Reviews

Orangutanka: A Story in Poems by Renée Kurilla, Margarita Engle

crystal_reading's review

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4.0

This is a great collection of tanka (a Japanese poetry form) that has an orangutan theme.

readingthroughtheages's review

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5.0

Tanka is a form of poetry I was unfamiliar with but I fell in love with it's quirky rhythms and it's lack of needing traditional conventions. I loved the author's invitation to young readers to take a subject and write about it using this format.

yapha's review

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4.0

This fun picture book about an orangutan family is told entirely in Tanka poems, the format of which is explained in the beginning of the book. This small family group lives in a wildlife preserve. As big sister orangutan frolics under the watchful eyes of her mother, father, and grandmother, we see humans also happily observing her antics. The bright illustrations will draw readers in and the lively poems will keep them interested. It culminates in an invitation to participate in an orangutan dance. Recommended for grades K-3.

drpschmidt's review

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4.0

Such a fun book to read aloud and/or use as a mentor text for Tanka Poems.

maidmarianlib's review

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4.0

Nice connected set of poems, interesting animal behavior information.

jmshirtz's review

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5.0

Vivid and adorable illustrations balance perfectly with fun Tanka poems about an orangutan family! I loved the additional information about the form of poetry and orangutans in general.

beecheralyson's review

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4.0

Love this new book from Margarita Engle.
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