We lived in New York City for most of our lives, and we got very tired of people saying, "But don't you miss being out in nature?" Cities may have lots of buildings and concrete streets, but they are also homes to plants, trees, birds, mammals, insects, and other examples of "nature." You just have to know where to look. This book, with gorgeous collage illustrations by Amy Schimler-Safford, is a good start.

Sarah Grace Tuttle, who wrote the poems, has degrees in environmental studies and English. She lives in Massachusetts where she helps facilitate a local conservation group. Her poems introduce us to a mouse collecting paper to build her nest, a dandelion near the bus-stop bench, pigeons dancing by a fountain, ducks at a pond in the park, snails in a garden, a tall elm tree whose roots make a tangled web, raccoons overturning a garbage can, and more.

"Fun Facts about the Wildlife in These Poems" at the back of the book add to its educational value. The poems and the illustrations encourage us to hone our attention so that we don't miss all the so-called "hidden" life of a city.