, NOW YOU DON'T: POEMS ABOUT CREATURES THAT HIDE

by David L. Harrison

Illustrated by Giles Laroche

Image credit: www.charlesbridge.com

Bibliography:

Harrison, David L. 2016. Now You See Them, Now You Don't: Poems About Creatures that Hide. Ill. by Giles Laroche. Watertown, MA: Charlesbridge. ISBN 9781580896108

Critical Analysis and Review:

This is a collection of nineteen poems about animals that have the ability to hide in their habitat.  The poems are presented in five sections beginning with "Sea Life", followed by "Reptiles and Amphibians", "Mammals", "Insects" and "Spiders", and finally, "Birds". Harrison's poetry is informative, brief, and often warns prey about a hidden predator.  

Harrison's poems utilize rhythm, rhyme, line breaks, and descriptive language.  In "American Alligator," the repetition in "Hidden where/ they never show,/ are teeth/ and teeth/ and teeth/ below" is used to emphasize the alligator's large number of teeth.  The alliteration in "Great Blue Heron" is descriptive as it says,"Standing/ statue/ still./ Slender/ sharp/ bill." In "Copperhead," Harrison utilizes sibilance to mimic the voice of the snake as in, "Find me/ if you can,/ my sssskin/ deceivessss,/ helpssss me/ dissssappear."

Laroche creates beautiful illustrations using "cut-paper relief on a variety of hand-painted papers."  The intricate collages masterfully depict the animals hidden in their natural surroundings.  A stand-out illustration in this book is the double-page spread of the praying mantis and walking stick as each hides itself in the branch of a tree. Laroche uses a muted color palette to cause the ghost crab to nearly disappear in its sandy beach setting.  Nonfiction lovers will notice similarities to the cut paper technique of Steve Jenkins.

Following the poetry, Harrison provides an informative paragraph about each animal.  The description provides the Latin name of the animal and facts about their diet, predators, and how they use camouflage to hide.  There are also five books mentioned for further reading.  This book is a work of art with science concepts presented throughout the rhyming poems.  

Spotlight Poem:

BENGAL TIGER 

By David L. Harrison

Dappled shadows,

waving grasses,

where the gliding 

hunter passes.

Pupils widen,

muscles ready,

crouches lower,

patient, steady.

Deer grazing,

crickets singing,

striped lightning,

tiger springing!

Any of Harrison's poems could be used as a poetry break in a science lesson when studying animal adaptations or animal camouflage.  "Bengal Tiger" is the perfect poem to read at first in a whisper.  Then, read it again a little louder and then again at full volume. This poetry read aloud would create the suspense that would be present on the savanna when the predatory tiger is creeping through the grass.