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Book Cover for: How Elegant the Elephant: Poems about Animals and Insects, Mary Ann Hoberman

How Elegant the Elephant: Poems about Animals and Insects

Mary Ann Hoberman

A rollicking collection of poems about the enchanting world of animals and insects, from former children's poet laureate and New York Times bestselling author Mary Ann Hoberman and Caldecott Honoree illustrator Marla Frazee.

So many kinds of animals
So many shapes and sizes
So many funny spots and dots
So many strange disguises

With her signature wordplay and wit, former children's poet laureate Mary Ann Hoberman celebrates the magnificence, ingenuity, and quirky qualities of creatures big and small. This thoughtfully crafted collection features sixty of Mary Ann's personal favorite poems curated from her sixty-five-year body of work, as well as eight new poems.

From a fine fat pig and backward running porcupines to a beastly card game and a yoga class for agile animals, this memorable menagerie is cunningly brought to life by three-time Caldecott Honoree Marla Frazee, in an imaginary world where the characters meet and tell an entertaining tale all their own.

A tour de force collection of poems and pictures by two legendary talents, this book creates a world that readers will never want to leave.

Book Details

  • Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
  • Publish Date: Mar 11st, 2025
  • Pages: 88
  • Language: English
  • Edition: undefined - undefined
  • Dimensions: 11.70in - 8.70in - 0.60in - 1.50lb
  • EAN: 9780316417129
  • Recommended age: 04-07
  • Categories: Poetry (see also Stories in Verse)Animals - GeneralHumorous Stories

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About the Author

Mary Ann Hoberman (1930-2023) was a New York Times bestselling author, former children's poet laureate, and winner of the National Book Award who wrote more than fifty books. How Elegant the Elephant reflects three of Mary Ann's lifelong passions: a love of animals, respect for the natural world, and the joy of wordplay. Her many notable works include the classic picture book A House Is a House for Me; the poetry collections Away with Words!, Forget-Me-Nots, and The Llama Who Had No Pajama; and the You Read to Me, I'll Read to You series. For more information about Mary Ann and her work, you may visit maryannhoberman.com.

Marla Frazee has written and illustrated many acclaimed books for children, including the Caldecott Honor Books In Every Life, All the World (written by Liz Garton Scanlon), and A Couple of Boys Have the Best Week Ever. Her picture book The Boss Baby is the inspiration for two DreamWorks animated feature films and a TV series. She's thrilled to be illustrating another book by Mary Ann Hoberman after their collaboration on The Seven Silly Eaters, a book that has delighted many families over the years. Marla has three grown sons, two grandsons, a Little Free Library in her front yard, and a studio under an avocado tree in her backyard in Pasadena, California. She invites you to visit her at marlafrazee.com.

More books by Mary Ann Hoberman

Book Cover for: The Seven Silly Eaters, Mary Ann Hoberman
Book Cover for: Very Short Fairy Tales to Read Together, Mary Ann Hoberman
Book Cover for: The Lady with the Alligator Purse, Mary Ann Hoberman
Book Cover for: A House Is a House for Me, Mary Ann Hoberman
Book Cover for: Very Short Tall Tales to Read Together, Mary Ann Hoberman
Book Cover for: Very Short Stories to Read Together, Mary Ann Hoberman
Book Cover for: The Llama Who Had No Pajama: 100 Favorite Poems, Mary Ann Hoberman
Book Cover for: The Eensy-Weensy Spider, Mary Ann Hoberman
Book Cover for: Very Short Scary Tales to Read Together, Mary Ann Hoberman
Book Cover for: Very Short Fables to Read Together, Mary Ann Hoberman
Book Cover for: Very Short Mother Goose Tales to Read Together, Mary Ann Hoberman
Book Cover for: You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Stories to Read Together, Mary Ann Hoberman
Book Cover for: Forget-Me-Nots: Poems to Learn by Heart, Mary Ann Hoberman
Book Cover for: Miss Mary Mack, Mary Ann Hoberman
Book Cover for: Strawberry Hill, Mary Ann Hoberman
Book Cover for: You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Fairy Tales to Read Together, Mary Ann Hoberman

Praise for this book

Praise for Away With Words:

A Bank Street College Best Children's Book

Praise for Forget-Me-Nots:

* "A multidimensional and thoughtful cross section of verse with keepers on nearly every page." --Publishers Weekly, starred review

* "A treasure trove of the familiar and the fresh.... A wonderful gift book for poetry lovers, but even children who have never considered learning a poem by heart will find much to love here." --The Horn Book, starred review

Praise for You Read to Me, I'll Read to You: Very Short Fables to Read Together:

"Hoberman is really the master of unforced rhyme...and Emberley's pencil-and-watercolor illustrations are as consistently spry as the poems." --The Horn Book

"This collection celebrates the acclaimed poet's lifelong love of animals and bugs.... The artwork simultaneously complements each poem and engages observant readers in amusing subplots set in various locales in and around the hotel.... A playful addition to larger poetry collections."--School Library Journal
* "Many of Hoberman's poems adeptly incorporate scientific facts.... A labor of love, both a fitting tribute to its poet creator and a grand reimagining, thanks to incredible artistic skills."--Kirkus Reviews, starred review