Lizards, Frogs, and Polliwogs - by Douglas Florian (Paperback)

About the Book

Twenty-one toadally hilarious reptile and amphibian poems from bestselling poet and painter Douglas Florian!

Book Synopsis

Snapping alligators, frozen frogs, and thirty-foot pythons: twenty-one witty poems celebrate reptiles and amphibians.

Douglas Florian illustrates each subject in collage and watercolor on brown paper bags. The humorous verses highlight genuine biology through nimble rhymes, tracking diamondbacks with rabbit lumps and devoted midwife toads that tote eggs on Dad's back.

The collection explores murky bogs and treetops where chameleons shift into turquoise and tangerine. Florian pairs reptilian quirks with brisk comedy, featuring thirty-foot pythons squeezing prey and frozen wood frogs full of antifreeze.

From transparent glass frogs and ravenous rattlesnakes to sticky geckos and stressed-out skinks, this slithery spectacle showcases once again Douglas Florian's incomparable skill for making poetry informative, fun--and irresistible!

• Poetry for Kids: Rhythmic, read-aloud rhymes introduce noisy spring peepers that inflate thin throat balloons to steal sleep from March until June.
• Reptile Books for Kids: Encounter the gruesome Komodo dragon feasting on wild boars, alongside the clever box turtle safe inside its bony mobile dome.
• Frog Books for Kids: Brilliant poison-dart frogs show off warning shades of banana yellow and ultramarine while packing venom potent enough to tip hunters' darts.
• Nature Poetry: Playful verses spotlight bright orange newts and warn young readers to avoid dangerous cobras every month of the year.
• Also by This Author: insectlopedia, Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars and Beast Feast.

Review Quotes

"Lots of fun for a wide age range--including adults."--Booklist (starred review)

"Florian finds mischievous reptile lore that will make young readers laugh."--Publishers Weekly

"A delightfully poetic peek into the world of reptiles and amphibians . . .children will giggle and holler for more."--The Boston Herald

About the Author

DOUGLAS FLORIAN paints and writes poetry in New York City. His mammalabilia collection was named a New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year.