Midnight Dance of the Snowshoe Hare

Collection: Poetry
Alaska, Animals, Summer

Carlstrom, Nancy White. Midnight Dance of the Snowshoe Hare: Poems of Alaska. Illus by Ken Kuroi. Philomel Books, 1998, unp. Primary, Intermediate, Secondary.

This book in picture book format is a collection of 15 poems written by Nancy White Carlstrom that brings to life the animals and nature of the summers of Alaska apart from the frozen cold of the winters. The poems are full of metaphors, alliterations, and other elements. Most of the poems are on a two page spread with the beautiful, soft, life-like oil(?) paintings that bring color to the frozen tundra. The paintings are a combination of backdrops for the poem and illustrations around the poems. This is a good book to explore some of the wildlife of Alaska, or even to use with science and animals adaptions.

Activity: Pick your favorite poem and describe the elements to the poem. Why did you like that poem. Pick an animal from the poems and learn more about them. Create a poster with illustrations and information of the animal you chose.