Poetry Review 10 

Ubiquitous: Celebrating Nature’s Survivors

by Joyce Sidman

Illustrated by Beckie Prange

Bibliography

Sidman, J. (2010). Ubiquitous. (B. Prague, Illus.). Houghton Mifflin Books for Children: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Summary

Ubiquitous: Celebrating Nature’s Survivors is a collection of 14 poems about living organisms in nature. Different forms of poetry appear on pages, from quatrain to free verse to diamante to couplets and a concrete shark poem in the shape of a shark while also spelling the word shark made up of words that describe a shark. Each spread contains one living being as its subject along with a brief nonfiction description of the scientific phylum, or grouping, definition and word origin, as well as a brief description to include interesting facts about the organism. For example, the “Gecko on the Wall” not only describes factual data about the reptile with rhyming couplets, it also creatively describes a geko’s actions in a light-hearted manner. On the same-page spread, interesting scientific facts and data are listed, providing additional fun facts beside the poem. Emphasis is placed upon scientific evolution and accuracy as Sidman credits numerous scientists as her editors and guides. The book is a visual wonder of images that supplement the poetry and factual descriptions. For instance, the image of the gecko for the above poem has her eating and behaving according to the lines in the poem. A few toes are peeled backward in the image as described in the prose factual feature, showing how the gecko indeed has thousands of microscopic projections that allow it to climb with tremendous versatility as well as inspire the invention of velcro.

The book is organized around the timeline upon which the 14 living things evolved, with Prague demonstrating the thread of evolutionary timeline (alongside the creatures within the book) upon the spreads of the front and back covers. The images and language are appropriate for a young elementary audience and readers, recommended for Grades 1-4. However, older students and adults will find themselves drawn to the vibrant pictures and title, which is also defined in an unusual twist for a poetry collection that harkens nonfiction: a glossary. Truly, the poems and prose enhance scientific vocabulary.

Analysis

As described above, the poem about the gecko below as its subject contains examples of the expressive powers of poetry as a craft to provide awe, wonder, and opinion combined with scientific fact. The image illustrated provides the action of slinking and climbing along with the crunching of the fly. Scientific text features combine with creative and artistic ones as below:

Gecko on the Wall

Her jaws dart out

to crunch up flies.

Her tongue flicks up

to wipe her eyes.

She climbs up walls

With eerie cries,

Her tail comes off:

A wriggling prize!

She sprints and leaps

And slinks and spies . . .

Sigh.

Don’t you wish you were a gecko?

Spotlight Activity

When studying a new scientific concept, provide students a creative outlet to show what they know and demonstrate expertise. Allow a differentiated option to examine, analyze, or express a concept of a polynomial, a genus, an animal, an element on the periodic table, the numeral zero, etc. via a poem. Perhaps, as Sidman here, also enrich with artwork or a brief nonfiction prose description.