Readers won't find the familiar bears, dogs, or bunnies here.

Author/Illustrator: Douglas Florian
Format: Paperback
Published: Harcourt Brace & Company, 1994
 
"Up in a tree
The shaggy sloth
Is hanging by its claws.
It doesn't like to move at all.
It only likes to
p a u s e."

Readers won't find the familiar bears, dogs, or bunnies here. Florian prefers to investigate the sloth, barracuda, anteater, armadillo, bat, and 16 other fascinating beasts.

Witty, whimsical, and just plain wonderful, Douglas Florian's poems and paintings depict the real and imaginary characteristics of a menagerie of common and not-so-common creatures. Children will delight in the humorous rhymes, and teachers will especially appreciate the sophisticated word play.

This collection is an uncluttered, short presentation by an author/illustrator who knows what chidren will find funny - add to that the bonus of factual information tucked into each poem, and the result is a winner. Clearly a wonderful book."    ~School Library Journal