Compiled by the late Mary Ann Hoberman, poems from previously published books, plus eight new poems, celebrate creatures of all kinds. Pencil and watercolor illustrations by Marla Frazee imagine the menagerie of animals and insects as guests at a retro-style resort complete with a large crew of attentive squirrel bellhops. Clever wordplay animates animal antics, like the havoc wreaked by mole (shown inconveniently popping up on a miniature golf course): “Look for the humps and the bumps and the lumps he strews out behind him. . . and then go and find them.” The nearly 70 poems, with perfectly matched visuals, offer young readers a refreshing vacation from prose.

A rollicking collection of poems about the enchanting world of animals and insects, from former children's poet laureate and New York Times bestselling author Mary Ann Hoberman and Caldecott Honoree illustrator Marla Frazee.



So many kinds of animals

So many shapes and sizes

So many funny spots and dots

So many strange disguises



With her signature wordplay and wit, former children's poet laureate Mary Ann Hoberman celebrates the magnificence, ingenuity, and quirky qualities of creatures big and small. This thoughtfully crafted collection features sixty of Mary Ann's personal favorite poems curated from her sixty-five-year body of work, as well as eight new poems.



From a fine fat pig and backward running porcupines to a beastly card game and a yoga class for agile animals, this memorable menagerie is cunningly brought to life by three-time Caldecott Honoree Marla Frazee, in an imaginary world where the characters meet and tell an entertaining tale all their own.



A tour de force collection of poems and pictures by two legendary talents, this book creates a world that readers will never want to leave.