I Saw a Peacock with a Fiery Tail

A New York Times "Favorite Book Cover Design 2012" Pick

"Delightfully illustrated" - The New York Times

"In this visual stunner...the literal setting of the words is as key to the volume’s success as are its text and illustrations... Indian folk art triumphantly meets 17th-century English trick verse in this sophisticated graphic venture fit for middle graders on up." - Starred, Kirkus Reviews

"A stunning reminder of why people keep making real-live books... Visually delicious and beautifully made. . . a testament to the vitality of two art forms that just won't answer to their death knells: poetry and the book." - NPR Summer Reads Pick

This 17th century British poem is a form of trick verse. Here, the very design of the book brings clarity to the verse, as whimsical die-cuts in each page reveal the poem's nuanced meaning. Read straightforwardly, the poem sounds interestingly surreal. But if the lines are broken up in the middle, then everything falls into place. Illustrations by award-winning Gond artist Ramsingh Urveti (of The Night Life of Trees), book design by Jonathan Yamakami.

US Grade Level Equivalent: 2
US Guided Reading Level: K