At the Edge: Curious Creatures of Planet Earth

Poet David Elliott brings us to the edge of the animal world to explore the weirdest and rarest creatures on the planet.

Why does the axolotl salamander always seem to be smiling? Is it true that the wild goat known as a markhor is excellent at parkour? What happens when the peacock spider’s dance, complete with its rumble-rumps, doesn’t please the object of its affection? Providing a peek at everything from scaly pangolins to duck-billed platypuses, from the lemur known as an aye-aye to the perpetually grumpy (and adorable) black rain frog, David Elliott’s poetic vignettes deliver a witty and informative take on some of the world’s oddest animals. Brought to life in striking illustrations by collage artist Clover Robin, this roundup of unique creatures will delight animal lovers of all stripes.A lively and inventive collection celebrating unusual animals from across the globe. . . . Librarians and educators will find this section particularly useful for introducing research, inquiry, and animal science units. A delightful, curious, and engaging collection; if there is only one poetry book to add this year, this is it.
—School Library Journal (starred review)

A light and breezy, around-the-world look at an array of unusual species.
—Kirkus ReviewsDavid Elliott is the award-winning author of many books for children, including the New York Times best-selling And Here’s to You!, illustrated by Randy Cecil. His animal poetry titles include On the Farm, In the Wild, and In the Sea, all illustrated by Holly Meade; and more recently At the Poles, illustrated by Ellen Rooney, and In the Desert, illustrated by Gordy Wright, both of which showcase animals at the extremes. David Elliott lives in Warner, New Hampshire.

Clover Robin is a collage artist and the illustrator of several picture books for children, including Firsts and Lasts: The Changing Seasons by Leda Schubert. She lives in Devon, England.