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Predator and Prey: A Conversation in Verse
Who is the predator, and who is the prey? Illuminating poetry and vivid artwork capture the awe-inspiring ways that creatures use their resources to stay alive.
Who wins, the assassin bug or the spider? The bat or the frog? The ant or the honey bee? The male firefly . . . or the female? The battle for survival between predator and prey is sometimes a fight, sometimes a dance, and often involves spying, lying, or even telling the truth to get ahead. Biologist and debut author Susannah Buhrman-Deever explores these clashes in poems and prose explanations that offer both sides of the story. With beautiful, realistic illustrations that are charged with drama, Bert Kitchen captures the breathtaking moments when predator meets prey. Readers who hunger for more about the art of survival will find an extensive list of references in the back.
Who wins, the assassin bug or the spider? The bat or the frog? The ant or the honey bee? The male firefly . . . or the female? The battle for survival between predator and prey is sometimes a fight, sometimes a dance, and often involves spying, lying, or even telling the truth to get ahead. Biologist and debut author Susannah Buhrman-Deever explores these clashes in poems and prose explanations that offer both sides of the story. With beautiful, realistic illustrations that are charged with drama, Bert Kitchen captures the breathtaking moments when predator meets prey. Readers who hunger for more about the art of survival will find an extensive list of references in the back.
32 pages, Hardcover
Published April 9, 2019
1 person is currently reading
73 people want to read
About the author
Susannah Buhrman-Deever
4 books5 followersSusannah Buhrman-Deever is a biologist with a PhD in animal behavior from Cornell University. In addition to her academic work and writing, she has developed inquiry-based ecology curricula for children. Predator and Prey is her first book for children. She lives with her family in upstate New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
May 5, 2019
The author introduces the topic in an introductory verse that describes the "tricks" prey and predator might use, many of which are a sort of conversation: using voices, listening in on others, even "talking" to each other. The ultimate goal, of course, is to survive and raise the next generation. Successfully raising young is necessary for species survival. Babies must be fed and protected. This reality drives both predators and prey to never stop trying.
Each spread is gorgeous, and includes an inset text box presenting factual information about both predator and prey. Their specific interplay and the possible outcomes of their encounters is described simply and clearly, with enough detail to spark imaginations.
These passages are accessible science that allow readers to visualize the various battles as action videos. On each page one or more poems adopts the voices of the animals pictured. The inset text combines with the images to enhance the meaning of the poems.This approach with parallel text provides excellent content to explore writing craft: voice, figurative language, sequential narration, cause/effect, and poetic forms, including reverso poems and poems for two voices.
Illustrator Bert Kitchen has produced natural, representational full page scenes that appear, at first glance, to be photographs. Some of the double spreads are designed with half-page foldouts, providing nearly panoramic habitat scenes that are as informative as the
the informational text. The oversized, square trim format results in double page spreads (some with extra wide fold-outs) that are perfect for sharing.
The animals depicted represent global locations and species, with accurate names provided in every case. The bibliography includes primarily adult scientific resources, which allows authentication of science, but does not offer options for young readers whose curiosity will surely be sparked by these animals. I believe this would have been improved with a page or two of kid-friendly back matter such as poetry form notes, a food-chain diagram, and a few titles or links for kids. Despite that, I'm eagerly recommending this impressive and inspiring new book.
Each spread is gorgeous, and includes an inset text box presenting factual information about both predator and prey. Their specific interplay and the possible outcomes of their encounters is described simply and clearly, with enough detail to spark imaginations.
These passages are accessible science that allow readers to visualize the various battles as action videos. On each page one or more poems adopts the voices of the animals pictured. The inset text combines with the images to enhance the meaning of the poems.This approach with parallel text provides excellent content to explore writing craft: voice, figurative language, sequential narration, cause/effect, and poetic forms, including reverso poems and poems for two voices.
Illustrator Bert Kitchen has produced natural, representational full page scenes that appear, at first glance, to be photographs. Some of the double spreads are designed with half-page foldouts, providing nearly panoramic habitat scenes that are as informative as the
the informational text. The oversized, square trim format results in double page spreads (some with extra wide fold-outs) that are perfect for sharing.
The animals depicted represent global locations and species, with accurate names provided in every case. The bibliography includes primarily adult scientific resources, which allows authentication of science, but does not offer options for young readers whose curiosity will surely be sparked by these animals. I believe this would have been improved with a page or two of kid-friendly back matter such as poetry form notes, a food-chain diagram, and a few titles or links for kids. Despite that, I'm eagerly recommending this impressive and inspiring new book.
July 5, 2023
Did you know the tiger moth can "jam" the brown bat's echolocation? That the Tungara frog, looking for a mate, will skip making the female attracting "chuck" sound if fringe-lipped bats are around? That the female Pennsylvania firefly will flashback in "male big dipper firefly" code, pretending to be a potential mate, but really waiting to catch and eat that male firefly?
Buhrman-Deever has chosen less familiar, super fascinating predator-prey relationships. For each duo, there is a poem--spoken from the viewpoint of the predator or the prey. Then, in a box at the bottom of the two-page spread, there is a short expository text explaining the relationship of these two creatures. VERY WELL WRITTEN with a LOT of TEACHING POTENTIAL.
SUGGESTIONS FOR AN INTERACTIVE READ ALOUD -This would read aloud well in k-5--for many different purposes.
*Read aloud for pure joy the first time. Encourage kids to "oooh" and "aaah." To avoid confusion, you might give a brief explanation of the format of the book.
*You might pose a question like, "Which animal is speaking in this part of the poem?" and "What makes you think so?"
*Read aloud one poem and explanation and offer questions for student-led discussions like, "What jumped out at you in this part? What are you walking away knowing that you didn't know before?"
*Other questions you might ask (depending the age of the children) –
o How does the author reveal that both creatures are trying to survive?
o How does one of the titles (e.g., “A Call to Arms” or “Sound Wars”) reveal a bigger idea in the poem/explanation?
o Why use a format like this – with a poem and an explanation?
o What’s the bigger idea in the book as a whole?
o What are you learning that is so fascinating you might want to tell someone at home or on the playground?
There’s no author’s note ;( but that’s not a deal breaker. The writing is strong and the illustrations worth looking at closely. With older students, you might ask them to look at sources listed in the bibliography and think about why Buhrman-Deever chose certain details over others—as a way to think about research and writing they are doing in class. With any age of student, you might ask them to write a letter to the author or illustrator about the research they did or their processes for writing/illustrating. Then students could create and endnote for the book.
Buhrman-Deever has chosen less familiar, super fascinating predator-prey relationships. For each duo, there is a poem--spoken from the viewpoint of the predator or the prey. Then, in a box at the bottom of the two-page spread, there is a short expository text explaining the relationship of these two creatures. VERY WELL WRITTEN with a LOT of TEACHING POTENTIAL.
SUGGESTIONS FOR AN INTERACTIVE READ ALOUD -This would read aloud well in k-5--for many different purposes.
*Read aloud for pure joy the first time. Encourage kids to "oooh" and "aaah." To avoid confusion, you might give a brief explanation of the format of the book.
*You might pose a question like, "Which animal is speaking in this part of the poem?" and "What makes you think so?"
*Read aloud one poem and explanation and offer questions for student-led discussions like, "What jumped out at you in this part? What are you walking away knowing that you didn't know before?"
*Other questions you might ask (depending the age of the children) –
o How does the author reveal that both creatures are trying to survive?
o How does one of the titles (e.g., “A Call to Arms” or “Sound Wars”) reveal a bigger idea in the poem/explanation?
o Why use a format like this – with a poem and an explanation?
o What’s the bigger idea in the book as a whole?
o What are you learning that is so fascinating you might want to tell someone at home or on the playground?
There’s no author’s note ;( but that’s not a deal breaker. The writing is strong and the illustrations worth looking at closely. With older students, you might ask them to look at sources listed in the bibliography and think about why Buhrman-Deever chose certain details over others—as a way to think about research and writing they are doing in class. With any age of student, you might ask them to write a letter to the author or illustrator about the research they did or their processes for writing/illustrating. Then students could create and endnote for the book.
March 30, 2019
The author of this collection of animal-themed poems may be a biologist, but she has the heart and soul of a poet. Bringing to mind Joyful Noise: Poems for Two Voices by Paul Fleischman, one of my all-time favorite Newbery winners, this collection focuses on predators and prey. As the poems and the watercolor and gouache illustrations reveal, there is much more than meets the eye when it comes to survival in the natural world. Some creatures use camouflage or posturing to get ahead or to keep predators at bay while others may find themselves the victims of love, attracting predators with their own mating calls. All of these poems need to be read aloud, and some of them are even suited for two voices. "Unlucky in Love," "Femme Fatale," and "Sound Wars" are two of my favorites, but all of the poems have appeal and show the poet's versatility with different poetic forms. The poems and illustrations are also accompanied by snippets about the species highlighted in the verses. For those who are curious to learn more, there is a three-page bibliography. Even the most reluctant reader of poetry will find something appealing here. Science teachers will want to give this one strong consideration to be added to their classroom library.
October 17, 2019
Predator and Prey by Susannah Buhrman-Deever, 23 pages. Candlewick Studio, 2019. $19.
Language: G (0 swears) Content G: Violence: G;
BUYING ADVISORY: NOT RECOMMENDED
AUDIENCE APPEAL: PRE-K; K-3; EL - LOW;
Predators and prey are in a battle for survival with one needing to eat and the other wanting to live. Both have on goal, to survive and raise young. Weapons are teeth and claws. Defenses are speed and strength. But also trickery, voices, and costuming.
This picture book has beautiful illustrations that beg for more excitement from the story. When I start reading it, the poetry is not interesting or exciting or written for children. It is largely a picture book for those who already know about animals and their need to feed on prey. It feels like the idea was hit upon and then lost in the information.
Clara Pickett
May 17, 2019
It's a new poetry book, a new non-fiction picture book, and a new science book. For young students starting to study animal behavior and for older ones who need mentor texts that show how to write poetry while including the factual information, this, a book out recently, fits the description beautifully.
Susannah Buhrman-Deever writes varied poems in the voices of eleven pairs of animals, sometimes in two voices, sometimes single ones, often with sounds, which appear to be a large part of these animals' survival. In a brief introduction, she emphasizes the top priority, "to survive and raise young". Each creature's words show the way they fight to keep safe, or attack to have a meal. In some, it's poison, and others use sound to escape. Amazing to learn, but a 'Big Dipper Firefly is poisonous, but when lured to the Female Pennsylvania Firefly by her flash, she attacks and eats him in order to "get those chemicals for themselves". Things are not always what is expected!
Femme Fatale
My treasure?
A light in the dark.
I seek you,
flashing
for love.
I am hungry.
Text boxes add to the poems and illustrations with information about the animals, and clever gatefolds in some spreads allow Kitchen’s illustrations to fill the scene before opening to read the poems and explanation.
Here is a sample of a double page spread, showing the realistic and gorgeous watercolor and gouache illustrations by Bert Kitchen. At night and in the day, in varied settings of field and woods, he adds his magic to Susannah's poetry and to the magic of animals' lives who use intriguing ways to survive.
It would be fun for students to list all the different methods used for protection, like movement, voice, creating a certain sound, camouflage, and more! It's a terrific book for learning the mysteries of nature. There is an extensive bibliography added at the end.
Susannah Buhrman-Deever writes varied poems in the voices of eleven pairs of animals, sometimes in two voices, sometimes single ones, often with sounds, which appear to be a large part of these animals' survival. In a brief introduction, she emphasizes the top priority, "to survive and raise young". Each creature's words show the way they fight to keep safe, or attack to have a meal. In some, it's poison, and others use sound to escape. Amazing to learn, but a 'Big Dipper Firefly is poisonous, but when lured to the Female Pennsylvania Firefly by her flash, she attacks and eats him in order to "get those chemicals for themselves". Things are not always what is expected!
Femme Fatale
My treasure?
A light in the dark.
I seek you,
flashing
for love.
I am hungry.
Text boxes add to the poems and illustrations with information about the animals, and clever gatefolds in some spreads allow Kitchen’s illustrations to fill the scene before opening to read the poems and explanation.
Here is a sample of a double page spread, showing the realistic and gorgeous watercolor and gouache illustrations by Bert Kitchen. At night and in the day, in varied settings of field and woods, he adds his magic to Susannah's poetry and to the magic of animals' lives who use intriguing ways to survive.
It would be fun for students to list all the different methods used for protection, like movement, voice, creating a certain sound, camouflage, and more! It's a terrific book for learning the mysteries of nature. There is an extensive bibliography added at the end.
May 26, 2019
In poems for two voices, this book shows the cunning, evolution and beauty of predators and their prey. From bats to frogs to snakes to hawks to spiders, the poems feature all sorts of animals. Engagingly, often it is sometimes the obvious predator who is actually going to be the prey. That is certainly true in the example of the spider at the center of her web who is being preyed upon by the assassin bug. After each of the poems, there is a section about the animals in nonfiction prose that illuminates the relationship of the two species more clearly.
I was amazed to discover that this is biologist Buhrman-Deever’s first book for children. Her two-voice poems are very effective and could easily be used in classroom activities to be shared aloud by pairs of children who will enjoy being predators and prey since so many of the animals featured are very fascinating. She gives voice to the animals in her poems and then allows scientific information to be shared as well. The end of the book has a lengthy bibliography which is greatly appreciated.
The illustrations by Kitchen are exceptional as well, showing the reader the relationship between the two animals being discussed. They are realistic and dramatic as the animals stand off on the page. Several of the pages also have large gated pages that open to reveal the poem beneath them, allowing Kitchen’s full imagery to be appreciated without words blocking it.
A very successful mix of poetry and science, this one is sure to be preyed upon by hungry readers in classrooms and activities. Appropriate for ages 7-9.
I was amazed to discover that this is biologist Buhrman-Deever’s first book for children. Her two-voice poems are very effective and could easily be used in classroom activities to be shared aloud by pairs of children who will enjoy being predators and prey since so many of the animals featured are very fascinating. She gives voice to the animals in her poems and then allows scientific information to be shared as well. The end of the book has a lengthy bibliography which is greatly appreciated.
The illustrations by Kitchen are exceptional as well, showing the reader the relationship between the two animals being discussed. They are realistic and dramatic as the animals stand off on the page. Several of the pages also have large gated pages that open to reveal the poem beneath them, allowing Kitchen’s full imagery to be appreciated without words blocking it.
A very successful mix of poetry and science, this one is sure to be preyed upon by hungry readers in classrooms and activities. Appropriate for ages 7-9.
November 13, 2019
*I read this book as a reviewer for the Beehive Award Long List - Poetry Category*
When I'm reading books for award consideration, particularly for a children's award, I try to imagine what I would have enjoyed as a kid. Would I have picked this book up on my own, without an adult telling me to read it? Would I have fun with the book? Did I enjoy the pictures (if any)?
As I read through this, I can honestly say that nine-year-old me (which is the general age group that I think would get the most out of a book like this) would have liked this one. Any time you have a book about animals for kids, you are already halfway there. The concept of predator vs. prey is especially enticing for that age group. Then you write poems that have that back-and-forth "fight" between the two animals and it's a wonderful idea and brilliantly executed. The factual asides in the book add to the information presented in the poetry, which is great because kids who want to read about animals often want to learn something about them.
My only concern (and I freely admit that it's a minor one) is that the artwork might not be the most intriguing for kids. Don't get me wrong - the artwork is beautiful and illustrates these animals wonderfully. But, again, will a kid pick this up on their own? I'm not 100% sure that is the case, but I am willing to be proven wrong. Otherwise, this is a fun and informative book.
4.5 stars, and I do hope that this one makes the final list of nominees.
When I'm reading books for award consideration, particularly for a children's award, I try to imagine what I would have enjoyed as a kid. Would I have picked this book up on my own, without an adult telling me to read it? Would I have fun with the book? Did I enjoy the pictures (if any)?
As I read through this, I can honestly say that nine-year-old me (which is the general age group that I think would get the most out of a book like this) would have liked this one. Any time you have a book about animals for kids, you are already halfway there. The concept of predator vs. prey is especially enticing for that age group. Then you write poems that have that back-and-forth "fight" between the two animals and it's a wonderful idea and brilliantly executed. The factual asides in the book add to the information presented in the poetry, which is great because kids who want to read about animals often want to learn something about them.
My only concern (and I freely admit that it's a minor one) is that the artwork might not be the most intriguing for kids. Don't get me wrong - the artwork is beautiful and illustrates these animals wonderfully. But, again, will a kid pick this up on their own? I'm not 100% sure that is the case, but I am willing to be proven wrong. Otherwise, this is a fun and informative book.
4.5 stars, and I do hope that this one makes the final list of nominees.
May 17, 2019
What happens when predator meets prey? In the case of this book, each shares a poem and each rhyme has a different outcome. For the predator, it often ends with a meal, for the prey, a much unhappier fate. The illustrations are excellent and each set of couplets is followed by a description of both entities in the wild. Included are an Assassin Bug VS a spider, a Fringe-Lipped Bat VS a Tungara Frog, a female Pennsylvania Firefly and a male Big Dipper Firefly, Weaver Ants and a Giant Honey Bee, Chickadees and a Sharp-Shinned Hawk, a Pacific Rattlesnake and a Ground Squirrel, a Big Brown Bat and a Tiger Moth, plus triages among a Blue Jay, a Monarch Butterfly and a Zebra Longwing Butterfly, a Blue Jay, Swallowtail Butterfly and a Red-Spotted Purple Admiral Butterfly and another featuring a Peacock Butterfly, a Blue Tit and a Yellow-Necked Field Mouse. The last pairing features the stars from the dust jacket, a Puerto Rican Racer and a Crested Anole Lizard. Young nature lovers will be enthralled, first by the rhymes which will set them up for the facts about each participant. This is a very good choice for any library serving curious youngsters.
September 16, 2021
Predator and Prey is a very unique non-fiction book. It mainly uses poems combined with a short paragraph to talk about an array of predator-prey relationships. On one of the pages, it talks about the relationship between the Giant Honeybee and Weaver Ant and gives us how the two animals interact with one another.
I don't particularly care for this book because I personally don't like reading poetry that much. However, with that being said it is a kid-friendly poetry book. One plus is that it adds the paragraph at the bottom of the page further explaining the relationship in a different format. This way if a student didn't fully grasp the poem they could read the paragraph and be able to connect the two easier.
I would use this book to teach students about the different structures of poems. I would also recommend this book to a student who is more advance in their reading level or someone who likes poetry. This way it could challenge their way of reading and think about the texts. It is also a great tool to use to explain the predator-prey relationship.
I don't particularly care for this book because I personally don't like reading poetry that much. However, with that being said it is a kid-friendly poetry book. One plus is that it adds the paragraph at the bottom of the page further explaining the relationship in a different format. This way if a student didn't fully grasp the poem they could read the paragraph and be able to connect the two easier.
I would use this book to teach students about the different structures of poems. I would also recommend this book to a student who is more advance in their reading level or someone who likes poetry. This way it could challenge their way of reading and think about the texts. It is also a great tool to use to explain the predator-prey relationship.
January 27, 2020
Mostly insects represented here, with a few birds and an occasional reptile, amphibian, or mammal. I love the pairing of poems and nonfiction sidebars--one of my very favorite kinds of books. I occasionally found the directions/layout ambiguous (as on "Sound Wars"), but many of the poems are just wonderful! I most enjoy the poems where each creature gets its own poem.
February 22, 2020
The survival story in verse with bats, ants, bees, hawks, snakes, butterflies, and other animals hunting and camouflaging into the landscapes. The illustrations of the coloration of the animals is very well done. Fold-outs and a bibliography in the back, and small boxes with information on various pages. NF read.
May 23, 2021
4/4/2021 ~ A lovely combination of poetry and information. Each page features two poems - one from the perspective of predator and one from prey. A text box includes additional information about the relationship between the two animals. Realistic, painted illustrations complement each pair of poems.
November 30, 2021
This was a really cool concept for a book! It might be too much for one read-aloud, but over a few days I think kids would really enjoy it. I could see small groups working together to read and perform each of the predator/prey poems. Perhaps you could challenge readers to do some research and come up with more predator/prey pairings.
November 14, 2020
3 1/2 stars. This is a clever non fiction book with each page spread representing a different predator and prey speaking in free verse, with an explanation of the tactics each uses at the bottom of the page.
April 13, 2021
A well illustrated and literary prose book of how predators and prey do their best to survive when confronted. We see both sides of the situation and on any other day might want the other to win. Sometimes it comes down to attitude.
May 14, 2019
An excellent book of poems that explain about the "Predator and Prey" - Well written and the beautiful illustrations will draw you to them.
May 26, 2019
A handsomely illustrated collection of dynamic animal-themed verse.
June 23, 2019
Hybrid poetry/nonfiction books can have such potential (see my review for Superlative Birds), but this one just doesn't succeed.
August 21, 2019
Expository texts info is informative and engaging.
December 11, 2019
Such a unique way to present the information, the illustrations are lush.
January 19, 2020
Lovely mix of poetry and science. Love the nonfiction blurbs that follow each poem!
April 16, 2020
A elementary and up poetry book where each two page spread is a poem about two animals who are predator and prey and then a small paragraph about their relationship.
November 11, 2020
This is a good collection of poems that explores the predator--prey relationship in common animals that we recognize.
January 11, 2021
Beehive Book Nominee 2021
April 7, 2021
The author delivers science related information in a creative format. Susannah’s use of poetry is powerful and the artwork is lovely. I love having this book in my library!
August 30, 2023
Looking at wha eats what using poetry. Great factual info provided on each page.
November 19, 2024
I love the simplicity of this book, teaching the food web in a way through poetry. It focuses on the natural world and all the mini cogs that keep it going, and interesting.
June 16, 2019
I enjoyed the illustrations and information about each predator/prey relationship featured in the poems. Definitely makes more sense to read the information box at the bottom before reading the poems unless you are intimately familiar with the particular predator and prey on each page.
April 19, 2020
Fantastic nonfiction picture book - poetry in two voices. Each poem is a conversation between a predator and its prey. Gorgeous illustrations.
September 14, 2021
lots to learn!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews