ANIMAL SENSE
“A stapler with its tiny fangs
Cannot outwit orangutangs.
Rocks are very good at sitting,
but never walk or take up knitting.
Living things all feel and sense
their way through every happenstance.“
In every steely, cold rational science maven’s heart runs a red-hot stream of romance. Finding the stream and allowing yourself to get in touch with it is what’s difficult. To the rescue comes Diane Ackerman.
Ackerman’s lovely little book of poetry will appear at first glance to be a good gift for a child, and indeed a child would be handy to have around so you could justify reading the book aloud. It is more than that, though. It is a book for the curious child in each of us, and lots and lots of the clever wordplay is as much to an adult’s liking as the words in Dr. Seuss’s Cat in the Hat. There is also a lot of learning to be had here (I suspect she couldn’t help herself)... Don’t make the mistake of reading it once. Read it at least three times. Then you’ll understand why a scientist like Carl Sagan was crazy about this woman. — Stephen L. Petranek, Discover Magazine
Ackerman’s personalized, poetic narrative is natural history writing at its best.” — ”Top 10 Youth Poetry" — American Library Association Booklist
Good poetry, fine illustration, natural history gently rendered and more than occasionally funny — what child could ask for anything more than this exquisite little gem? (Poetry. 7-12) — Kirkus Review