Barry Louis Polisar

“Set in an extra-large bold font, the poems range from four lines to several stanzas and each one of them goes for the laugh. The final page supplies some information about the species featured in the verses.” – School Library Journal “This book is a must have for the child–or adult–who has a healthy respect for bugs. You and your children will enjoy this innovative and talented author/songwriter.” – Book Lovers Quarterly “This sequel to Polisar’s poems about animals provide a book packed with funny bugs, from the praying mantis to dung beetles. Polisar’s poems are lively and whimsical and David Clark’s zany illustrations enhance their fun, providing a wealth of insect expressions and fun perspectives on bugs.” – Midwest Book Review “Insect Soup eats, bites, floats, marches and parties from the first page to the last. Definitely a picture book that will delight children everywhere.” – Patricia Timbrook Reviews, Fountain Publishing Syndicate A Parents’ Guide Award-Winning Book! The winner of the Parents’ Guide Award for Outstanding Children’s Books, this long awaited sequel to Barry’s animal bestiary is a brand new collection of wonderfully witty poems about the funniest bugs on the planet. From the praying mantis to chiggers, kids will discover that the weird and wacky bugs are the most fun. Even the dung beetle, brilliantly illustrated in a tuxedo with formal serving tray, finally gets the recognition he deserves. An index of the featured creatures rounds out the fun with descriptions of each bug and noted entomological characteristics. As First Coast Parent Magazine writes, “If you’re not familiar with Barry Polisar’s enchanting yet loony brand of children’s poetry, try his books. There’s nothing sugary about Polisar’s writing. Zany and sophisticated, Polisar’s poetry is a great way to show the child interested in poetry how much fun you can have writing verse. But it’s also an education about the topic of his rhymes.He concludes the book with dictionary definitions of each insect. The illustrations from chiggers to cockroaches to ticks are excellent.”

“Humorous short verses that focus on the zany, offbeat aspects of their subjects. The exaggerated cartoon illustrations strike just the right note. Fans of Polisar’s humor will giggle their way through this latest effort. – School Library Journal “This book will captivate young readers. – Library Media Connection “Polisar provides readers an opportunity to explore unusual and exotic sea creatures in a fun and poetic fashion. The book is filled with intriguing facts and poetic irony that will help kids dive head-first into the world of marine life.” – Family Magazine “From crabs and jellyfish to killer whales and crocs…definitely a two fins up for this one.” – GoodReads The latest collaboration between Barry Louis Polisar and illustrator David Clark is a long awaited sequel to Barry’s three earlier collections of poems, Peculiar Zoo, Curious Creatures and Insect Soup. This time the poems are about creatures that live in–or by–the water and many of the poems work on multiple levels. Polisar writes about everything from the Pot Bellied Sea Horse to the Sweetlips Fish; the poems are smart and fun. The book ends with a delightful homage to one of Gerard Manley Hopkins poems and the artwork by David Clark is done in vivid colors that seem to jump right off the page . Through The Looking Glass Children’s Book Review said these “well-crafted poems and illustrations make this book a must” and Pen Pals & Picture Books wrote “the poems are clever and delightful, the illustrations are expressive and hilarious.”

“The difficulty of being different is given humorous treatment in this picture book by a respected childrens’s writer. Polisar’s rhythmically paced text is complemented by Davids Clark’s wildly exaggerated, energetic drawings.” –Booklist, The American Library Association “A wonderful way to teach children tolerance in an increasingly intolerant world.” – The Lincoln Journal Standard, Lincoln, Nebraska “Tackles the topic of accepting diversity and multi-culturalism in a way that children and their parents are likely to appreciate.” – The Wilson Library Bulletin Ben gets in trouble because he is different from everyone else but the problem is–Ben is a bear. It’s just that no one notices because they are too busy trying to get him to be like everyone else. And what does he get in trouble for? Well, for things that any bear would do–like falling asleep at his desk during the cold winter months when he should be hibernating. Ben tries to conform – but the results are disastrous until he realizes that he must be true to himself. And then a funny thing happens; his classmates start trying to be like him….a wonderful story that illustrates the need to see children for who they are and a perfect book for teaching about individuality.

“Polisar fans will be delighted. His sly rhymes inform the reader even as they poke fun at their subjects” – Publishers Weekly “This author/illustrator team has created a zany and definitely peculiar zoo book. Choosing 16 lesser-known animals such as the Okapi, Manatee and Solenodon, Clark has filled each large, double-page horizontal spread with a humorous watercolor-and-ink depiction of an animal. Polisar’s witty poems describe the unique characteristics of each creature. The verses are informative and thought-provoking, as well as funny. Ideal for group, individual and lap reading, this selection should spark interest in extinct and endangered animals and their habitats. A short glossary gives concise facts about each animal.” – School Library Journal “If you’re not familiar with Barry Polisar’s enchanting yet loony brand of children’s poetry, try his books. There’s nothing sugary about Polisar’s writing. Zany and sophisticated, Polisar’s poetry is a great way to show the child interested in poetry how much fun you can have writing verse. But it’s also an education about the topic of his rhymes.” – First Coast Parent Magazine, Jacksonville, Florida Written entirely in verse, Peculiar Zoo is filled with intriguing facts about an extraordinary array of uncommon animals from Dik-Diks to Zebus. Young readers will discover the Numbat, who has more teeth than any other animal, but swallows his food whole; the Proboscis Monkey with its long nose that it must move out of the way in order to eat; and the Naked Mole Rat, who is pictured stretched out on a divan, shielding herself with feathers. Featured in Ranger Rick Nature Magazine in a special two page spread, this bestiary goes far beyond “A is for Ant and B is for Bear” and ventures into a delightful world of truly exotic and unusual animals. Barry’s witty and thought provoking poems were featured on Barbara Bush’s national radio show on ABC, Mrs. Bush’s Story Time and introduce children to some of the oddest creatures in the animal kingdom–including many rare and endangered species.

“This fictional biography tells the story of the Amistad slave rebellion through the eyes of Sengbe Pieh, who was later given the name Joseph Cinque. Polisar imagines the prisoner’s longing for his home and family, the horrendous journey across the sea, the slaves’ mutiny, and, finally, Cinque’s trial in the U.S. The terse, exciting narrative will introduce younger readers to the history. “ – Booklist, The American Library Association “Gr 3-5–Polisar tackles the dramatic story of Joseph Cinque and the 1839 revolt on the slave ship Amistad. He tells the story entirely from Cinque’s point of view, imagining his horror at being captured and torn from his family, his growing determination to escape, and his confusion at landing in the hands of the American justice system. The writing is gripping…Polisar’s book will whet readers’ appetites to know more.” – School Library Journal “Polisar handles the details gently in this beginner chapter book and keeps his focus on the man who only wanted to get back to his country, his wife and his children.” – San Diego Union Tribune, San Diego, California Uprooted from their homes and torn away from their families, the men in the hull of the Amistad are chained together. At home, Sengbe was a father and a husband. But now, to those who have captured him and taken him from Africa, he is just a slave. Sengbe manages to free himself and the others on board. They gain control of the ship–but will they be able to take control of their destiny? This is a true story on a sensitive topic written especially for younger readers and skillfully told by four-time Parents Choice Award winning author Barry Louis Polisar. “Polisar has told the story of the Amistad slave rebellion, giving it a personal face and tackling his subject with compassion and understanding. He deftly explores a difficult subject in an illuminating and positive way, conveying what it is like to be unable to speak freely. Polisar subtly shows how speech can be a tool in the service of justice; when Sengbe and his fellow captives are unable to speak, that injustice comes across in the story just as strongly as the physical chains that bind them. This is an engaging children’s story and one that deserves to be told as skillfully as Polisar tells it.” – Susan Vaillant, Library Information Specialist