Toad to a Nightingale

A charming illustrated collection of light verse — witty and worldly featuring animals, plants, and objects.The subjects — grouped under the headings, Plant Creatures, Four from the Forest Floor, Periodic Riddles, Furnishings of the Moon, Cosmogonies, and Creature Creatures — range from the lyrical but lowly (discounted cantaloupes of “Cantaloupes: ‘$1 Each, 3 for $2’”) to the utterly unexpected (“An Alarm Clock Powered by AAA Batteries”). Framing this catalogue of surprises is a spirited exchange between the toad and nightingale, suggesting that a soiled toad can sometimes outdo the celestial songbird.