The Language of Conservation
For Children

The Language of Conservation is a program funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services which brings together poems and nature. Milwaukee County Zoo and Milwaukee Public Library, with help from Poets House, are placing poetry displays all around the zoo. These poems, which express the beauty, power, and importance of nature and wildlife, will hopefully inspire us to protect our environment and promote conservation.

Animal Poetry

Eric Carle’s Animals Animals by Eric Carle. Ages 4-8

African Acrostics by Avis Harley. Ages 7-10

Mammalabilia by Douglas Florian. Ages 4-10

Swan Song: Poems of Extinction by Patrick J. Lewis. Ages 10-14

The Yellow Elephant
by Julie Larios. Ages 4-8

Factual Animal Books

Life-Size Zoo by Teruyuki Komiya. Ages 5-10
A zoo tour between covers, this oversize volume brings viewers face to face with a menagerie of creatures, from anteaters to zebras.

Living Color by Steve Jenkins Ages 5-10
Lifelike paper collages show the many ingenious ways color is used in the animal world—to hide, to warn, to attract and sometimes just to be pretty.

Face to Face With Leopards by Beverly and Dereck Joubert. Ages 7-12
This latest entry in National Geographic's Face to Face series features striking color photographs, authors who are animal scientists/photographers, descriptions of their personal encounters with animals, and also highlights issues in animal conservation.