A Crossing of Zebras

by Marjorie Maddox

A poetic slant on collective nouns. Everyone has heard the phrase a school of fish . But what about a rumba of rattlesnakes, an army of ants , or a crash of rhinos ? Derived from both oral and written traditions, collective nouns go back centuries. These terms not only charm us with their sound, but they provide a bit of insight into animal behavior. Readers can find these and other terms—from alley cats to zebras—in fourteen thought-provoking poems by Marjorie Maddox. She and artist Philip Huber create a wonderful combination of rich wordplay and captivating art that piques the imagination.

32 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2008

Reviews

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very whimsical and a delight to read. Happy to have randomly stumbled upon this.

[Anna Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once I opened the front page of, A Crossing Of Zebras: Animal Packs in Poetry, I felt like a little kid opening the doors to a candy store. With Maddox's excellent choice of words, reading this book felt like I was actually in reach of all the animals. I heard the rattle of the rattle snake, I saw the stribes of the zebras, and I felt the butterflys land on my fingertips. Also, Huber's illustrations brought the the poems to life. I thought this was an amazing book that can be read by anyone of any age.

[Melki · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some okay poems written on the theme of collective nouns are harmed irrevocably by the illustrations. Though he employs quite a fetching technique, I'm convinced the artist has never drawn animals before. The cats resemble flat-faced terriers, the lions resemble flat-faced Morlocks, and the rhinos . . . um, flat-faced robots, I guess.
The best picture is "A Charm of Butterflies," as no animals were harmed in the illustration.