In resonant voices and striking use of language, this 1989 Newbery Medal-winner explores the various sounds and concerns of the insect world. All ages. (Aug.)

Gr 3 Up-In this collection of 14 Poems for Two Voices'' about insects, Fleisch man surpasses its companion volume, I Am Phoenix (Harper, 1985). He has com bined the elements of sound and meaning to create clear, lively images of a variety of insects. Elements of repetition, ono matopoeia, and alliteration are effectively used to create a character for each of these creatures, with firefliesFlickering, flitting, flashing'' and mayflies lying, dy ing,'' which make these poems a joy for reading aloud. In addition, elements of personality, both fictional and real, are presented with charming effect. The love lorn moth who yearns for the lightbulb and the book lice who overcome their differingtastes'' represent the lighter side, while the digger wasp's reflection on the home it digs for children it will never see and Re quiem,'' written for the victims ofFall's first killing frost,'' represent real beha viors. Beddows uses personified black- and-white drawings to capture the feeling of the poems, including a sultry queen honeybee reclining on her couch. This book can join Bugs (Viking, 1976) by Mary Ann Hoberman and Never Say Ugh! to a Bug (Greenwillow, 1979) by Norma Farber as proof that insects are indeed the stuff of poetry. Barbara Chatton, Col lege of Education, University of Wyo ming, Laramie