Douglas Florian is a New York-born poet and illustrator who has written and illustrated over 30 children's books. He had an early career as a cartoonist for The New Yorker magazine. Florian finds inspiration in nature and began writing poetry after finding a book of poems at a flea market. His poetry is lyrical, humorous, playful with words, and fact-filled on themes of school, animals, nature, and science. Florian encourages readers to try techniques from his poetry and illustrations like writing poems in shapes or being inspired by his illustrations.

1. Douglas Florian
Poet and Artist
Extraordinaire

2. Douglas Florian
 A New Yorker by birth (early career cartoonist for
The New Yorker)
 Son of an artist
 Loves nature
 Picked up a book of poetry at a flea market one day,
thought the poems very funny, and began writing his
own.
 Poet and illustrator of more than 30 children’s books.
 Recipient of the Lee Bennett Hopkins Poetry Award
and an ALA Notable Children’s Book Award winner
for Beast Feast.

3. Themes
 School
 Animals
 Nature
 Science

4. His Poetry:
Lyrical

6. Humorous

8. Playful with words

10. Fact Filled
Read to find out

11. “The Age of the Dinosaurs”
The dinosaurs
First lived outdoors
During the time Triassic
While most dies out,
Some came about
Later in the Jurassic,
Then they evolved,
As the earth revolved,
In times know as Cretaceous
But now indoors
Great dinosaurs
Fill museum halls, spacious.

12. Sometimes takes “shape”

14. His Illustrations:
Stunning

16. Douglas Florian
The Swing
Page 16 “Summersaults”
The swing’s a flinging
zinging chair,
The place to chase the air
up there.
Just hold on tight, no
need to steer,
And soon you’ll clear the
atmosphere.

17. “Inspiration”

18. Try some of his techniques

19.  Write a poem in a shape
 Use his illustrations as inspiration
 Collect some key facts about a topic of
interest and trying writing a collection
(or one) fact filled poem
 Be playful with your language
 Try adding some humor to your writing
 Try being lyrical in your writing

20. Some Titles

21.  Dinothessaurus
 Comets, stars, the moon, and Mars
 Insectlopedia
 Mammalabilia
 A pig is big
 Laugh-Eteria
 Autumblings
 Shiver Me Timbers!: Pirate Poems and Paintings
 Poem Runs
 UnBEElievables: Honeybee Poems and Paintings
 On the Wing
 In the Swim
 Beast Feast
 Winter Eyes
 Poetrees

22. What else can you learn from
Douglas Florian?

23. The End