Serengeti: Plains of Grass

by Leslie Bulion, Becca Stadtlander (Illustrator)

Overview

Award-winning science poetry master Leslie Bulion presents a lyrical salute to Africa's Serengeti Plain, one of the most spectacular and productive ecosystems on Earth.

Leslie Bulion, a virtuoso science poet, has created a portrait of the rainy season on East Africa's southern Serengeti Plain, offering young readers a compelling look at an ecosystem in motion. Using a series of interconnected verses inspired by an East African Swahili poem form—the utendi—Bulion's cadences and rhythmic lines mimic the web of life in the Serengeti, following the great migration of wildebeest, zebras, and other animals into and then out of the vast short-grass plain.

Lush, evocative gouache illustrations by Becca Stadtlander showcase the grandeur of this immense and complex ecosystem and provide close-up details of its wildlife inhabitants. Scientific notes on each spread and comprehensive back matter material offer more specifics. This, paired with Bulion's brilliant poetic form, makes the book ideal for cross-curricular learning.

A Booklist Editors’ Choice Selection

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781682631911
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	03/01/2022
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	1,065,560
Product dimensions:	9.40(w) x 10.50(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Leslie Bulion has graduate degrees in oceanography and social work. She has written parenting and education articles and is the author of several children's science-related poetry books and novels. When she's not writing, she enjoys exploring nature with her binoculars, hand lens, and camera; collecting specimens to examine under her microscope; or going SCUBA diving and or kayaking. Leslie lives in Connecticut.

Becca Stadtlander, illustrator and fine artist has illustrated a number of children's picture books. She attended the Maryland Institute College of Art and currently lives and works in her hometown of Covington, Kentucky.

Editorial Reviews

01/17/2022

Taking inspiration from the utendi, “an East African, Swahili poem form with Arabic origins,” Bulion presents a vibrant picture of Tanzania’s Serengeti Plain and the animals and plants that reside there, employing lilting half-rhyme quatrains that each end with “grass.” “Bathed by rain, Serengeti blooms,/ sun-faced yellows and scarlet flames,/ waste paper flowers on tiny stems,/ scattered as handfuls across the grass,” reads text accompanying one spread of flower-strewn green, as an aside in smaller font—found on each spread—informs, “Seeds of wildflowers swell and sprout, bringing splashes of color to Serengeti’s grassy plains.” Rich gouache and pastel art by Stadtlander provides atmosphere through vintage-inflected depictions of wildlife and sweeping landscapes portraying the plains at different times of day and year. A reverent and educational portrait of “one of the most productive and biodiverse ecosystems on Earth.” Back matter features an author’s note on the form, a glossary, information on Serengeti conservation efforts, further reading, and a map of the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem. Ages 8–12. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

★ 03/01/2022

K-Gr 4—The Serengeti comes to life in all its color and glory through illuminating verse, matter-of-fact narrative, and captivating illustration. Bulion once again makes science accessible and imaginative through an innovative variation of utendi, a poetic form from East Africa. Each four-line stanza follows a repeated pattern, ends with a partial rhyme, and concludes with a last line which highlights the Serengeti's most precious and symbiotic resource—grass. The grass and the landscape are just as important in the ecosystem as the animals, and therefore feature prominently in the illustrations. Stadtlander's renderings embody the expanse through spectacular colors, shading, and brushwork via gouache and pastels. Careful contrast creates depth and gentle hues and helps portray the immensity of the unending landscape. The illustrations are full of movement, sometimes subtle but always in tandem with the verse. Brief scientific facts, presented in standard sentences, engage learners but make a bump in the flow of the poetry. Reading straight through may present read-aloud challenges; however, reading just the verse or just the facts successively will allow listeners to pick up on new vocabulary and pictorial details. It includes a detailed overview of the Serengeti, a glossary, further reading, and additional resources. VERDICT A STEAM book in the truest sense as it inspires curiosity through art and science. This warm and wise purchase will benefit educators in poetry, geography, or science units.—Kate Davis

School Library Journal

2022-03-16
An introduction to the animal and plant life of the vast grasslands of the Serengeti, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

In Bulion’s latest blend of science and poetry, the Serengeti’s complex ecosystem is described, from the impressive migrations of large mammals to the roles played by the smallest insects. Beginning and ending with a brief overview of the region, each two-page spread features a four-line verse inspired by the Swahili poetic form utendi with accompanying factual information. Alongside zebras, giraffes, and cheetahs, readers encounter dik-diks, waste paper flowers, secretary birds, and black mambas. The poems are scientifically informative (“wildebeests feast on shorter swards / oxpecker birds are stowaboards”), evocative (“butterflies flutter at nectar wells”), and a delight to read (“low-ground growth is nimbly used, / fleet gazelles nibble gnu-mown grass”). Another highlight is the thoughtful detail in the expressive paintings conveying the dynamism of both the land and the animals; Stadtlander is especially gifted at portraying the beauty of the Serengeti at various times of day. Bulion’s closing note briefly touches upon numerous threats to the Serengeti’s ecosystem including climate change, tourism, domestic crops and livestock, poaching, and road construction. Unfortunately, the Indigenous Maasai are largely omitted from this account; a reference to the negative impact of human population growth is not given sufficient context and may feed into controversial notions of overpopulation.

Charmingly illustrated and beautifully written but lacking in Indigenous human context. (note on poetry, glossary, organizations, further reading, map) (Informational poetry. 7-11)

Kirkus Reviews

★ "The Serengeti comes to life in all its color and glory through illuminating verse, matter-of-fact narrative, and captivating illustration. Bulion once again makes science accessible and imaginative. . . . Stadtlander’s renderings embody the expanse through spectacular colors, shading, and brushwork. . . . A STEAM book in the truest sense as it ­inspires curiosity through art and science."—School Library Journal, Starred Review

"The poems are scientifically informative ("wildebeests feast on shorter swards / oxpecker birds are stowaboards"), evocative ("butterflies flutter at nectar wells"), and a delight to read ("low-ground growth is nimbly used, / fleet gazelles nibble gnu-mown grass"). Another highlight is the thoughtful detail in the expressive paintings. . . . Stadtlander is especially gifted at portraying the beauty of the Serengeti at various times of day. . . . Charmingly illustrated and beautifully written. . . ."—Kirkus Reviews

"Dramatic watercolors spread across the pages to convey the expanse of grassland. . . . Absolutely fascinating on many levels, the wilderness is brought to life even for readers living a world away from Africa via vivid language reflecting the stark sounds and sights of an ancient ecosystem in motion. ' . . . This nonfiction picture book is a veritable feast for a curious child 's hungry mind."—School Library Connection

"Bulion presents a vibrant picture of Tanzania’s Serengeti Plain and the animals and plants that reside there, employing lilting half-rhyme quatrains. . . . Rich gouache and pastel art by Stadtlander provides atmosphere through vintage-inflected depictions of wildlife and sweeping landscapes portraying the plains at different times of day and year. A reverent and educational portrait. . . ."—Publishers Weekly

★ "Attractive and informative, this will please browsers and information seekers alike."—Booklist, Starred Review

From the Publisher