This is yet another favorite picture book poetry collection that I discovered this year.

I adore Marilyn Singer’s work (and you’ve heard me extol her virtues before).  This book blew me away (again).  I love the way her brain works.  The variety of subjects of her poetry picture books just amazes me.  Her latest book (released just last September) is no exception.  “Wild in the Streets” is a collection of poems about animals that live in cities in droves and sometimes cause problems.  Did you know Berlin, Germany is over run by wild boars?  Or that there is a colony of crabs living under Rome that no one is quite sure how they got there?  Me neither!

Marilyn had to travel to witness some of these things for herself.  The poems are a fun variety of forms, but I admit some of the nonfiction facts were more fascinating to me (because they’re both so well written and SO odd!).  It was difficult to chose which poem and which facts to share, but in the end I went with one a little closer to home in America (rather than a foreign country).  Yes, WE have these issues too!

It’s a subject I admit I’m fascinated by: wild life in cities.  It reminded me a bit of last year’s “Hidden City.” This is a different perspective on that topic and I loved it.  I haven’t seen it done quite like this before.  Simply fascinating!

And if you’re looking for more poetry fun this month, be sure to check out the Kidlitosphere Event Roundup!