Spi-ku: A Clutter of Short Verse on Eight Legs

Description

Leslie Bulion, award-winning educator favorite and master of science poetry, is back with a humorous exploration of the silk-spinning, bungee-jumping, hunting, trapping, trick-filled world of spiders! Meet spiders that spit silk, roll like wheels, scuba dive, hide under trap doors, strum tunes, and so much more. Watch as they find mates, find prey...or find mates that become prey! Award-winning poet Leslie Bulion and illustrator Robert Meganck team up again for this clutter (a collective noun for spiders) of short poems and humorously accurate illustrations celebrating the amazing attributes of Araneae. The book is also packed with helpful sidebars, call-outs, and back matter, including a glossary of science terms, a description of the poetic forms, a list of common and scientific names, a spider-hunting adventure how-to, resources for further study, and a relative-size chart. A feast for science and animal fans!

Leslie Bulion has graduate degrees in oceanography and social work. She has written parenting and education articles and is the author of several children's science-related poetry books and novels. When she's not writing, she enjoys exploring nature with her binoculars, hand lens, and camera; collecting specimens to examine under her microscope; or going SCUBA diving and or kayaking. Leslie lives in Connecticut. Designer and illustrator Robert Meganck, retired professor of illustration, graphic design, digital imaging, and color theory at Virginia Commonwealth University, received a BFA degree from the Center for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan, and an MFA degree from Cranbrook Academy of Art. He has received over 300 awards for illustration and graphic design work, and been recognized for excellence by such organizations as The Society of Illustrators New York and The Society of Illustrators Los Angeles.

"Cheerfully illustrated. . . As always, Bulion uses both evocative vocabulary and a variety of poetic forms; these are chosen with care and defined in the backmatter... Engaging and information rich, this is wonderfully well woven." -Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review "Notes on poetic form are on hand for readers who gravitate to the "A" in their STEAM curriculum, but the verses are also effective as mnemonic devices. . . teasing wordplay. . . and wry Gorey-esque bait for the spider grossout fans. . . Meganck's digital artwork balances light-hearted cartooning with reliably detailed anatomical drawing." -The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "Abundant scientific information, poetry, and colorful cartoon illustrations. . . scientific concepts are clearly conveyed, incorporating lively, sometimes icky touches. . . the enthusiastic tone will help readers find plenty to engage, inform, and intrigue." -Booklist "Readers will want to devour the pages. . . The approachable and accessible verse will make adults and children want to explore the natural world and discover a clutter of spiders. . . . A fun collection of factual poetry to add to shelves." -School Library Journal "Thirty-six poems in a variety of forms, paragraphs of information (in smaller-size type), and friendly (realistic but with hints of humor) digital illustrations together provide an effective cross-curricular introduction to spiders' appearance, behaviors, physiology, diet, and defenses. The poems' observations are sometimes lighthearted, sometimes thoughtful, and always enhance details in the accompanying text." -The Horn Book