Toad to a Nightingale Brad Leithauser
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.