Ladybug, Ladybug

Poems about nature, animals, and everyday events fill the beautifully illustrated pages of this book. These narratives in miniature, by such talents as Omar Rayyan and Sylvia Long, chronicle everything from the search for the fabled “peanut butter fish” (“Ocean Sandwich”) to a little girl’s strategies for solving the dilemma of the “Bug in the Tub.” Young readers follow the enchanting adventures of earthworms and ladybugs, while in “Mushrooms from Heaven,” a “parade of ants” marches along a garden path, shaded by mushrooms like “parasols from heaven.” Humorous poems, such as the energetic dance of the “Limbo Lizards,” are interspersed with thoughtful pieces such as “Stay, Little Stray.” The variety of themes in the book shows children how poetry can capture the richness of human experience.