Florian Poetry

I. BIBLIOGRAPHY

Florian, Douglas. 1997. IN THE SWIM. San Diego: Harcourt Brace and Company.

II. PLOT SUMMARY

IN THE SWIM is a collection of twenty-one poems by Florian about different types of fish. The poems offer a humorous perspective on each of the fish, from a catfish to a shark. The poems often include facts about the fish, for example, in the poem about the starfish, the reader learns that a starfish has no brain. In the poem about skates, we learn that they feed on invertebrates. While offering humor, these poems also include information about what makes each of these fish unique in the ocean.

III. CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Florian’s humorous poems about fish are fun as stand alone poems, but as a whole, this collection brings to life the creatures that fill the sea. Most of the poems have a rhythm and rhyme scheme that is ideal for being read out loud. Each fish is featured on a double page layout, with the poem on one side, printed in black typeset on a white background. On the other half of the layout, beautiful watercolor illustrations capture visually the poems.

Most of the poems are in a lyric style, with a predictable rhyme scheme. Florian plays with the text on the page, changing the size of the letters in the poems to reflect the word. In “The Whale” the word ‘tall’ is taller than the others, and the word ‘wide’ is spread out and wider than the other words. This same technique is used in other poems as well. One selection is a concrete poem, written in a shape that represents the poem’s subject. In “The Sawfish,” Florian presents a concrete poem, written in a shape that represents the poem’s subject s written. The poem is in a zigzag shape, reflecting the teeth of a sawfish.

The illustrations accompanying each poem are each reflective of the fish represented. They are somewhat abstract in nature, and are saturated in vibrant watercolors. The illustrations often capture the humor of the poems. For example, in “The Sharks,” the poem describes how sharks can park wherever they wish. In the illustration, a shark is shown with a parking meter in its mouth.

Overall, this collection of marine poetry is fun, humorous and rich with information about the various fish. The poems are varied in length, and are well organized. The illustrations complement the poems and add to the witty quality of the poems. This collection of poetry could easily be utilized in science class, but it is also perfect to be enjoyed in story time.

IV. REVIEW EXCERPTS

“In the Swim will work equally well for story hours, poetry-writing sessions, or one-on-one sharing. Many poetry books for children touch upon marine life. This one, like the rainbow trout on the penultimate page, is definitely ‘Divine!/Delish!’” –School Library Journal

“This witty intersection of poetry, art, and science will delight children and may inspire them to come up with their own creative ideas.” –Booklist

V. CONNECTIONS

**Collect non-fiction juvenile books related to the fish featured in the poems for further research and information. They might include:
ALL ABOUT SHARKS by Jim Arnosky
PIRANHAS by Elaine Landau.
THE MAGIC SCHOOL BUS GOES UPSTREAM: A BOOK ABOUT SALMON MIGRATION. Based on the Magic School Bus books written by Joanna Cole and Illustrated by Bruce Degan.
THE WHALE: THE SOVEREIGNS OF THE SEA by Caroline BrettJELLYFISH AND OTHER STINGERS by Joseph K. Brennan; series designer, Karen Donica.