Hidden City: Poems of Urban Wildlife

PreS-Gr 2—The city pulses with nature in this collection of 27 short poems that take a closer look at the habits of many plants, insects, birds, and animals. Beginning with a mother mouse scurrying back and forth under the table with scraps of paper to build her nest, the poems deftly steer readers through the cycle of a year. Dandelions sprout at the bus stop bench, and pigeons "strut/turn/dip" in a courtship dance. Community gardens grow, and raccoon kits learn how to hunt for dinner in garbage cans ("place paws firmly and/push /push again/push again/until/CRASH!/ a feast spills out of the bin."). Large spreads of bright collagelike digital art subtly introduce the seasonal shifts, while the poetry uses sound, imagery, and a little humor to make each flora or fauna recognizable and part of the natural rhythm of the city. As winter settles in, the slim volume closes where it began, inside a human residence. There, a house cricket on a heating vent chirps a "Winter Song" to call his mate. The author has a background in environmental studies, and the book's back matter includes a small bibliography for further reading and "Fun Facts about the Wildlife in These Poems" with a fascinating extra piece of information about each poem's subject.