Animals That Ought to Be: Poems About Imaginary Pets

by Richard Michelson, Leonard Baskin (Illustrator)

In these imaginative poems you'll find animals that nobody has ever hear of-but that certainly ought to exist. Each poem in this collection is paired with a striking painting by renowned artist, Leonard Baskin, and will inspire young readers to invent their own animals that ought to be.

Genres: Poetry, Picture Books

32 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 1996

Reviews

[Sandy Brehl · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection of poems about fantasy animals who fulfill real-child needs pursues an intriguing premise. The first poem, Nightnoise Gladiator was my favorite- able to roam the house at night and gobble real and imagined noises, from knocks to drips to footsteps.
Beyond that, all the poems use the same rhyme/meter/and structure and take on a somewhat predictable pattern, so they might be best used individually rather than as a collection.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really fun idea. Would be exciting to ask students to think of their own "animals that ought to be," as well as dramatize/design the imaginary pets the author and illustrator created. The poetry is a little uninspired, but would be an easy model for students writing simple rhyming poems.

[Sacha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun, but not as whimsical as I was expecting.

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't love the artwork so I'm giving this 4 starts, but I love the poetry (that I give 5 stars).

[Taylor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the idea of imaginary animals. This book would be great for younger grades to try and model poetry writing.