Dear Wandering Wildebeest: And Other Poems from the Water Hole

These poems carried me -- with both gallops and sips -- to a place I never thought I could know so well, and came to love. An extraordinary blend of nonfiction material and artful language.

Huzzah! I enjoyed this book so much that I have to gather my thoughts first before I just start gushing about it. In fact, I'll have to abridge my original review because I did gush a little too much (but you can read it all on my blog, Cozy Little Book Journal, if you're interested).Talk about a great book! The illustrations are rich, folksy and painterly, and the poetry is good. I mean really, really good. I've been a poet my whole life and an educator for half of it, so I've read, heard and written a lot of poetry, including a lot of poems for children. By no means does that make me an expert on good poetry, but in some ways I feel like an expert on bad poetry. I've encountered a lot of bad poetry. Oh lord yes. And a shocking amount of it finds its way into children's books.Irene Latham, however, is a poet's poet. Her book is full of poetry that isn't just a collection of rhyming words about animals intended to make children laugh. It's full of evocative language, arresting imagery, and natural rhythm that informs the reader of both the intention of the piece and how it's meant to be read. One of my favourites was "Triptych for a Thirsty Giraffe" (a triptych! she did a freaking triptych! I love this woman so very, very much). Here's a sample:I. CravingLeaves turn to dust, mouth cottons,tongue becomes swollen log.Must find water.The second and third parts of the triptych--"Caution" and "Courage"--continue with the form and style of the first, with "Caution" ending with the words: Must be safe.She concludes with this:III. CourageLong legs contort,widen into triangles.Step by step by step until, yes!Tongue whirlpools waterinto mouth.Must not stop.Swoon. I can't even. I love it so, so much.Oh, and in addition to the poetry and illustrations, each page also has a little information box that explains a bit about what you've just read: animal facts, more about the African savanna, etc. It's informative--I learned a lot, and Magda said that some of it reminded her of things she'd seen in a documentary--but not so long as to break the flow of the book. In other words, it's just perfect. Plus, it made Magda want to watch even more animal documentaries afterwards, to find out more about the things we had learned. (My four-year-old is now the neighbourhood's leading expert on the awesomeness of vultures.)If my local library doesn't have this on order already, I'll definitely be recommending it for purchase. I am indeed a fan!

The cover with that subdued artwork is poetic in itself, capturing my meditative, nature-loving mood. Even the poem titles are bits of poesie -- "To All Beasts Who Enter Here," "Lifestyles of the Sleek and Sinuous," "Triptych for a Thirsty Giraffe." Poetry well-written has the power to capture the moment, sometimes tiny, sometimes large, in the quick flicks of life and death. Such as at a savanna water hole -- "...oxpecker and lion. This water hole is yours."The paintings are not totally realistic but they are better than that -- they capture the emotion, the moment and life in a spot of time and place. "Discover this vital place where earth and sky convene." The small boxes of facts about the animals at the waterhole, their inter-relationships with each other, deepen this "circle of life" blend of word and color. Also, the poetic forms are varied, all the way from one-two word lines to longer. The rhymes are natural and rhythmic, thus capture the flow of life at the water hole. Also this poet yields herself to humor as she juxtaposes the animal world with man's world. "Ticks got you dancing in an ear-flapping way? Try our Basic Tick Removal Plan today." That's from her poem "Oxpecker Cleaning Service -- Specializing in Large Beasts."To me the words of a poem become part of the page or picture. Unfortunately in Kindle format, I had to keep clicking in order to enlarge two or three lines at a time so they are readable. Otherwise, they were too small to read on my Kindle. Still, it was worth it, and when I read the lines aloud (as poetry should be read), it all worked so well together. So be patient, as I had to, to learn how to read these pages. These poems are worth one's time and effort.

Award winning poet/author Irene Latham has put together a stunning children's book that will introduce early readers to the wonders of African nature and to the wonders of poetry as well. Teaming up with noted illustrator Anna Wadham, Latham provides us with a colorful and amusing look at the goings-on around a temporary African water hole over the course of a day. Starting out at day-break the reader will see a changing kaleidoscope of animals as the day progresses. Rhino, giraffe and lion all make a showing along with elephants, snakes and even a zebra rugby team. The meerkats and dung beetles are sure to get some laughs. Then there's a kind of tree-hotel filled with a few surprises. And the day would not be complete without our dear wandering wildebeest. Parents, teachers and librarians should have a field day helping children learn to appreciate and understand poetry as an alternate form of reading. Passages like; "Discover this vital place where earth and sky convene" may give us all, child and adult alike, an alternate way of looking at the world. Along with the poetry, each painting has a little box of "nature facts" that explain, in short, the animals and environment shown. With this book you'll learn that meerkats watch, snakes can "sizzle" and that a giraffe's long legs and neck can help them get leaves but can also cause problems when it's time for a drink of water. Anna Wadham's wonderful paintings are just right for younger readers and they show us all the beauty and diversity of nature. At the end of the day, when the stars are twinkling, we can all "sing a song for the water hole" and maybe come away with a new appreciation for both nature and poetry as well.Last Ranger