(Book cover compliments of goodreads.com)
Bibliography
Florian, Douglas. In the Swim: Poems and Paintings. San Diego, CA: Harcourt, Brace & Company. 1997. ISBN 0-15-201307-5.
Review
Florian’s entertaining book of 21 humorous poems about sea creatures captivates young readers with its wit and quirky use of words. Short, punchy poems that abound in puns and plays on words (“An eel is a fish--/ It’s eel-ementary!” ), Florian’s light-hearted introduction of each sea creature makes a fun read while educating young readers on some of the inhabitants of the ocean. Mostly free verse, Florian does include a couple of concrete poems: The Sawfish, whose lines zigzag back and forth across the page like a saw and The Salmon whose lines build like steps up a waterfall. Florian’s details about the sea creatures in his poems reflect true powers of observation that hone in on small, fascinating details like the oyster’s ability to be both male and female, the jellyfish’s lack of eyes, and the starfish’s lack of a brain. The playful tone of the poems finds a perfect companionship with Florian’s whimsical watercolor illustrations of each creature complete with surprising human-like attributes or silly props. Young readers will get a dose of ocean creature education while laughing over Florian’s paintings, puns, and general humor.
