Animal Children - PART 1 - read aloud poem for kids

Animal Children is a rhyming story be Edith Brown Kirkwood. This children's poem story book was published by P.F. Volland and Co. in 1913 (Chicago). This reading by Evergreen Tales is taken from the ninth (9th) edition of the book. The imaginative illustrations that accompany the story are part of the original book, and were created by M. T. Ross.

The original poem story is long, and has been broken into 9 parts to make for a more comfortable listening and viewing experience. This is the first part of the nine-part series entitled "ANIMAL CHILDREN".

ANIMAL CHILDREN

(Part ONE of a nine-part rhyming story series.)

Sometimes I am so sorry that my papa is a king,
It's really most annoying and hurts like everything
To have the little girls and boys all want to run away,
For if I am a Lion prince, I'm a baby, anyway!

Some jungle boys, by mischief made quite bold,
Once took the baby Tiger, so we're told,
And in broad stripes they smeared his coat so fine,
And 'round his neck they hung a "Fresh Paint" sign.

This monkey thought the Leopard's spots
Were pasted on for polka-dots,
He asked her how much it would cost
New ones to buy if those were lost.

In her red and white gown Miss Weasel's so pert
We are very afraid she's a gay little flirt;
She is fearful of no one - beast, reptile or man,
Just winks and cries gaily: "Catch me, if you can."

This dapper young chappy is Dude Ocelot,
With coat trimmed in many a dash and a spot;
He's graceful and elegant, sly, too, as well,
Just what he'll do next no one ever can tell.

The chetah is a great big cat
But very quick, for all of that,
She's cunning but she's gentle, too,
And if you're good she's good to you.

The little Bobcat and Canadian Lynx
Just must be related (so everyone thinks).
Except for their ears they're alike as two pins,
And look every whit as if they were twins.

A dainty, fastidious man is Lord Otter
Who can live just as well on land as in water,
He'll eat but the flakiest part of a fish,
And this he considers his favorite dish.

"It really is a bother to be sought by everyone"
The vain young Ermine boasted. "Why, it keeps me on the run
To get away from kings and queens and peers and ladies great
It truly gets me all fussed up and in a dreadful state."

Young ferret, detective, said: "I'll show you where
To track the bold rabbit right into his lair."
Then he never saw bunny right under his eyes,
But went swaggering off looking wondrously wise.

MUSIC CREDITS:

ART CREDITS:
The illustrations presented in this poem reading video are from the original work, entitled "Animal Children" by Edith Kirkwood (1913). The illustrations created for this book are by M. T. Ross.