Animals in Surprising Shades

A 2024 CBC Teachers Favorite Award Winner

A Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year selection (2024)

Named a 2024 Outstanding Science Trade Book by the NSTA/CBC

For young poets who love science and young scientists who love poetry, this thoughtful collection of poems about fascinating and colorful creatures found throughout the world invites readers to linger and wonder on every page.

Learn why the Blue-footed Booby puts on a special dance or how the Picasso Bug uses its masterful chemical defense against predators. Explore simple and fun poetic forms like the tanka, haiku, and quatrain. Just be sure to take good notes! An interactive component rewards practicing poets seeking to challenge themselves further.

With gorgeous illustrations and a rainbow of colors to complement the lyrical and engaging text, this book will fit nicely on the shelves of any classroom or library where kids are interested in science, writing or the arts.

Susan Johnston Taylor writes for kids and adults. Her magazine articles have appeared in Dramatics, FACES, Fast Company, Entrepreneur, Scout Life, and many others. A strong believer in the power of poetry, Susan co-teaches a summer poetry camp through Austin Bat Cave, an Austin, Texas-based nonprofit that offers writing programs for kids and teens. In addition to Colorful Creatures, she has written several children's books for the educational market. To learn more about Susan visit http://www.staylorwrites.com.

Annie Bakst is an artist, illustrator and designer based in Vermont where she has found the perfect space for creating art. She has illustrated graphic novels, children's books, and murals, and has participated in several gallery shows. Annie's work has won numerous national design awards and a NYC regional SCBWI illustration award. For more about Annie visit http://www.anniebakststudio.com.