The comic illustrations that accompany the verse are actually a self contained gag as well as a supplement to the text. For example, in the poem on the Ape, the versenotes that although gorillas are high on the evolutionary tree, they still cannot write a silly poem about themselves. The comic illustration shows an Ape attempting to read a copy of Darwin’s “Origin of the Species” with a rather confused look on his face. In another satiric poem, ‘busy as a Beaver’ notes the impact humans have on the forest compared to our furry friends. The illustration shows a Beaver building a dam with a copy of environmental regulations from the EPA.

Other poems are surreal. In the text of the Kangaroo, Haines considers what it’s like living ‘down under’ in Australia. In the illustration, the poor Kangaroo is literally down under and upside down on the page. The Zebra is much like a horse except they have stripe coats. The illustration shows a zebra painting the stripes on himself.

We recommend that parents read the book with their child so they can discuss the different types of humor contained in each verse. Part whimsy and part satire with plenty of laughs, Animal Kingdumb is a highly original book that will start a new trend in children’s literature. It makes the perfect gift for any holiday and will be a good addition to your home library. Order your copy today.