Limerick book teaches fun facts about animals

You wouldn’t think the word poop could be used poetically.

But when Bonnie Formentini, a retired Sunnyside schools teacher, was gathering facts for her newly published children’s book, she found a way.

“The Features of Creatures: Animals A-Z,” published in September, is a book of factual limericks about animals for every letter of the alphabet, even, as you might have guessed, the dung beetle:

“D, the Dung Beetle, has a delight,

It’s a dreadful and disgusting sight.

Yes, he discovers poop,

Takes a generous scoop,

Rolls it home for his young’s appetite!”

Inspiration to write a limerick book came to Formentini after reading one at her 104-year-old aunt’s house. She and her sister, Kathleen Requesens, had been talking about working on a book together, but weren’t sure what direction to take.

“I read it and said ‘This is so much fun. I bet kids would love this,’” Formentini said.

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But, she didn’t want to just write poetry.

With a 32-year background as a speech-language pathologist for the Sunnyside Unified School District, Formentini wanted to create something to make reading fun and to inspire literacy. She wanted the book to include facts and vocabulary with iteration to help kids learn the sounds of letters.

The result is a witty and educational journey into the details of some of Earth’s most unique creatures.

Words are paired with illustrations by Requesens, a Florida-based teacher, making it fun to read and visually pleasing.

A section of questions about each animal in the back of the book can keep the conversations going after reading. It also contains enrichment activities for parents or caregivers to do with their children.

The book was self-published under the name SisterPress and is currently available for $14 after tax at Yike’s Toys and Antigone Books.

The two sisters have plans for at least two more A to Z books — one on insects and another on animals of the Southwest.

“At first we thought of doing a chapter book for young readers about our experiences growing up in Africa. That still could be a possibility, but at the moment we think we’ll do an A-Z insect limerick book,” Formentini said.

“There are so many fascinating critters out there. And my sister really does a great job drawing insects.”