CATCH THE SKY

Thirty short poems celebrate what might be seen in the “air we share” around the world in this Canadian import.

From a rosy dawn to moonlit night, Heidbreder lyrically limns the sunshine, clouds, northern lights, and snowflakes; the insects, birds, and bats; and even human contributions, including helicopters, paragliders, and fireworks—examples of “sky’s treasures” we see and share. His quatrains are simply titled and carefully arranged, not only across the day, but in clear pairs: wind and leaves, squirrels and starlings on electric wires, kites and birthday helium balloons (tethered but still unfortunate in a collection celebrating the environment). A longtime writer of poetry for young people, this Canadian author makes the rhyming, alliteration, and scansion seem effortless, and the verbs do double duty. A dragonfly’s “gleaming wings / glitter the air”; a “rumbling storm train / thunders the sky.” The imagery is memorable: “Black on black, / swish-soft swirls. / Night bats feast / in whirling twirls.” Dove’s colorful illustrations support the title’s message, showing children with varying skin tones, hair, and head coverings in a wide variety of settings. Two different children use wheelchairs. There are city apartments, parks, a tropical beach, and a snowy Arctic village, all shown in spreads that reinforce the sense of a passing day.

Deceptively simple but clever and effective for the pre- and primary school nature shelves.