This is a Tiny Fragile Snake
Presenter: Nicholas Ruddock
Ages: 3 & Up (but all readers welcome!)
Join a ‘bear-y’ special storyteller and take a walk on the wild side with poetry that explores close encounters with animals.
This is a Tiny Fragile Snake
Written by Nicholas Ruddock
Illustrated by Ashley Barron
Published by Groundwood Books
Fifteen poems explore close encounters with animals … and choosing to respond tenderly.
Whether it’s helping a hummingbird escape, respecting a bear’s habitat, admiring a heron’s beauty, or giving way to ants at a picnic, the human response in these poems is to do no harm, and to help whenever possible. The poems follow a seasonal progression, ending with a final poem that imagines where each animal might be on a winter night.
Inspired by personal experiences, Nicholas Ruddock’s poems are simply written, with a pleasing rhyme, and fun to read aloud. In the spirit of the text, Ashley Barron’s cut-paper collage illustrations portray each creature with respectful realism, in environments ranging from rural and wild to urban and suburban.
A delightful dip into poetry for young animal lovers!
