POETRY - Mammalabilia

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Florian, Douglas. 2000. MAMMALABILIA. New York: Harcourt, Inc. ISBN 0152050248

PLOT SUMMARY
In Mammalabilia, Douglas Florian presents a collection of twenty-one brief and humorous poems about animals, both common and exotic. In his exploration of this scientific class, Florian incorporates word play and wit involving mammal names, physical appearances, virtues, and vices, among other things. A variety of poems are included in the compilation such as quatrains, concrete poems, list poems, and a number of unique creations. The poetry is complimented by an equal number of gouache paintings rendered on primed brown paper bags.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
In this book, Florian proves to be a master with clever turns of phrase as is proven in his assertion that “The porcupine / has porcupins / that sprout out from / its porcuskin”. These sharp and amusing word plays pepper the volume. In addition, the repeated use of consonance lends a fun and quirky readability to many of the poems. An excellent example of double consonance at work can be seen in Florian’s poem portraying the beaver: “Wood-chopper / Tree-dropper / Tail-flopper / Stream-stopper”. The use of concrete poems which trace the shape of a camel’s back, a porcupine’s quills, and a lemur’s tail add a unique visual flair to the otherwise blocked text.

Aside from the entertaining verse, readers may also delight in the whimsical paintings which illustrate the book. Using brown paper bags as canvas, Florian’s creations come across as childlike and simplistic. However, the humor embedded in the illustrations help to enhance the wit in the poetry. For example, the beaver who is given the moniker, “stream-stopper”, is depicted sitting confidently atop his damn with a big, red, octagonal stop sign firmly planted in the river bed. The ibex are seen precariously perched on slivers of mountaintops, emphasizing their propensity to “risk their necks / on scary, airy mountain treks”. The bear slumbers away in hibernation with his alarm clock at his side which shows not hours and minutes, but instead, months of the year. Readers are sure to find as many surprises in Florian’s illustrations as they do in his clever verse.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
* New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year
* Smithsonian Magazine Notable Book for Children
* Horn Book Fanfare Selection
* BOOKLIST REVIEW: “Florian continues his versified survey of the animal kingdom with 21 short, usually clever rhymes, each playing on a mammal's name or some physical characteristic. The paintings. . . . . show that Florian isn't just inventive with written language.”
* PUBLISHERS WEEKLY REVIEW: “This collection of 21 short light verses brims with whimsy and fun. . . . .an irresistible homage to mammal memorabilia.”
* SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL REVIEW: “The artist's renderings draw readers into the poem and invite repeated viewings after reading the verse. Florian has created a zoological garden of delights.”

CONNECTIONS
* Read and view concrete poems such as The Bactrian Camel and The Porcupine. Encourage students to discover why the poems are shaped the way they are. Have students write concrete poems using their favorite animal as a subject.
* Continue one of the poems in the collection by adding an original verse.
* As a science connection, students choose one of the mammals that is less well known such as the lemur, tapir, rhebok, ibex, or lynx. Complete basic research on each mammal including physical description, diet, habitat, defense mechanisms, unique characteristics, etc.
*Other Florian poetry creations about beasts, birds, and bugs:
1) Florian, Douglas. BEAST FEAST. ISBN 0152017372
2) Florian, Douglas. ZOO’S WHO. ISBN 0152046399
3) Florian, Douglas. ON THE WING. ISBN 0152004971
4) Florian, Douglas. INSECTOLOPEDIA. ISBN 0152013067