Take a poetic tour through the duff and get the dirt on the tiny, fascinating critters that live there.

For all the kids who can't resist turning over a rock, science poetry maven Leslie Bulion presents nineteen lively ecological poems in a variety of verse forms about the "brown food web" and the creatures that live there—from bacteria and rove beetles to mushrooms and millipedes, and all of the other busy recyclers in between.

Illustrator Robert Meganck adds to the fun with humorous and vivid, yet scientifically detailed, artwork.

Science notes run throughout for added context, and thorough back matter includes a glossary, poetry notes, hands-on investigations, and other resources for cross-curricular learning.