From Oxford's acclaimed library of poetry for children comes a new anthology that combines the finest of verse with a survey of wildlife and human cultures of the earth. It begins with the oceans--whales, dolphins, sharks--and then circles the world, pausing to visit a host of animals who delight in their strengths, but are often all too aware of the fragility of the future. Poets from each continent are represented and each reveals much about the human culture as well as the animals of their lands. A. B. Paterson writes of the Australian wombat, Weary Will. Hsu Pen describes the tigers of Asia. Traditional and contemporary African verses are included as well as European and American poets such as Ted Hughes, Carl Sandburg, William Butler Yeats, and Thomas Hardy. Meerkats of Africa, locusts, scorpions, hyenas, buffaloes, and even the Red-winged Lourie are honored in verse, and specially commissioned illustrations bring to life the beauty and variety of all the world and its animals. This elegantly designed book also offers indexes of artists, authors, titles and first lines, and a special index of all the animals included in the collection--a particularly useful tool for learning. This superb addition to the Oxford family of children's verse will be treasured and enjoyed by teachers, librarians, and families for years to come.