Florian Poetry

Bibliography

Florian, Douglas. BOW WOW MEOW MEOW: IT’S RHYMING CATS AND DOGS. 2003. San Diego: Harcourt. ISBN 0152163956

Summary

An assortment of twenty-ones poems that detail the mannerisms of selected breeds from the dog and cat families. From poodles and pointers to Persians and panthers, these short poems will delight any pet owner or entice the reader to be one.

Quality and Appeal

Douglas Florian has written a whimsical book using an array of poetic elements to introduce to the reader the unique qualities that are distinct to each canine and feline breed. The arrangement of the book begins with a table of contents in which the dog breeds are listed on the left hand side and the cat family is listed on the right. The dog breed section opens with the poem, “Dog Log,” which briefly describes a day in the life of a dog with short rhyming lines like “Got in a spat with a cat” and “Chewed a shoe-Table, too.” The cat section begins with “Cat Chat,” detailing what makes a cat a cat such as “You have sharp claws But velvet paws” and “You nap all day Then wake to play.” Each poem flows with rhythm and rhyme which will entice the reader to turn each page.  

In the poem, “The Sheepdog,” the element of alliteration can be seen and heard with such lines as “the sheepdog is shaggy,” “as shaggy as sheep,” and “shaggy as shaggy can be.” Alliteration is also present in the line “it’s four furry feet” from the poem, “The Cheetah.”

Several poems incorporate the use of onomatopoeia in a lighthearted, spirited way. With examples of “purrrsian,” and "scentsational," and “s t r e t c h.” Adding to the witticism of the poems are playful words like “pet-igree,” Chi-hua! hua! hua! hua! hua! hua! hua!” and “jaguarondi-wear.”

Florian has cleverly included examples of concrete poems. The text layout in the poem, “The Poodle,” is written in an open circle formation to match the words “oodles and oodles of curls.” In the poem, “Dalmatians,” which are known for their famous spotted fur, the poet has creatively blacked out all of the  “o” letters to resemble a spot, just like a Dalmatian. “The Ocelot” poem is one simple line in the shape of a question mark asking about its spots.

To add to the enjoyment of each poem are the corresponding watercolor illustrations on the opposite page of each poem. In the poem, “The Bloodhound,” known for its ability to pick up scents, the illustration shows the face of a bloodhound and on the tip of its nose there is another face of a bloodhound to emphasize its remarkable scent ability. The pictures themselves are humorous additions that compliment the verses of each poem.  

BOW WOW MEOW MEOW: It’s Rhyming Cats and Dogs will appeal to the animal lover in most readers, especially children preschool to elementary. The simplicity of each poem and its illustration will engage and entice the reader to discover more about each breed and that creature’s unique personality.

Spotlight Poem

                                                     The Dachshund

Short up front

And short behind

But so long in-between.

The fleas all ride

Upon my side

In my  s  t   r e  t  c  h  limousine.
  
Illustration credit: (c)Douglas Florian, Bow Wow Meow Meow: It's Rhyming Cats And Dogs, Harcourt

I chose to spotlight “The Dachshund” because of its simplicity and the way the author plays with the word “s  t r e t c h.” For any nonfluent reader this poem would be a confidence builder in one’s ability to practice their fluency without getting caught up on the process of decoding. The poem offers an example of onomatopoeia and could be used as an introduction to the playful words. The poem is also an excellent example of how to see imagery within the poem and illustration. In describing the dachshund as "short up front And short behind," and fleas riding in “my

s t r e t c h limousine,” along with the illustration of the dog transporting fleas on its body with a cityscape in the background. The silly illustration will grab the reader’s attention.

Connections

1. Introduce the poem by beginning a discussion about the unique characteristics of different breeds of dogs and cats. What makes them unique? Describe the characteristics.

2. Read the poem to children and tell them listen for the qualities that are special to the dachshund breed.

3. Make a list of different dog breeds and list the qualities of each.

4. Have children chose a breed of dog and brainstorm the characteristics of that breed.

5. Students can write a poem about the breed chosen and illustrate their poem.

6. Compile poems into a class book on dogs.