Oodles of Animals

Ehlert, Lois. 2008. Oodles of Animals. Orlando: Harcourt.

I hate to say it because I love Lois Ehlert's books (her less well-known folktale, Mole's Hill, has always been a favorite of mine), but I don't like this one. Oodles of Animals is a collection of very short poems with artwork done in Ehlert's typical collage style. According to her Author's Note, each animal or insect is created using only scissors, pinking shears, a hole punch, and shapes from a limited selection of nine (circles, square, oval, etc.).

The collage subjects are bright, representative of each subject, lively and engaging. Children should enjoy the illustrations and find them inspirational for their own collage creations. Some of the many poems are delightful as well, such as the short "Butterfly,"

Butterfly
wings
are angelic
things.

or

"Dog"
A dog's a true friend
from damp nose to tail's end.

Others simply don't work for me.
"Lama"
When llamas get a haircut,
they will look quite naked.
But you can knit a sweater
using their wool to make it.

or
"Moths"
When moths
fly at night,
they like
porch lights.

Individual selections from Oodles of Animals could easily be incorporated into a storytime. Poetry is very personal. Children may very well like Ehlert's latest book, even if I do not.