HOPKINS AWARD POETRY

BEAST FEAST

 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Florian, Douglas. 1994. Beast Feast. San Diego: Harcourt Brace & Company. ISBN 9780152951788

SUMMARY
In this collection, Florian dedicates each of his 21 poems to a different animal, or beast.  From fireflies to lobsters, poems detail different animal characteristics, often from the animal’s point of view.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS

The Poet
Douglas Florian is a distinguished children’s writer and illustrator.  One of his best-known works, Beast Feast, won the Lee Bennet Hopkins Poetry Award. His poetry tends to focus on the natural world in a humorous way.

Layout

The poems in Beast Feast are thematically linked in that they all discuss animals.  The collection includes a “Contents” page at the beginning that lists the poems’ titles and indicates the page number that each poem appears on.  Each poem appears in a two-page spread so as to include Florian’s illustrations as well.  Because most of the poems are short, there is plenty of white space around the poem, allowing readers to truly focus on the poem’s meaning and to enjoy the accompanying illustrations.

Florian’s unique illustration characteristics shine in this collection.  Most illustrations are close-up portraits of the animals showcased in the poems. Florian uses a wide range of color schematics to complement the particular animal in each illustration. For “The Barracuda,” for instance, he uses cool blue hues throughout the painting, whereas in “The Lobster” he uses warm red tones.  His illustrations also pick up on Florians’ humorous nature, such as in his illustration of a chameleon with a painter’s palette and brush.

Poetic Elements

The poems in Beast Feast primarily focus on concrete meaning to highlight the characteristics and traits of the animals they are written about.  In “The Toad,” for example, Florian describes a toad’s “squat and plump” shape and food preference of “worms and slugs.”

While the poems in this collection do not ascribe to a strict form or meter, they do have rhythmic patterns and poetic sound elements that children will be able to pick up on and enjoy.  “The Walrus,” for example, is a 4-line poem that follows an abcb rhyme scheme, which produces a sing-song essence.  In “The Camel,” Florian uses alliteration to emphasize the animal’s “haggard, harsh, and hairy” appearance that may appear scary and monstrous to some.  He also makes use of onomatopoeia, such as in “The Kangaroo,” where he describes the way a kangaroo “zooms” as it leaps into the air.

Florian employs many examples of figurative language in his animal poems to produce sensory imagery for readers.  When describing a lobster, for instance, he uses similes to show that this animal is “Like an underwater/Mobster” who has antennae that are “Used for striking/Like a stick.” Through this similes, readers are able to visualize a lobster’s physical appearance as well as defensive disposition.  In “The Chameleon,” Florian appeals to the sense of sight and touch when he writes that a chameleon can have “From mousy browns to leafy greens/And several colors in between” as well as a “long and sticky tongue” that “lashes out at rapid rates.” These vivid descriptions helps readers truly have an understanding of what a chameleon is like. 

The poems’ subject matter as well as Florian’s poetic writing style give these poems an overall humorous tone.  Even when reading about scary bats or icky caterpillars, readers will laugh at their silly peculiarities, finding themselves drawn closer to these animals and appreciating their beauty and fundamental nature.  Readers will surely find these poems and their subjects favorable.

Appeal

Beast Feast is sure to appeal to young readers.  The eye-catching book cover, which features a couple of bats, and the book’s title will get children to become interested in what this collection is about.  The length of the poems as well as Florian’s accessible language are perfect for kids, as the poems are concise enough to get their point across but detailed enough to give them a true sense of what these animals are all about.  Florian’s poetic techniques and illustrations will keep sustain children’s interest throughout.  His humorous tone will make readers young and old laugh out loud. The animals Florian includes in this book will intrigue readers and compel them to continue learning about other less-popular animals, stimulating readers’ imaginations and enriching their knowledge.

Overall Quality

Florian consistently delivers high-quality poems in this collection.  He clearly exhibits his skill as an experiences poet and uses poetic techniques to catch and maintain readers’ attention.  Readers will be able to recognize and appreciate his poetic style and illustrations and, more importantly, will be moved to extend their knowledge about animals.

SPOTLIGHT POEM AND ACTIVITIES
“The Lobster” by Douglas Florian

See the hard-shelled

Leggy lobster

Like an underwater

Mobster

With two claws

To catch and crush

Worms and mollusks

Into mush

And antennae

Long and thick

Used for striking

Like a stick.

So be careful

On vacation

Not to step on

This crustacean.

This poem perfectly captures the heart and spirit of this entire collection in that it focuses on a “beast” and makes it come to life. Florian’s wonderful use of poetic elements such as alliteration, similes, and imagery make this poem a great introduction to the collection or even to a unit on animals or sea creatures.

To introduce this poem, I would bring in a live lobster and have students observe it, asking them to take notes on its physical appearance.  I would then ask students to verbally share their observations about the lobster. I would distribute copies of the poem to students and read the poem aloud to them, including gestures and body movements where appropriate. Then, I would invite students to do a choral reading of the poem and to join me by emulating my gestures and body movements as well.  After reading, I would bring in some non-fiction texts about lobsters to learn more about them.