cover image The Hound Dog's Haiku and Other Poems for Dog Lovers

The Hound Dog's Haiku and Other Poems for Dog Lovers

Michael J. Rosen, illus. by Mary Azarian. Candlewick, $17.99 (56p) ISBN 978-0-7636-4499-4

In this companion to The Cuckoo's Haiku and Other Birding Poems, Rosen explores the characteristics of 20 dog breeds through rich, contemplative imagery. Describing a border collie, he writes, "above your fixed gaze/ a Milky Way of cows move%E2%80%94/ your constellations." Another haiku makes striking use of alliteration with regard to a bloodhound's strongest sense: "staccato sniffing/ fills your ribs' parentheses/ you keep scent's secret." Azarian's handsome, expressive woodcuts mirror the tone of the poems, while an appended section provides additional details about the breeds. Ages 6%E2%80%9310. (Sept.)