A fun book to read, it explains animal facts in four lines. The ability to do this while conveying factual information is great. It is already a classic children book.
Betsy Lewin was born in Pennsylvania. She studied illustration at Pratt Institute. Working as an illustrator for greeting cards and children magazines, she has written several children books.
An excellent Writer and Watercolor Illustrator, the book is a significant part of Americana. I would place the book in classic children books. It was written in 1980. It was revised in 2004 as a children book. I believe placing it in poetic literature is an insult to Lewin's career.
Text and images are centered on pages. It appears stoic, yet there is occasional line direction pointing to the text on the opposite page. Fairly standard and stoic, it is perfect for a child from five to eight years old. This is her target market.
The overall aesthetic is impressive. Recognizing her watercolor techniques, she is inspirational to several illustrators. The Professor who taught me watercolor techniques emphasizes smooth lines and avoiding overlapping. She frequently overlaps paint to create shading and depth.
There are literary aspects to the book, yet this book belongs in the section for children. A book about her career with biographical notes, various poems from greeting cards, magazines and children books would be interesting. It would also promote her other books. Lewin is a New York Times Best Seller.
Illustrators might want to look at this book. It is a book for children who are learning how to read. It also has quick, memorable statements to remember facts about animals. I recommend it to children who are five to eight. It might be fun for animal enthusiasts.
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