A Curious Collection of Cats

A Curious Collection of Cats is a children's poetry book featuring concrete poems about feline behavior and personalities. The 2009 collection combines various poetic forms including haiku, limerick, and free verse with visual illustrations by Michael Wertz. The poems explore everyday cat activities through both words and typography, with the text arranged to create cat-related shapes and patterns on the page. Each piece focuses on a different cat and scenario, from playtime to napping to interactions with other pets. The book merges poetry and visual art in a way that brings each cat's story to life through creative text placement and illustration. Michael Wertz's artwork complements Franco's verses to create a unified reading experience. This collection demonstrates how form and content can work together to capture the essence of its subject, making poetry accessible and engaging for young readers while celebrating the quirks and characteristics of cats.

Readers describe this collection of cat-themed concrete poetry as playful and engaging for both children and adults. The poems capture familiar feline behaviors and personalities. Readers appreciated: - Michael Wertz's illustrations that complement and enhance the text - Poems arranged visually to match their subjects (e.g. a cat stretching) - Accessibility for young readers while maintaining sophistication - Humor that resonates with cat owners Common criticisms: - Some poems are difficult to read due to complex visual layouts - A few readers found the abstract arrangements confusing for children Ratings: Goodreads: 4.0/5 (146 ratings) Amazon: 4.5/5 (21 ratings) One teacher noted it "helped students understand how poetry can take different forms." Multiple reviewers mentioned using it successfully in elementary classrooms to introduce concrete poetry. A librarian called it "perfect for poetry units and cat lovers alike." Several parents reported their children requested repeated readings and tried creating their own shape poems after experiencing the book.

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🐱 Cats spend 70% of their lives sleeping, which adds up to around 16 hours per day - making all those napping poems quite accurate! 🎨 Illustrator Michael Wertz is also a renowned printmaker whose work has been featured in The New York Times and who teaches at California College of the Arts. 📝 Concrete poetry (like in this book) dates back to ancient Greece, where poets arranged words in shapes like wings, altars, and axes. 📚 Author Betsy Franco has written over 80 books for children and young adults, and is also known for being the mother of actors James and Dave Franco. 🔍 The book's unique format, combining poetry with visual art, taps into cats' actual visual learning style - they process information primarily through sight rather than other senses.