The Dirt Book: Poems About Animals That Live Under Our Feet

From the moment you hold The Dirt Book: Poems About Animals that Live Beneath Our Feet (Holiday House, 2021) in your hands, you realize that this is a unique picture book.  After all, how many books do you turn 90 degrees in order to read it? I can only think of one other, Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens, which my (now) adult children enjoyed as kids! 

In fact, the award-winning author of The Dirt Book, David L. Harrison, admitted that the brilliant design concept was worked out between his editor and the artist, Kate Cosgrove (scroll down to her October 13th post). "It was a delightful surprise to see the finished book," David said. 

If you haven't yet seen this STEM poetry book, you might wonder what I'm so excited about. The reader's experience is enhanced by poems and images that begin at the top of the page and are carried through to the bottom--which shows what is going on in the dirt. And of course, since David is a poet, he uses different types of poetry to highlight these critters.

REVIEW

The book begins with a dirt recipe:

(Parents beware: your children may want to try and duplicate this recipe in your backyard!)

What creatures are found in the dirt?

Readers will meet a doodlebug who creates dirt funnels so that ants slide in and become their lunch; a trap door spider, 

and an earthworm who performs dirty work:

Earthworm squiggles,

earthworm squirms,

earthworm dines on 

dirt and germs.

Earthworm dodges,

earthworm weaves,

earthworm nibbles

dear wet leaves.

Earthworm crawls,

earthworm creeps,

earthworm tunnels,

rarely sleeps.

Under our feet are ants that build cities, grubs which kill grass (the immaculate-lawn owner's nemesis!), mice, moles, bees, toads, and... Warning! Warning! Yellow Jacket Wasps.

 

 

I love this ending spread with a form of a Tristitia poem:

If you are interested in reading David's inspiration for this book and what he hopes readers will take away from it, please see this interview on Deborah Kalb's blog.

CURRICULUM RESOURCE

Readers from pre-kindergarten through third grade will enjoy the illustrations and poetry. The book will be a great asset to classrooms and homeschool educators. Christian parents and teachers, please be aware that the introduction includes the belief that dirt was formed two million to four billion years ago.

GIVEAWAY

If you would like to enter this giveaway, please leave your name AND EMAIL ADDRESS (if you are new to my blog). Educators and media specialists, include where you work and I'll enter your name twice. If you decide to follow my blog, I'll also throw in an additional chance. U.S. postal addresses only. The giveaway ends on New Year's Day at 12 PM. 

Call Me Oklahoma! and a Giveaway!

Congratulations to Donna Koppelman who won Carole Weatherford's book, Birmingham, 1963 in last week's giveaway.

As promised, I have another book to give away this week. Follow the instructions at the end of this blog and you could win an autographed copy of Call Me Oklahoma for a favorite young reader.

When Paige Turner enters fourth grade, she decides it's time to be different, like her cousin Cordelia. Her one-year-younger cousin cartwheels instead of walks, climbs doorjambs like a spider, and isn't afraid of bullies. 

On the way home from visiting Cordelia in California, Paige decides that the way to becoming more unique and gutsy will be to adopt a new name. She tells her family, friends, and even her new teacher to "Call Me, Oklahoma!" and with that, Paige's adventures begin. 

She weathers her older brother's teasing; as well as name-calling and jinxing from her arch-nemesis, Viveca. She thinks her new name gives her courage to stand up for herself. The test comes when Viveca invites her to be a part of The Milkshake Club, the new classroom club. To do that means turning her back on her best friend, Gavi. When she realizes that her friendship to Gavi matters more than being a part of the "in-group," she happily reconnects with Gavi, performs in the class variety show as Paige, and learns to value herself over being someone else's side-kick.  

Miriam Glassman told me that Call Me Oklahoma! recently made the NYPL's list of Best Children's Books for 2013. Yee Haw!

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Here's your chance to win this fun book for a second through fourth grade girl. Leave me a comment by December 19 and I'll enter your name. For two chances to win, either post this on your social media site of choice, or become a new follower of my blog. Remember, if I don't have your email address, please leave it for me in your comment.