More Wild Critters. Verse by: Tim Jones. Photography by: Tom Walker. (1998).

My son got this book for Easter, and I put it on the bookshelf in his room without even looking at it, I was just looking for one more book to add to my blog when I discovered this treasure. The book is a collection of 22 poems about Alaska's wildlife written by Tim Jones. Each poem has a beautiful photograph or collection of photographs of the animals in the poems. One of my favorites is called Critters in the Garden, by Tim Jones.

"When I go walking in the woods,

I never see a thing,

I never see animal,

on hoof or paw or wing.

There are some big ones out there;

that I know of for a fact.

So how can something

big as a deer, even hide it's rack?

I guess I'll just keep walking,

ever on my guard.

Someday I hope I'll see

some kind of critter in my yard."

Next to the poem is a beautiful photograph of a Mule deer with antlers hiding in the brush. The poems are wonderful, and the photographs really grab you. This book is wonderful; I think it would be enjoyed by children and adults.

About the Author: Tim Jones has lived in Alaska since 1973. He has been a boat captain, a commercial fisherman, a home builder, he has lived in the Bush and has voyaged on the ocean. He will occasionally fall back on his experience as an editor to make a living, "when necessary", as he said. He has written Wild Critters (1992), More Wild Critters (1998), Keep the Round Side Down (1994), Race Across Alaska  (1988), and Alaska and the Last Great Race (1981).

http://alaskanwritersdirectory.com/authors/jones_tim.shtml

Genre: Poetry

Theme: Poetry, wild animals

Grade Level: Amazon recommends ages 4-8 but I think this is a great book for all ages.

Pre-reading activity: Students should have a discussion about animals that they see in the wild. They should discuss what they think about the animals they see everyday and that they see every once in awhile. What do they look like? What do they act like? Do they remind you of anything?

Post-reading activity: After reading, students should write their own poem about an animal that they have seen, or know a lot about. They should also draw a picture of this animal in it's habitat to go along with their poem.